Getting acquainted and benchmark
Knowing the institution's history to better grasp the stakes of a portal redesign
Exploratory interviews are held with representatives of the different directorates to better grasp how this kind of institution works.
A crucial step for getting to grips with the history of the Défenseur des droits and identify the stakes and goals of such a redesign.
A benchmark is carried out in parallel to get to grips with the subject and observe what is in place in other countries (Belgium, Canada…).
Proto-persona workshop
Defining the portal's user types
The Défenseur des droits serves the whole French population, and citizens’ expectations are therefore very varied. The project team is asked to imagine and categorise target audiences during a proto-persona workshop, identifying behavioural variables and the needs associated with these audiences. 5 user categories are defined:
- The potential complainant looking to assert their rights
- The active complainant following up on their request
- The knowledge-seeker who wants documentation on a specific topic
- The intermediary who calls on the Défenseur des droits on behalf of a third party
- The curious visitor who comes to the portal to learn about the institution and follow its news
The professional-user audience is deliberately set aside during this workshop (but taken into account in the redesign project).
User-journey workshop
Identifying the needs and opportunities at each step of the journey
Building on the proto-personas defined earlier, we sketch out typical journeys that users go through on the platform using the note-n-map methodology. The aim is to identify the goals to reach for each user and then list the steps to reach those goals.
This exercise surfaces the opportunities and the features to put in place to address varied needs: access examples of work done by the Défenseur des droits, get help on the steps to take to assert your rights as a citizen, search for documentation and tools around legal topics, easily access the legal section, understand the institution’s areas of action…
Each step of the journey corresponds to a screen of the future web portal (home page, contact page, page presenting the ways to submit a complaint to the institution…), which makes things easier later in the design phase.
Information-architecture workshop
Categorising the content to optimise the browsing journeys
The target users and behavioural variables are defined, their needs are identified and the main journeys are formalised.
This data will help structure and categorise the (substantial) information on the platform, by defining the portal’s information architecture.
An essential challenge for improving the understanding of the institution and the use of this platform both as a services tool for citizens and as a portal for professionals.
Each target user has to be able to access the desired content quickly and easily. For example, a citizen looking for help should be able to quickly reach support and reassurance, through examples, with clear guidance, and by being shown the relevant services.
Co-sketching workshop
Defining first screen templates and prioritising ideas collaboratively
We wrap up this framing step by formalising the ideas as sketches during the co-design workshop. The aim is to let users take a step back from the journeys and concretely materialise the information and features on the screens.
What should the user see first when arriving on this page?
When should certain features (contact form, help…) be offered?
The stakes here are many. We need to let users easily understand where they are on the portal, access information that matches their needs (which won’t be the same whether they are a complainant or a legal professional), and feel supported throughout their browsing.
Desktop UX sprint
Designing the wireframes in greyscale
All the work carried out during the framing phase and the modelling of the target experience guides the design of the mockups in greyscale (wireframes).
The text used in the mockups picks up the existing copy to improve the understanding of the screens. It will then be reworked by the project team.
This first UX sprint focuses on the desktop version of the new portal. Many iterations with the project team, along with guerrilla user tests, help refine the design and align everyone’s visions.
Mobile UX sprint
Carrying the mockups over into mobile format
Once the desktop UX sprint is validated by the project team, the screens are carried over into mobile format.
Each screen designed in desktop format is transposed in a responsive version to make follow-up adjustments easier afterwards.
