Speech recognition technology could be a fast and (for the user) effortless way of communicating in certain situations if or when it works properly. But, as I just experienced, it is infuriating when it isn’t. You’re tricked into thinking you’re being understood but later it is revealed that the computer cannot deal with the complexities of human life.

In this case the paper’s computer system cannot even deal with addresses with additions to the house number. In the Netherlands this must exclude half of the households from being able to use this communication channel. The Volkskrant answering service asks first for your postal code (and repeats it), then for the street number without the addition (and repeats the number). So you expect it to ask for the addition next (and repeat it). Wrong. The voice tells you they have no subscriber at an address with that number. (If they had, this person would have gotten an extra paper.)

Now I have to start up my computer to report the missing paper on their web site. After finding the right page I have to log in. In my case this means creating a user account for which I will have to look up my subscription number first. I am asked to login so that the paper can provide ME, the subscriber, with “maximum service” it says but it feels like the other way around. I won’t get a paper today so I give up and go eat breakfast.

My point being: the Volkskrant probably means well but if they can’t spring for a call center employee on Saturdays let an answering machine tell me so and don’t waste my time.

2009 • Logica
The TAX-i project consists of 2 applications; ODB which leverages municipal data across silos, and UBS that calculates water levies based on this data. It is being co-developed by Logica and a couple of Water Boards. Representatives of the Water boards and users of the system are part of the acceptance procedure.

Task flow Functional application manager

Task flow Data manager

Task flow Service desk employee

Task flow Application manager

Responsibilities:

• Leading workshops to collect user requirements,
• analysis of the interaction patterns used in UBS,
• making interactive prototypes,
• writing the interaction design document (describing a.o. usability guidelines, user mental models, navigation, interaction patterns and errors, alerts and confirmation).

The case management system

Case management

A case file can originate from Post intake (3) but it can also originate from an e-form sent from a municipal website. These cases end up in the “work list” of a case manager (4) who, if the case file is accepted (5), will start processing the case (6).

Post intake

Post intake

When post (hard copy or email) is received, it must be determined whether this document belongs to an existing case. This is done by searching the data base (3) for a matching case file or client file. If a matching case is found (4) the document is added to the case (6). If a matching client file is found (8) it must be determined if this document belongs to an existing case (9) or constitutes a new case (and if so which type of case) (10).
If no matching case or client file is found (11) a new client file is formed, but only after the system matches the new data with municipal data as a check. A new case file is made for the new client and the document is added.

Case management

Case management vs managing case related information

The relationship of a case file to a client file

Responsibilities during the project:

• Analysis of the POC (Digimeente 1.3)
• A presentation to GovUnited and the pilot communities on the importance of a good “user experience” for the acceptance and success of the application
• The design of a user friendly structure and user interface
• Production of interactive prototypes based on use cases and user research
• Writing of the interaction design document / style guide used for the development of Digimeente 2.0

Users: task flow and applications used

• Modeling the employee work-flow, analyzing user information obtained with questionnaires, contextual inquiries and field studies to determine the different types of users.
• User interface design, wire-frames
• Preparation and execution of paper prototyping sessions with which the usability of a series of design proposals for the new interface were tested.

As a result the usability of the interface design could be improved before any coding had been done, saving time and money.

categorization of dossiers

The representatives were linked to categories of “Dossiers” and / or “Programs” in the CRM application to determine which information they would be presented on the web site, on which topics they would be consulted and to which meetings they were invited to. Because these categories were ambiguous and most likely not clear-cut enough to the representatives whom had to pick from them, I developed a new way of categorizing them that also would allow for the inclusion of new programs and dossiers in the future.
Ultimately there were 10 factors that were key in determining useful categories:

1. Traffic or Safety/Environment (2)
2. Land, Air or Water (internal waters or sea) (4)
3. Persons or Goods (2)
4. Domestic or International (2)

Responsibilities:

• Development of the “user stories” together with the product owner (=client) in “scrum team” for the representatives web site.
• Preparation of workshop with product owner and end users of the web site to test user stories and categories.