This document discusses user journeys for government services. It notes that people use services either because they have to for legal or job reasons, or because they want to. Content designers should research user needs and behaviors like how people find services, whether they are focused or multi-tasking, and why they are using the service, such as to fix a problem. Designers should speak to GDS early on to understand research findings and how the service links to GOV.UK content. The document also discusses how to identify and address points of failure in user journeys, the importance of tracking progress, and working with communications and the wider organization to focus on user needs found through research.

1. User journeys for services
Sean Walsh
Sophy Colbert

2. GDSSean
Why do people use a service?

3. GDSSean
They have to do something?

4. ● They have to for their job
● A letter told them they have to
● A court's told them they have to
GDSSean

5. Or they want to…
GDSSean

6. OPGSophy
How do people find a service?

7. OPGSophy
● organic search (usually good)
● internal search (sometimes not good)
● direct (risky)
● referral (expectations may not be met)

8. OPGSophy
User research tells content designers:
● what people do before they start
● what else they are doing at the time
● why they read - has something gone
wrong?

9. OPGSophy
● laptop/desktop (mostly focused on the
task in hand)
● mobile/tablet (almost certainly multi-
tasking)

10. Where do content designers
come in?
GDSSean

11. Good content from the start
Research early, influence early
GDSSean

12. Talk to GDS (early)
● what have you found out?
● how should your service link to
GOV.UK content?
GDSSean

13. Inside the service
GDSSean

14. How do people fail?
They haven’t got something
They don’t know what to enter
GDSSean

15. OPGSophy
When things go wrong...
...people pick up the phone

16. OPGSophy
Contact centre calls can tell us a lot:
● what went wrong
● why it went wrong
But content centre staff are under
pressure to finish calls quickly

17. OPGSophy
A small group of super users can:
● spend more time on the phone with
people
● talk about user journeys to the
business

18. ● Letters
● Forms
● Emails
● Text messages
Part of the journey too, so let’s make sure
they’re clear
GDSSean

19. Test these things too
Put them in front of people if you
have lab time
GDSSean

20. GDSSean

21. GDSSean

22. GDSSean

23. Do you need to slow people
down?
What do you need to tell them?
Are you sure they’re on the right
journey?
GDSSean

24. GDSSean

25. GDSSean
Build trust
Reassure people

26. GDSSean

27. Tracking
“Where’s my thing” is the
reason people call…
GDSSean

28. But it’s a problem when an
organisation hates giving
waiting times
GDSSean

29. GDSSean

30. GDSSean
=

31. GDSSean

32. OPGSophy
Talking to communications about user
journeys:
● media coverage
● outward comms/marketing

33. OPGSophy
Talking to ‘the business’ about user
journeys:
● push back on requirements
● eliminate opinion
● it’s interesting!

34. OPGSophy
Journey complete!