As part of the City of Boroondara’s strategic vision for a customer-first approach to service delivery, we designed a user-centric and innovative digital navigation model for a seamless, convenient and empowering online experience for all users.

It was imperative to the success of the council’s digital transformation project that robust and in-depth user research was conducted to clearly understand user needs and expectations for the redeveloped website.

We started with a comprehensive analysis of the current web environment and analytics data, including an expert review, best practice benchmarking, and domain-wide auditing, mapping and gap analysis.

To identify and understand user and business needs, we conducted an online true intent study and survey, together with workshops with key stakeholders. Using a true co-design approach, we consulted with a broad cross-section of real users in focus groups and interviews to identify and find solutions to common pain points and perfect the model design.

We analysed the quantitative and qualitative data from our research and, in close consultation with the project team, made recommendations for the new site, including:

  • improved e-service and self-service capabilities
  • easier access to information, including effective navigation and search
  • consistent and clean visual design
  • clear and engaging content in plain English
  • a stronger, more centralised governance
  • sustainable technology infrastructure and content management processes
  • enhanced sharing, collaboration and data exchange capabilities
  • localised information and services (‘Near me’)
  • more personalised services (customer account).

The next step was to develop the information architecture, responsive wireframes and high-level functional specifications for key pages. Our content services included writing or repurposing all content and populating the beta site CMS.

We also conducted user experience testing with representative users to evaluate and validate:

  • information architecture – online and moderated tree testing
  • content – moderated testing of sample content to measure quality and usability
  • wireframes – online first-click study and moderated first-click and clickable paths study
  • beta site – moderated testing.

The end result was a comprehensive set of findings and recommendations to realise Council’s vision for an online digital experience that met the needs of all users.

Visit the City of Boroondara site

Also see:

City of Boroondara solution design

City of Boroondara content services