Public Voice Political Participation Portal
Allowing political engagement through multiple, flexible submission channels; supported by balanced, educational information.
Remote voting and opinion submission, digital participation in debates, information on in person events, raise an issue with relevant authority, issue summaries.
Public Voice Political Participation Portal
Allowing political engagement through multiple, flexible submission channels; supported by balanced, educational information.
Remote voting and opinion submission, digital participation in debates, information on in person events, raise an issue with relevant authority, issue summaries.
Public Voice
Allowing political engagement through multiple, flexible submission channels; supported by balanced, educational information.
Remote voting and opinion submission, digital participation in debates, information on in person events, raise an issue with relevant authority, issue summaries.
Public Voice is reshaping the discourse and enhancing democratic inclusivity.
Together we are forging a more engaged, legitimate and representative political landscape.
Public Voice is reshaping the discourse and enhancing democratic inclusivity. Together we are forging a more engaged, legitimate and representative political landscape.
Public Voice is reshaping the discourse and enhancing democratic inclusivity. Together we are forging a more engaged, legitimate and representative political landscape.
Project Summary
Main Problems Faced in Design
Rank and order engagement opportunities by impact to user, topic interest and preferred engagement method.
Ensuring users don’t miss important events.
Verifying users eligibility, based on age, location and citizenship.
Main Problems Faced in Design
Rank and order engagement opportunities by impact to user, topic interest and preferred engagement method.
Ensuring users don’t miss important events.
Verifying users eligibility, based on age, location and citizenship.
Main Problems Faced
Rank and order engagement opportunities by impact to user, topic interest and preferred engagement method.
Ensuring users don’t miss important events.
Verifying users eligibility, based on age, location and citizenship.
Solutions
Onboarding flow to collect relevant data.
Highest priority events ending soonest top of feed.
Proof of id during onboarding.
Solutions
Onboarding flow to collect relevant data. Multiple feeds populated/filtered by priority or engagement method.
Highest priority events ending soonest top of feed.
Proof of id during onboarding.
Solutions
Onboarding flow to collect relevant data.
Highest priority events ending soonest top of feed.
Proof of id during onboarding.
User Pain Points
Inability to attend political events due to time constraints
Missing important political events
Not feeling informed enough to make contributions.
Feeling disregarded or discriminated against due to age, wealth, status.
Feeling outside of the decision making process
Lack of trust in institutions.
User Pain Points
Inability to attend political events due to time constraints
Missing important political events
Not feeling informed enough to make contributions.
Feeling disregarded or discriminated against due to age, wealth, status.
Feeling outside of the decision making process
Lack of trust in institutions.
User Pain Points
Inability to attend political events due to time constraints
Missing important political events
Not feeling informed enough to make contributions.
Feeling disregarded or discriminated against due to age, wealth, status.
Feeling outside of the decision making process
Lack of trust in institutions.
Solutions
Provide multiple means of interaction.
Rank feed by time and priority to user.
Provide balanced background and outcome informatn.
Identity hidden behind user number
Providing these new means to interact
Provide information on how contributions are shaping political decisions.
Solutions
Provide multiple means of interaction.
Rank feed by time and priority to user.
Provide balanced background and outcome informatn.
Identity hidden behind user number
Providing these new means to interact
Provide information on how contributions are shaping political decisions.
Mission
To address the lack of political representation caused by time constraints and insufficient understanding, preventing some individuals from participating in events, forums, polls, and discussions.
Mission
To address the lack of political representation caused by time constraints and insufficient understanding, preventing some individuals from participating in events, forums, polls, and discussions.
Mission
To address the lack of political representation caused by time constraints and insufficient understanding, preventing some individuals from participating in events, forums, polls, and discussions.
Role
Ux Researcher
Ux / Product Designer
Role
Ux Researcher
Product Designer
Duration
12 weeks
Duration
12 weeks
Year
2023
Year
2023
Program
Figma
Program
Figma
Category
Student Work
Category
Student Work
User Discovery & Empathising
Surveying 22 participants on their behaviours and attitudes surrounding political participation the following tends emerged.
stated that they would like to participate more but don’t know when or where topics relevant to them are being discussed.
stated that they would like to participate more but don’t know when or where topics relevant to them are being discussed.
stated that they would like to participate more but don’t know when or where topics relevant to them are being discussed.
