Expertise
Social themes
Inclusive services
The customer
The Integration and civic Inclusion Agency (AgII) responds to the challenges posed by migration. It supports local administrations and organisations in developing inclusive services and assists newcomers in their integration process.
To structurally integrate customer orientation into its work processes, AgII sought a training and coaching partner in Human-Centered Design (HCD).
The challenge
AgII wanted to base its solutions on the real needs of the end customer and rely less on organisational goals and assumptions. By interviewing and observing end-customers and stakeholders, the agency wanted to avoid the risk of inefficiency and wrong priorities.
Shifting focus to the problem
Whereas in the existing operation the focus was quickly on developing a solution or service, the agency wanted to start from problem analysis. This was to facilitate understanding the real challenges and testing assumptions.
User research and participation
AgII was looking for ways to structurally include the experiences and needs of the end customer in its working processes. Essential steps in the decision-making process, such as co-creation, testing and iteration, had to increase the effectiveness of solutions.
Training and coaching in Human-Centered Design
AgII wanted to strengthen the customer-centred mindset of its employees (from HR and IT to policy staff), and provide them with practical tools and methods. For this, the agency went in search of a suitable training and coaching partner.
“The experiments we set up together with AgII staff made the participants realise that there is no such thing as the customer, but that different profiles also have different needs.”
Our approach
To structurally embed Human-Centered Design (HCD) within the agency, we worked out a hands-on training and coaching programme. In a series of workshops, we engaged in co-creation and identified organisational goals, challenges and learning needs. Together, we determined what behavioural change was needed and translated this into concrete learning objectives.
Coaching process: individual and group coaching tailored to your needs
To make the coaching process as concrete as possible, our coaches first immersed themselves in AgII's living environment. They visited the working environment to observe and monitor intake interviews. During 2 group intervisions of 2 hours each, the AgII employees shared their experiences and challenges. We then held at least one personal coaching session per participant. Besides physical sessions, we also provided an online dial-up facility.
"Because I actively applied the HCD theory to my own project, I dare to make choices faster at work. The consultation moments with the coach gave me the confidence to start working with taught methods myself."
Benefits for your organisation
- 1
Customer focus becomes a sustainable reflex
- 2
User research becomes the starting point for solutions
- 3
Employees show ownership and prioritise actions
- 4
Customers and stakeholders are involved through co-creation
The result
The participants immediately applied Human-Centered Design in their work and soon achieved first visible successes. Gradually, they developed the necessary reflex to structurally involve customers and stakeholders so that HCD became a regular working method. Thanks to coaching and intervision, a community of HCD ambassadors emerged who show ownership and actively propagate the HCD mindset.
✔️From learning to doing, with coaching as a catalyst
Practice experiment: digital inclusion of illiterate people
A participant of the training and coaching programme wondered how AgII could increase the digital self-sufficiency of illiterate people.
The challenge
We set up an experiment to identify the digital needs of illiterates and low-literates and to evaluate whether the digilabo initiative could be a stepping stone to strengthening their digital skills.
Our approach
We started working with Human-Centered Design methodologies and started from assumptions to map the situation. For instance, we had the assumption that illiterate people are also digitally literate. Observations and interviews we conducted in digilabs refuted these assumptions. We used insights from the research to supplement existing personas.
The result
The user research yielded valuable insights. It taught us that low-literate and illiterate people focus first on language skills and only then on digitisation. The research also showed that people from this target group only seek support when they encounter a digital problem, such as making online appointments or logging in to apps. Raising awareness about the importance of digital skills proved crucial.
An evaluation of the digilabo showed that the initiative is desirable, user-friendly and effective. Participants learn digital skills, appreciate the support in their mother tongue and feel more digitally proficient and independent. However, there was a demand for more contact moments.
"The training and coaching programme gave me concrete tools, which I could immediately apply in the experiment. During the coaching sessions, I was able to discuss pressing questions in the research process. The Human-Centered Design approach helps me understand what obstacles the end customer experiences and how we can respond to them."
