Centrelink is a government agency delivering a range of Commonwealth services
to the Australian community.
This research partnership between the University of Melbourne, Novell and
Centrelink was established to explore how emerging concepts in interaction
design could be used to make online contacts with Centrelink more
engaging, informative and convenient. Centrelink also saw an opportunity
to explore whether the interactive possibilities of the internet could be
used as an additional means of helping Centrelink customers to understand
the services it provides and the options available to assist them from
welfare to work.
The focus of the project was on the development and testing of a web-based
prototype which uses a "scenario planning" approach to make online
interactions more interactive and engaging for users. Designed to help
customers of working age understand their options in regards to workforce
participation, it was tested at the University's IDEA lab by Centrelink
customers who were looking for work, aged over 55, and had limited
experience of using the internet. Positive feedback was received about
the prototype, with customers seeing it as a useful tool for helping plan
a return to work.
The partnership capitalises on the benefits for government that can be
achieved through research collaborations with the academic and private
sectors.
Having validated the applicability and potential benefits of the approach,
Centrelink plans to further refine the prototype based on customer
feedback, and explore the possibilities of using the approach as the basis
for building Centrelink's ability to employ the internet as a more
effective channel of communication with its customers.
 
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