Common Themes

These six users of government services had different personal objectives, made use of different services, and had quite different experiences. Their stories illustrate the sheer diversity of users of government services. They also reflect the challenge of policy development or service delivery planning to best meet such widely varying individual needs and expectations.

Despite their differences, some common themes and lessons can be drawn from these six stories. They illustrate not only the extent of achievement of the 2007 E government Strategy milestone, but also the improvements that could be made over the next few years as government moves towards achieving the 2010 milestone.

Awareness of and access to information

Each of the users needed different types of information and sought it from multiple sources. In most cases they were able to find what they needed, but the processes required to obtain that information were sometimes difficult and time consuming. There was evidence that much information was available online. However, the users were not always able to find what they needed at a place and time that suited them, and through the channel they preferred to use.

In many cases, these people expressed the wish that their information needs had been better anticipated. Those unfamiliar with a particular process would have liked to have received advice about what steps they could expect to take, the sorts of requirements they would need to meet, and how long each step would take. A common sentiment expressed was that a person in that position often does not even know what questions to ask.

Role of intermediaries in service delivery

These people were recipients of a range of government services, and each described more than one way they received those services. Sometimes it was directly, through face-to-face contact with a government employee or by accessing information online. In other instances, it was indirectly, through the assistance of an intermediary such as a customs broker, local museum volunteer, or iwi support person.

Their stories reflect agencies' increasing recognition of the roles intermediaries can play. Some agencies made use of intermediaries to assist with service delivery or to gain a better appreciation of users' needs; some pointed people towards using intermediaries to help them navigate difficult government processes.

Nevertheless, the stories also suggest that there is scope for more effective use to be made of intermediaries in government service delivery. This could include providing resources to intermediaries to enable them to enhance or extend their services, or providing information to people about opportunities to use intermediaries.

Marianne's story also illustrated the complexities inherent in considering the role of an intermediary. A person in Marianne's position might sometimes be seen as an intermediary (when she was seeking assistance from government agencies for her son), and at other times as needing support herself (as she struggled with her own issues while supporting her son).

Empathy and understanding the user's context

These stories illustrate the importance of user-centric service design and delivery. It is evident from the comments of these six people that an agency's focus on their own particular circumstances and needs made a positive contribution to their experiences of government. For Moana, this included systems for which it was obvious that technology was integral, such as the appointment system introduced by Work and Income; similarly, for David and Jude it was the business.govt.nz information portal. But it also included processes in which technology was invisible, such as the good advice about due process which the Police and CYF gave Marianne, and the transparent processes and empathetic treatment Moana experienced with Housing New Zealand when she sought a house. Such successful experiences reflect the significant efforts agencies are making to consider service delivery from the user’s perspective.

Other aspects of the users' stories suggest that, in some cases, their experiences could have been improved if service providers had demonstrated better appreciation of their circumstances or context. Obstacles and frustrations included users having to repeat personal information for the benefit of each new person or government system they dealt with, the cost of obtaining public information, and inflexible scheduling of meetings to accommodate a user’s other commitments.

Innovating traditional processes using ICT

Technology was integral (although not always visible) to most of the services experienced by the users. Some users expressed appreciation of, or assumed as a given, the extent to which technology enhanced their experience, such as Bill being able to find the forms he needed online, or David and Jude being able to access customs codes in a PDF file. But their stories also point to many ways in which technology could be applied innovatively to enhance traditional processes and serve users’ needs better. For example, Bill said he would have preferred to be able to complete and lodge the forms online, rather than print them off and post or personally deliver them; David and Jude said they would have preferred to have customs codes in a more web friendly, searchable format.

Many opportunities for further innovation of back-office processes can be gleaned from the user stories. Bill's experience would have been enhanced, for instance, if he had been able to deal with each of the agencies' separate requirements from one place simultaneously. Innovative use of technology might also allow a user such as Bill to use online media to obtain proof of relationships, complete passport renewal within 24 hours, or have documents officially witnessed and authenticated.

Delivering value to users

For government services to be truly user-centric, they must deliver value to users. But what is valued will vary from person to person, and may vary from service to service for any one person. The notion of value also incorporates the tangible and intangible costs and benefits associated with a service.

If asked what value they had expected to receive from the government services they experienced, each of these six users would likely provide a different answer. Each may have expected different values from different services, and perhaps more than one thing of value from each service.

As business people, for example, David and Jude particularly valued quick, efficient service. They preferred to conduct most of their transactions with government rapidly, online. Nevertheless, in accessing some services they valued the opportunity to develop an ongoing, face-to-face relationship with a particular person. Thus, for some services David and Jude valued efficiency, and for others they valued personal relationships, most highly.

In contrast, Moana valued the introduction of Work and Income's appointment system, which significantly reduced her stress and the time required for her to make use of their services. Yet Moana's comments suggest that what she valued most from these changes was not the increased efficiency, but the apparent improvement in the agency's friendliness and reliability.

Moana's interaction with Housing New Zealand provides another perspective on what might constitute value for a user. Although it did not result in the particular outcome she sought, she nevertheless derived value from the experience. She was pleased with the customer service she received in spite of not being given a State house. Her desire to be treated with respect and warmth mattered as much as, and perhaps more than, her desire to find a new home.