Queensland Government
Dept. of Customer Services, Open Data, and Small and Family Business (CDSB)
The Digital Customer branch in the Dept. of Customer Services make service delivery easier, more intuitive, and personalised for all Queenslanders to ensure no one is left behind. They put customers at the heart of government services to meet Queenslanders' expectations for quality service delivery – digital, over the phone and in person.
Background & scope
Redesigning Queensland's digital front door for millions of users
Queensland's government services app needed to work for everyone. I led the charge on key UX challenges around authentication, language, and visual consistency to create a more accessible platform where Queenslanders can apply for, manage, and track government services.
Empathise & define
User research
Leveraging existing insights
I built on earlier user research conducted by the team to inform design decisions and feature priorities, ensuring the work was grounded in real user needs and pain points.
Competitive analysis
Industry pattern deep-dive
I researched and cataloged patterns across leading apps to understand what users already found familiar and intuitive. This wasn't about reinventing the wheel, it was about informing decisions around mental models and interaction patterns.
User flows
Mapping to anticipate everything
I mapped both success and failure paths to identify pain points, edge cases, and moments where users might stumble. Each scenario got intentional design consideration to support logical, user-centred flows.
Ideate & implement
Log in & authentication
Identity switching without the friction
Before federated login was in the pipeline, I designed a secure multi-provider authentication system that let customers switch between Queensland Digital Identity and myID. The challenge? Balancing security requirements with accessibility for people sharing devices or working with limited digital literacy. I mapped scenarios, tested edge cases, and designed a solution that aimed to serve diverse user needs.
UX copywriting
Content that connects
Government language historically creates barriers. I overhauled the app's language holistically, aligning with the Queensland Government web writing style guide, the Australian style manual, and industry best practice. The focus was making language clearer and more inclusive, particularly for users with low literacy.
Design system adoption
Visual polish for a better experience
The UI had drifted from the Queensland Government Design System with inconsistent patterns throughout. I tightened up the visual language, optimised elements and refined component usage to create a more cohesive experience aligned with design system standards.
Outcomes
The reality of government projects
Like many government initiatives, this app was decommissioned before launch due to shifting priorities and political alignment. While the work never reached users, the process showcased the complexity of designing for diverse populations within strict compliance frameworks. The solutions developed here informed my approach to balancing security, accessibility, and usability in highly regulated environments.