Client:
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)
When:
June 2024 to August 2024
MHCLG is the Government department responsible for housing, communities, and local government in England.
Summary: an Alpha phase aimed to assess whether users (fund applicants and contractors) would find a proposed building remediation service useful, identify the service's expected owner, and determine how it should operate.
Outcomes: Iterative User-Centered Prototypes that were tested with users. The findings from the user testing were used to create recommendations for MHCLG in their work to make buildings safer in the UK.
Key Goals:
Testing Risky Assumptions: Prototypes were developed to test whether the service could meet user needs.
Understanding Ownership: Explore which government department or entity would be best suited to own and manage the service.
Service Integration: Investigate how the service could integrate with existing systems.
Challenges:
Market Visibility: A major challenge identified was the lack of visibility in the building remediation market, which caused difficulties for building owners in selecting quality contractors.
Pressure on Government: The Alpha phase occurred before the release of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, adding external pressure on the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG).
Prototyping approach:
Workshops and Wireframes: Low-fidelity wireframes and user flows were developed through stakeholder workshops, followed by iterative design and user testing using Figma.
Testing Assumptions: The riskiest assumptions for both fund applicants and contractors were tested through two rounds of user testing, using clickable prototypes to gauge feasibility and usefulness.
Page with iterations to be made
Iterated page
Workshop agenda and mapping
Findings from Alpha:
The high-fidelity prototypes showed that both contractors and fund applicants found value in the service, with contractors willing to register and use the tool, and applicants appreciating the filtering.
Recommendations: Further engagement with government bodies and additional user testing, especially in light of new findings from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report (2024), are necessary to ensure the service aligns with the latest expectations.
Impact:
Iterative User-Centered Prototyping: as the designer on the team, my ability to rapidly iterate using low-fidelity wireframes and Figma prototypes allowed the team to quickly test and adapt designs based on user feedback. By running multiple rounds of testing and refining prototypes, I helped ensure that the service met the real needs of both fund applicants and contractors.
Cross-Departmental Collaboration and Integration: the challenges identified during Alpha—such as the lack of visibility in the building remediation market—highlight the need for collaborative service design across government departments. I played a crucial role in mapping out how the new service could integrate with existing systems and ensuring alignment with government standards, such as the GOV.UK design system. This enhanced the service’s readiness for future stages while considering broader government policies and initiatives.