60%
reported that they felt true political power is largely held by those with access to influence; be it financial, employment position or availability of time. And that their voice was of little importance, they only have a choice between pre-established opinion positions.
reported that they felt true political power is largely held by those with access to influence; be it financial, employment position or availability of time. And that their voice was of little importance, they only have a choice between pre-established opinion positions.
reported that they felt true political power is largely held by those with access to influence; be it financial, employment position or availability of time. And that their voice was of little importance, they only have a choice between pre-established opinion positions.
60%
82%
mentioned schedule clashes and an inability to attend events and forums due to work, social and family engagements / commitments.
mentioned schedule clashes and an inability to attend events and forums due to work, social and family engagements / commitments.
mentioned schedule clashes and an inability to attend events and forums due to work, social and family engagements / commitments.
“It’s not that I don’t want to be a part of how the big things operate. It’s more that I
don’t have enough time for my current obligations and can’t see how I could fit
anything else in”
“It’s not that I don’t want to be a part of how the big things operate. It’s more that I
don’t have enough time for my current obligations and can’t see how I could fit
anything else in”
“It’s not that I don’t want to be a part of how the big things operate. It’s more that I don’t have enough time for my current obligations and can’t see how I could fit anything else in”
Ideation
With a strong idea of the product's required functionality developed during discovery, and a mobile first approach being adopted, due to current trends and the flexibility of assess requirements of the app, the focus of the ideation stage was around finding optimal structures and layouts that would allow for easy and direct access to and between large volumes of political engagement opportunities.
The ui and layouts had to seamlessly demonstrate and encourage an understanding of the applications structure, multiple feeds based around sorting and filtering, to allow users access to engagement opportunities based on priority or engagement method.
With a strong idea of the product's required functionality developed during discovery, and a mobile first approach being adopted, due to current trends and the flexibility of assess requirements of the app, the focus of the ideation stage was around finding optimal structures and layouts that would allow for easy and direct access to and between large volumes of political engagement opportunities.
The ui and layouts had to seamlessly demonstrate and encourage an understanding of the applications structure, multiple feeds based around sorting and filtering, to allow users access to engagement opportunities based on priority or engagement method.
Design, Prototype and Tests for Mobile
Design, Prototype & Tests for Mobile
Moving forwards with the strongest ideas from Ideation a low fidelity prototype was tested with 6 potential users in order to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the structure and layout. Their feedback is summarised bellow.
Moving forwards with the strongest ideas from Ideation a low fidelity prototype was tested with 6 potential users in order to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the structure and layout. Their feedback is summarised bellow.
Introduction of Ending Soonest Feed
A mixed priority feed was introduced so users could see all upcoming events by date.
Refinement of colour use.
Redesign of event cards - easier to identify which colour is associated with with which card and more pleasing to the eye.
Priority header tabs in matching colours to event priority colours of cards.
Bottom bar Action buttons where identified as such so no longer needed to be highlighted in accent blue.
Alternative routes to manipulate structure
As well as through the Action buttons and Header tabs, all filter feeds were also made accessible through the filter button.
Introduction of Ending Soonest Feed
A mixed priority feed was introduced so users could see all upcoming events by date.
Refinement of colour use.
Event priority colour - easier to identify which colour is associated with with which card and more pleasing to the eye.
Priority header tabs with matching colours to event priority colours of cards.
Bottom bar Action buttons where identified as such so no longer needed to be highlighted in accent blue.
Alternative routes to manipulate structure
As well as through the Action buttons and Header tabs, all filter feeds were also made accessible through the filter button.
Introduction of Ending Soonest Feed
A mixed priority feed was introduced so users could see all upcoming events by date.
Refinement of colour use.
Event priority colour, easier to identify which colour is associated with with which card and more pleasing to the eye.
Priority header tabs in matching colours to event priority colours of cards.
Bottom bar Action buttons where identified as such so no longer needed to be highlighted in accent blue.
Alternative routes to manipulate structure
As well as through the Action buttons and Header tabs, all filter feeds were also made accessible through the filter button.
100%
of the tasks were completed, however navigation to live participation and submissions was highlighted as as problem areas.
