Using a scenario-planning tool to support an engaging online user experience

1
Using a scenario-planning tool to support an
engaging online user experience

• Jon Pearce
• John Murphy
• David Patman
• Ian Brooks

2
Overview

• This presentation discusses
• government providing online support for citizens
• a conceptual approach to a solution
• design testing of the solution
• thoughts for the future

3
Background

• Imagine this
• Issues presented by Centrelink
• increasing population of older customers
  returning to the workforce gt increasing demand
  on services
• make online contacts with Centrelink more
  engaging and convenient for customers
• encourage less-experienced online users to
  interact with Centrelink using self-service
• help customers take an active role in planning a
  pathway towards self-sufficiency.

4
Background

• Research question
• Can a Centrelinks online experience be enhanced
  by developing a self-help tool which allows
  customers to explore various scenarios of actions
  and their outcomes?
• Specific aims
• To develop an online tool that would be
• highly engaging vs form-filling
• dynamic
• reflective.

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Approach

• Scenario planning
• beyond the loans calculator
• Concept of flow
• goals, feedback, challenge vs skills
• control, autotelic
• measure
• control engagement enjoyment.

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Developing a Prototype
Analysis of Centrelink interaction
Algorithm design
Screen design
Prototype Development
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Prototype 1
Skip to Prototype 2
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How many interviews can you attend per week?
Prototype 1
1 or fewer
About 5
10 or more
Confidence 7
Literacy 5
Read/Write 5
Int time 2
Interviews 8
Fitness 8
Temp work 6
Work quals 2
Contact 2
Mode 8
Resume 7
Education 6
Value quals 2
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Title of parameter, Title of parameter Title of
parameter
Prototype 1
Low value text
Mid value text
High value text
1.41 Int time 2
2.45 Temp work 6
2.45 Education 6
Interviews 8
Confidence 7
2.8 Mode 8
Work quals 2
Value quals 2
Resume 7
Read/Write 5
Confidence 5
1.41 Contact 2
Fitness 8
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Prototype 1
Summary referrals
The colour to the left is an average of all
your inputs. You might like to consider one or
more of the following actions
Language skills course This 6 month course will
help improve your reading and writing skills.
Mobile phone purchase Buying a mobile phone will
improve your contactability with potential
employers.
Colour scale?
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Prototype 2

• Preparing to return
• to the workforce
• This tool is designed to assist you preparing to
  return to work. It allows you to nominate your
  current situation and see the types of options
  Centrelink may offer you to assist your return to
  work.
• It can also be used to plan for the future by
  allowing you to change various values and see
  the result of doing things such as getting you
  resume up-to-date.
• Please note
• Options presented in this tool are indicative
  only and actual options recommended by Centrelink
  may differ depending on your situation.
• Centrelink does not record or retain any
  information based on using this tool

Age?
40
45
50
55
60
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Prototype 2
Temporary work
Education
Number of Interviews
Interview skills
Work Hours
Qualifications
Up-to-date
Interview notification
Resume
Literacy
Confidence
Fitness
Contact
13
Prototype 2
Temporary work
Education
Number of Interviews
Interview skills
Work Hours
Qualifications
Up-to-date
Interview notification
Resume
Literacy
Confidence
Fitness
Contact
14
Prototype 2
Temporary work
Education
Number of Interviews
Interview skills
Work Hours
Qualifications
Up-to-date
Interview notification
Resume
Literacy
Confidence
Fitness
Contact
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Prototype 2
Temporary work
Education
Improving your résumé Developing your interview
skills Suggestion about temporary work Language
skills courses Building confidence Improving
contact Improving job skills Getting fit Going
for that job Improving your qualifications Improvi
ng your education
Number of Interviews
Interview skills
Work Hours
Qualifications
Up-to-date
Interview notification
Resume
Literacy
Confidence
Fitness
Contact
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Testing with Customers

• Four groups of six participants tested at The
  University of Melbourne usability laboratory
• Centrelink customers
• Age 50
• Unemployed 2 yrs
• Data collection
• Questionnaires
• Scenario tasks using the prototype
• Focus group.

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Final prototype
2 minute prototype movie
(demo)
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Final prototype
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Outcomes discussion

• Software evaluation
• usability details
• mixed reactions to direct manipulation design
  approach
• need greater enticement to explore
• User interaction
• user explored answered various what-if
  questions
• they were engaged
• but, had the expectation of a process
• little evidence of flow (control engagement
  enjoyment).

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Revising the scenarios

• We moved from
• participants beginning as themselves in their
  current situation completing a task
• Work though the program
• to
• participants beginning as themselves but in a
  scenario completing a task
• Imagine you have an interview tomorrow

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Next steps

• Modifications to software
• Apply scenario-planning to other areas
• Generic concept self-help through exploration

adjust personal info
observe prioritised output/suggestions
reflect
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Conclusion

• We have identified
• potential of novel interaction style in
  e-government
• design requirements for further prototype
• areas of interest from within Centrelink for
  collaboration
• moving towards self-help through reflection.