GovTech Singapore
In a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO), and GovTech Singapore, a dedicated workgroup was established with the mission of creating a centralized platform for businesses in Singapore. This platform aimed to provide seamless access to Government e-services and an array of valuable resources.
This case study will divided into two parts:
Part 1: Embarking on a new role as UX Manager
In this section, I will provide an overview of my responsibilities and contributions in the capacity of a UX Manager. (Skip to next section for UX specific matters)
Part 2: Project Progress & UX Activities
This section will present a timeline of events and UX activities that unfolded during the project, leading to the final outcomes.
I initially joined the newly-established lean product team, which subsequently expanded to encompass cross-functional teams and squads. My role was multifaceted, involving dual responsibilities. Firstly, I led a team of in-house and hired designers in spearheading user experience (UX) initiatives for GoBusiness. Secondly, I actively cultivated essential skills in product management. This dynamic role fostered close collaboration with the product team and multiple agency stakeholders, collectively influencing the product roadmap and strategic priorities.
My contributions in this project focused on 3 key areas, namely Go-to-Market Strategy, Research Priorities and Responsibilities and Design System & Processes:
Go-To-Market Strategy
1. Proof of Concept Execution: As the only designer within the initial product management team, my responsibility was to actualize the proof of concept screens and user flows for the budget approval process. This involved an extensive two-month collaborative effort, encompassing intensive workshops with product managers and multi-agency stakeholders, in-depth analysis of market data, and effective communication with our creative agency partners.
2. Brand and Playbook Development: I led the conceptualization of the brand logo and crafted a comprehensive brand playbook outlining product methodologies and design principles, color, typography, and imagery to effectively communicate the brand's values to consumers.
3. Collaboration with Marketing Agency: Drawing upon my deep domain expertise in the GoBusiness brand, I collaborated closely with our marketing agency to craft a comprehensive launch plan, integrating traditional and digital tactics to amplify brand awareness. I actively spearheaded the supervision of graphic creation for emailers, web advertisements, and video production, making a substantial contribution to our advertising efforts.
Research Priorities and Responsibilities
1. Facilitate Ideation Workshops: Organize workshops uniting cross-functional teams and agencies to generate innovative solutions.
2. Collaborate and Centralize Research Plan:
• Oversee research studies and leading the researchers, from initial discovery work to research plan establishment.
• Working with product owners from government agencies and dedicated UX researchers to develop a comprehensive research plan, covering objectives, methods, user profiling, recruitment, and budget procurement.
• Centrally document and present research findings in enabling discussions with stakeholders for reprioritization.
Design System & Processes
1. Planning Phase: Initiated the development plan of the design system from the ground up and later assigned other designers for implementation. This library served as a guiding framework to ensure consistency and expedite the design-to-development turnover process.
2. Centralized UI Component Repository: In collaboration with developers, I contributed to the creation of a centralized repository housing reusable 'plug & play' UI components.
3. Accessibility and Inclusivity Focus: Working with the developers, I prioritize user accessibility and inclusivity for the designed interfaces. , adhering to both GovTech Digital Service Standards (DSS) and International Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
4. Quality Assurance Through Design Critiques: Organized weekly design critiques with the design team to guarantee the uniformity and top-quality output of designs before presenting them for review with product owners and developers.
From July 2020 to July 2021, GoBusiness portal outperformed other agencies and exceeded its KPI targets:
1. Web Traffic
• 6.4 million visits
• 15.8 million page views
(Whole-Of-Gov Average: 643k visits, 3.3m views)
2. User Logins: 1.8 million logins
3. e-Service Transactions: 4.23 million transactions completed
4. Gov Satisfaction Ratings
• Informational Website: 27.7%
• Transactional Dashboard: 72.5%
The portal’s success also led to receiving many positive feedbacks by business owners, endorsement by Ministers, winning the One Public Service Awards in Public Sector Transformation (PST) 2020, and being featured on various news broadcasts during consecutive years.
Transitioning from a User Experience (UX) Designer to a UX Manager involves a shift from a hands-on design role to a leadership position. Here are some key learnings from this transition:
Strategic Thinking: As a UX Manager, you must think more strategically about how design fits into the organization's broader goals. This includes aligning design with business objectives and setting a clear vision for your team.
Delegation: Learning to delegate tasks effectively is essential. You can no longer be involved in every design detail, so trusting your team and giving them autonomy is crucial.
Project and Resource Management: You'll need to manage resources, budgets, and project timelines. This involves planning, allocating resources, and ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget.
Business Acumen: Understanding the business side of design, including ROI and how design impacts the bottom line, becomes critical.
Measuring Success Differently: Success as a designer is often measured by the quality of your designs. As a Design Manager, success is measured by your team's performance, project outcomes, and impact on the organization's goals.
Visual designer with a passion to create great experiences.