SPRINT 13 Workshop 2 The importance of digital delivery, the product and user feedback - Student Loans Company

1. DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
HOW USER FEEDBACK
DRIVES DELIVERY

2. STUDENT LOANS COMPANY
Non-profit making, public Provide the core transaction
SLC employs 2,300 people
sector organisation, set up in processing function for the end-to-
in 4 sites in the UK
1989, to provide loans and end administration of student
with an annual budget of just
grants to students studying at finance for the UK.
universities and colleges in over £105m.
the UK.

3. STUDENT LOANS COMPANY
26 million 5.7 million £5.6 billion £3.1 billion
web site visits calls paid to students paid to unis / colleges
4m 1.32 million 520,000 £1.6 billion
post items student applications emails Collected from 1.7m

4. USERS VOICE
“It was awful, none of the
options work properly.
I've had to submit it
anyway because of the
deadline tomorrow. Every
option I have tried to do
doesn't work properly.”
“…why do they want to know
household income? Why do they
want to know if you're going to be
living at home or not living at home?
Does that mean they will help
towards the cost of living away? I
don't know – do you get that help?”
“I'm, like, really baffled. It
makes me feel a bit
stupid. I don't know, it's
“Because the button not worded very well.“
that allows me to
change which course I
wanted to apply to in
some form of sick
practical joke was
grayed out. I couldn't
make any changes.”

5. WHAT MEASURES OF SUCCESS?
• Feedback from User Experience Testing
User Voice • Online satisfaction surveys
Goal: Improve customer • Tracking number of complaints raised against application
satisfaction • Insight from analytics running on the systems
Cost of contact
• Decrease in volume of calls by call reason per application
Goal: Minimize level of • Tracking of associated financial impact
assistance required throughout
the process
Processing
• Review volumes of chaser letters
Goal: Decrease the number of • Measure incorrect applications and evidence sent
incorrect or incomplete online
apps

6. USER EXPERIENCE TESTING Observation
Analysed issues users have with existing system
• Time to get through application
“It was awful, none of the
• Not Accessible
options work properly. I've
• No view of application status / progress
had to submit it anyway
because of the deadline
tomorrow. Every option I
have tried to do doesn't
work properly.”
• Language overly complex
• Questions disjointed
“I'm, like, really baffled. It
“…why do they want to know
household income? Why do they want
• Need to print off Information Advice and Guidance
makes me feel a bit stupid. I to know if you're going to be living at
don't know, it's not worded
• Confusing Navigation
home or not living at home? Does that
very well.“ mean they will help towards the cost of
living away? I don't know – do you get
that help?”
• Question Fatigue
• Errors
Card Sort
Users sorted questions into related groups that fit their mental
model
• About You
• Previous Study
• Your Course / Your Loan
• Other Funding
• Confirm

7. USER EXPERIENCE TESTING
User Experience Test (May) Part Time
• Prototype used to verify overall flow (Axure)
• Design alternatives tried out (A/B Testing)
• Verified application flow before major development and
changed screen flow
• Highlighted issues around Information Advice and Guidance
• Tested Question stacking
12 Part Time applicants
User Experience Test (July) Part Time
• Working application
• Language difficulties
• Information Advice and Guidance page difficult
• Confusion around tuition fee and loan amounts
• Next Steps not clear to users
6 on-site Part Time and 6 Open University applicants

8. USER EXPERIENCE TESTING User Experience Test (August) Part Time
• Verified accessibility of application
• Variations around tuition fee tried
• Next steps variations tested
• Assumptions regarding branding verified
• Information Advice and Guidance verified
• Users completing application quickly and very positive
feedback
18 applicants (12 disabled and 6 non-disabled)
Production Dry-Run (October) Part Time
• Challenge from project Board to verify release 3 weeks in
advance of launch
• 3 actual applicants invited to Glasgow to try application
• Full end to end process verified
• Applicants interviewed post-application. Feedback very
positive
• Applications completed in between 10 and 15 minutes
3 Applicants

9. USER EXPERIENCE TESTING – EVOLUTION
June
August
October

10. USER EXPERIENCE TESTING – EVOLUTION
Have you confirmed your tuition fees with <institution name>?
If you are choosing your own course intensity, this may impact your tuition fee; you should discuss this with your university or college.
Yes, my tuition fee is [input box]
No, I have not confirmed my fees yet. July
August
Do you know the tuition fee you will charged by <institution name > this year?
Your tuition fee can be affected by how long it will take you to complete your course studying part-time. You’ll have agreed
this with your university or college.
Yes, I know my tuition fee. It is £ [text input box]
September
No, I don’t know my tuition fee
Based on what you’ve told us, we estimate the maximum eligible fee as £{0}. Use this estimated fee to calculate
how much I could borrow
Now

11. HOW DID WE DO?
“Improve customer satisfaction while simultaneously decreasing the
number of incorrect/incomplete online applications and minimising
the level of assistance throughout the process”
Applications build on old system Applications build on new system
• 61.4% of users dissatisfied with • 82% of users satisfied with
application application (more)
• 3.6 calls per application • 2.5 calls per application
Happier customers
Lower support costs
This is just the beginning...

12. 80% OF USERS SURVEYED AGREED
Next
11% DID NOT AGREE
120%
100%
80% 83% 82% 80%
77%
80%
60%
40%
20%
7% 14% 12% 10% 12%
0%
Site is trustworthy Got what they needed Likely to recommend Satisfied with Have excellent opinion
application

13. 83% OF USERS SURVEYED GAVE A POSTIVIVE RATING
Back
10% GAVE A NEGATIVE RATING
120%
100%
84% 80% 82% 85%
80%
60%
40%
20%
10% 7% 13% 11%
0%
Information Layout Ease of use Overall