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In Australia, Victoria’s Department of Transport and Planning oversees planning approvals in the state.
Disjointed local planning processes were frustrating Victorians and slowing the system
From setting up a factory to extending a family home, planning regulations have a big impact on the lives of citizens. The Victorian Government found that the planning system was not running as well as it could.
In Victoria, application processes were often complicated, time-consuming and inconsistent. This was creating avoidable frustrations for applicants and council planners, who were burdened with onerous processes to share information, check the status of applications and coordinate efforts with other departments involved in any single application.
Through the design process, we solved local and system-wide challenges
Victoria has 79 local councils, each with its own structure, system and way of working. With this level of complexity, we knew co-design would be essential in meeting each council’s needs, gaining local buy-in and addressing system-wide challenges.
We started by making sure we understood the regulations, issues and opportunities at a system level before moving into co-design with councils and broader implementation.
Over 18 months, we workshopped solutions with applicants and councils, prototyped tools, developed templates and tested solutions that were iterated and validated by hundreds of participants across diverse local government contexts and a range of permit types.
Through this intensive process, we designed local solutions in each council area. Collectively, this solution suite is part of Victoria’s Better Planning Approvals Project (BPAP), an element of the Victorian Government’s reform agenda.
Our award-winning design is improving Victoria’s planning system
The Better Planning Approvals solution suite has already been rolled out by more than 30 councils and is now available online for all Victorian councils to download and implement. There are 37 solutions in the suite, of which Nous led the design of 31. Nous worked with 19 of the local councils who participated in the BPAP.
As each council takes part in the project, it improves the user experience, processing times and general efficiency at a local level. At the same time, the lessons, implementation strategies and updated solutions developed by each council are added to the solution suite and therefore shared with other councils. This unique program architecture is driving continuous improvement, greater consistency and expanded capacity in the Victorian planning system.
The project represents a significant innovation in how local councils across Victoria approach problem-solving to improve services. It has been recognised in the prestigious Good Design Awards 2023 for service design in public sector services.
What you can learn from this project
Not all users (applicants and planners) are the same, so solution design and access needs to be nuanced for the local community context and user needs. However, there is sufficient overlap and similarities in experience and user needs that tools and templates can be developed sufficiently.
When it comes to speed and ease of implementation, feasibility (including system integration, approvals, compliance) and viability (cost and long-term sustainability) are equally important for a design to be successful. The best solution is the one that is implemented and provides additional value above the current state.
Key people in this project
Brenden Carriker
Principal
Brenden is a leader in public sector innovation with extensive experience in strategy, engagement, human-centred design, transformation and change.
Kasia Mierzejewska
Director, Experience Design
Kasia has extensive experience leading human-centred design initiatives, both in-house and as a consultant, with a particular focus on the higher education, health and utility sectors.
Alannah Tran
Senior Visual Designer
Alannah is an accomplished visual designer who depicts nuanced understanding of user-experiences in accessible ways, using techniques including live visual recording, animations and high-quality finished artwork
Trisha Santhanam
Director, Design
Trisha is a strategic and service designer with more than 10 years of experience in strategy and customer experience.
Cristina Cañiz Perez
Consultant
Cristina combines solid research, analysis and interpersonal skills to deliver excellent results for clients and stakeholders.
Belinda Gaddes
Senior Visual Designer - Brand Lead
Belinda has 18 years of experience as a graphic designer, with 15 in the professional service industry. Her expertise includes branding, corporate identity, catalogues, brochures, reports and product promotion.
Aidan Jago
Director
Aidan supports leaders across the education sector to better and more sustainably deliver for students, communities, and employers.
Justine Caldwell
Manager, Design
Justine is a specialist in customer experience and service design. She thrives on creative problem-solving in a deadline-driven environment.
Rachel Flitman
Director, Design
Rachel is a strategic designer who works at the intersection of human-centred design, policy and community development across a range of sectors, including transport, aviation, emergency management and education.
Garima Verma
Manager
Garima brings 10 years’ consulting and project management experience spanning policy, strategic design, organisational development and operations.
Robert Carreon
Manager, Design
Robert has more than seven years of experience in shaping customer service and digital transformation programs.
Gavin Williams
Director
Gavin is a skilled project manager and economist, combining robust analysis with compelling communication to deliver pragmatic advice to clients on issues that matter.
Linh Do
Senior Consultant
Linh is a consultant who has worked with several organisations and government departments to help them deliver on their strategic goals.
Lillie McDonagh
Consultant
Lillie utilises design thinking skills and a strong iterative design process to craft thoughtful and engaging experiences for stakeholders and clients.