83%
stated that the app would solve a real world problem in their life.
66%
experienced difficulties navigating the app, and struggled at first to understand the filtering system.
100%
of Call to Action button where identified as such
100%
identified the cards as the political participation event cards.
33%
had trouble following the onboarding process
A selection of screen updates
Issue submissions page
Live participation Page
In person event issue summary
Raise an issue (new feature)
On boarding
The original onboarding process provided instructions and then ask users to complete the task.
This proved difficult and as such will be replaced with a follow along guided setup.
Structural Awareness
Difficulty in following placement within the app, due to the multiple feed nature of the design lead to the introduction of header tabs that display the current feed type and to allow for improved navigation.
icon Recognition
Iconography was not commonly recognised and as such CTA buttons were labelled.
On boarding
The original onboarding process provided instructions and then ask users to complete the task.
This proved difficult and as such will be replaced with a follow along guided setup.
Structural Awareness
Difficulty in following placement within the app, due to the multiple feed nature of the design led to the introduction of header tabs that display the current feed type and to allow for improved navigation.
icon Recognition
Iconography was not commonly recognised and as such CTA buttons were labelled.
On boarding
The original onboarding process provided instructions and then ask users to complete the task.
This proved difficult and as such will be replaced with a follow along guided setup.
Structural Awareness
Difficulty in following placement within the app, due to the multiple feed nature of the design lead to the introduction of header tabs that display the current feed type and to allow for improved navigation.
icon Recognition
Iconography was not commonly recognised and as such CTA buttons were labelled.
Selected Changes Discussed
Selected Changes Discussed
Selected Changes Discussed
Hi Fidelity Prototype
Having adressed the above issues a high fidelity prototype was built
and tested again with five more potential users.
Having adressed the above issues a high fidelity prototype
was built and tested again with five more potential users.
Having adressed the above issues a high fidelity prototype was built and tested again with five more potential users.
Needs to Improve
Needs to Improve
Needs to Improve
Further Changes
100%
identified the cards as the political participation event cards.
100%
of Call to Action button where identified as such
66%
experienced difficulties navigating the app, and struggled at first to understand the filtering system.
Design, Prototype and Tests for Desktop
Design, Prototype & Tests for Desktop
Using the insights gained during developing the mobile version, the desktop version was adjusted to make use of the larger screen size.
The functioning and structure of the portal remained virtually the same, relying of multiple filtered feeds, yet a larger amount of information was able to be displayed for a selected event directly on the landing page, before clicking through to the individual event's page. This allows for easier access to information and hence faster and more direct use.
The current desktop version has not been updated with the new mobile event cards, as due to the increased whitespace the colour proximity was less of a problem, however this would be a change for a later update.
Using the insights gained during developing the mobile version, the desktop version was adjusted to make use of the larger screen size.
The functioning and structure of the portal remained virtually the same, relying of multiple filtered feeds, yet a larger amount of information was able to be displayed for a selected event directly on the landing page, before clicking through to the individual event's page. This allows for easier access to information and hence faster and more direct use.
The current desktop version has not been updated with the new mobile event cards, as due to the increased whitespace the colour proximity was less of a problem, however this would be a change for a later update.
Thoughts To Accessibility
Font size and visual weight was considered to reduce cognitive load and increase ability to skim
Hierarchy
employed to allow for easy digestion of information and buttons were padded to allow reduce miss clicks
White Space
Sign in through a password protected system. Political Participation is submitted connected with a faceless user number rather than a name to reduce bias.
Privacy
The very nature of the portal is to support representative democracy from both sides of the system. Votes are empowered with multiple time flexible participation options and political bodies obtain legitimacy for their decisions backed quantifiable opinion data.
Ethics
Labels and alt text are to be used to support cards, menus and icons
Screen Readers
At ever stage of the design Accessibility, Privacy and Ethics were kept at the forefront.
At ever stage of the design Accessibility, Privacy and Ethics were kept at the forefront.
At ever stage of the design Accessibility, Privacy and Ethics were kept at the forefront.
The app was designed to support multiple languages.
Language
All colour used meet WCAG AA contrast standards
Colour
Icons
Labeled and sized to comply with WCAG AAA standard.
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