by Hope Bristow & Sara Di Domenico

We are witnessing an increasingly complex mix of user requirements applied to environmental planning initiatives through our national and international work in both the UK and Australia. Through our deep experience in this space, we understand the value in capturing and understanding user needs to inform service design. Who are the users? What problems must a service or product tackle as a priority? How do we validate if what is created or offered is meeting users’ needs?

Over the years, our user-centred design (UCD) teams have tackled the innovative transformation of services in the environmental and sustainable land asset management sectors that have met a wide variety of needs; from the understanding and reduction of harmful pollution through national clean air zones, to enabling the whole-of-government sharing of environmental data in New South Wales and enhancing digital capability in support of Scottish rural agricultural policy. Now more than ever, we are seeing a complex mix of user requirements and needs applied to smarter environmental planning initiatives through our national and international work in both the UK and Australia with New South Wales Government, The Crown Estate, and NatureScot.

Through all our rich experience in this space, we understand the value in capturing and understanding user needs to inform service design. Who are the users? What problems must a service tackle as a priority? How do we validate if the service is meeting user need?

Keeping the user at the heart of any solution is the ingredient for success. Empathy lies at the heart of quality design. Ultimately, there is only one user need, which is to achieve their end goal.