Work
Design innovation and co-design to support vulnerable young people
Infoxchange
In Brief
In Detail
Challenge
Infoxchange had been informed by discovery work — conducted prior to our engagement — that a chatbot could provide an alternatively helpful service experience to vulnerable young people.
We were initially engaged to help Infoxchange implement a chatbot solution however our team quickly cited a number of gaps in the understanding of users when the previous discovery was completed.
We built the case to set this solution aside in favour of building context around service users, developing and testing a more comprehensive range of hypotheses and service experiences—which proved the right approach.
Outcomes
Ask Izzy’s product team could identify service experiences and technologies worth pursuing, as well as those not worthwhile
We identified five future opportunities for Ask Izzy to improve the experience for young people seeking help
Ask Izzy presented our project learnings to a critical partner, who provided significant funding for these opportunities to progress
Ask Izzy’s Product Manager Ben Shaw provided some twelve months on that “the insights unearthed during the project are continuing to resurface and validate projects across other product streams we have underway.”
How it was done
Multidisciplinary design innovation team established with embedded and collaborative ways of working
Ethical research with young people with lived experience of homelessness, and youth workers
Rapid idea generation and feasibility/desirability assessment of service concepts and experiences
Defined user personas and journeys
Co-designed different hypotheses for how young people could be supported and developed service prototypes to validate
Validated prototypes with service users
Identified five future opportunities for Ask Izzy to improve the experience for young people
Infoxchange is a not-for-profit social enterprise, delivering technology for social justice for over 30 years. One of its crucial community programs is Ask Izzy, a digital product that connects people in crisis with the services they need—housing, a meal, financial assistance, family violence support, counselling and much more. With over 370,000 services listed across Australia and approximately 300,000 searches per month, Ask Izzy plays a vital role in our community.
Our project team worked alongside Ask Izzy’s product team, youth workers and young people with lived experience. Together, we developed hypotheses and validated prototypes to understand better how emerging technologies and modernised experiences might uncover deeper, unaddressed needs of young people at risk of homelessness—and subsequently connect them to suitable help services.
Setting up for success — human-centered, collaborative and iterative approach
We identified very early that the leading technology solution—a chatbot—might not be the right solution, and designed a project approach allowing the team to ideate and validate an array of solutions and help-service interventions. Foreseeing the restrictions a prescribed solution would bring to the project early became a key factor in the project’s success.
We adopted a 'triple diamond' design-thinking approach, allowing us to plan ahead for two scenarios—a solution being built as an output of the project, as well as a scenario in which project insights themselves formed the final output.
Mixed-method research — providing variance through workshops, one-on-ones, and secondary research
We conducted thorough and varied research with young people with lived experience of using help services. Workshops helped uncover how new technologies and service concepts might provide value and ‘desirable experiences’ of Ask Izzy. Then, one-on-one sessions helped us dive deeper into the fears, frustrations and motivations experienced by individuals during times of seeking help. Through this research the team formed a clear understanding of who, and at what points, vulnerable young people turn to for support.
Workshops with youth and youth workers helped uncover how new technologies and service concepts might provide value and ‘desirable experiences’ of Ask Izzy.
Secondary desktop research helped us understand the benefits and complications of chatbot technology—a service consideration derived from previous research. A light service landscape audit helped define the most appropriate service experiences and distinguish which, and in what capacity, services support young people.
Insights were synthesised into key findings, using team workshops we evaluated those findings, generated ideas and assessed the feasibility and desirability of service concepts and experiences.
Journeys, personas and pivots — insightful artefacts for ‘at risk’ youths
User personas and journeys defined young people’s mindsets and motivations, illustrating the diverse and complex nature of a young person's journey to find help. These artefacts helped identify the leading intervention—a chatbot—might provide the most value for 'at risk' young people, rather than those ‘in crisis’, where our work was focused. This supported one of the key risks we identified at the beginning of the project and allowed us to make a planned pivot and more meaningful impact.
Ben ShawProduct Manager, InfoxchangeWe’ve received funding to continue improving Ask Izzy. Insights developed through the project are continuing to resurface and validate projects across other product streams we’ve got underway, which is great to see. Great job everyone!”
Hypothesis development and prototyping - Why and how service users would turn to technology during their time of need
We held design workshops to generate a number of different hypotheses for how young people could be supported when seeking help. From this we developed three distinct prototypes, one of which was a chat solution focussing on a 'chatty' conversation structure, as well as two alternative experiences.
The prototypes were validated with eleven participants in moderated sessions over two rounds, to allow for an iterative approach that integrated learnings from the first round into the second round and final outputs.
From the usability evaluation we summarised key learnings, prototype recommendations and five opportunities for Ask Izzy to improve the experience for young people seeking help.
A clear path forward — and further funding
Ask Izzy presented the project’s learnings to a key partner, who provided funding for progress to be made on the future opportunities identified.
Let's talk about how our team can help you.
Get in touch