Principle 1: Put user needs first

Description and rationale

Conduct thorough user research and take a person-centred approach to understand users’ goals and challenges. Design services around these needs and continuously gather user feedback during development and after implementation.

In practice, this means designing Council services with the end-user as the starting point – whether that user is a resident, business, or staff member. It aligns directly with Somerset’s established Digital Design Principle “Understand and Address User Needs”. By focusing on what people need to achieve, especially those at risk of exclusion, we build services that are easier to use and more effective.

Meeting actual user needs leads to higher usage of online services and reduces “failure demand” – cases where residents must call or visit because the digital option wasn’t suitable. In short, if we involve users, including vulnerable groups, in design and testing, we improve customer satisfaction and trust, as well as saving time and money by getting services right at the first time of asking.

This principle supports the Council’s value of listening and the Council Plan’s aim for customer-friendly, accessible services as part of a Fairer Somerset. It also delivers on the TOM’s Service Design theme which says;

Our design will put people and communities at the heart of what we do.

Maturity levels

Level 1 – Initial

Services are designed based on internal assumptions. Little or no direct user research is carried out, so digital services may inadvertently exclude some groups. Accessibility or inclusion issues are often discovered only after launch, if at all.

Level 2 – Developing

Some projects include user research or consultation, but inconsistently. Accessibility standards such as WCAG might be applied during development, but user feedback is mostly reactive, for example via complaints once the service is live.

Level 3 – Mature

User needs are systematically considered from the start of every project. Digital Inclusion Impact Assessments are conducted at initiation to identify at-risk groups. Users, including those with low digital skills or disabilities, are engaged in co-design and usability testing. Service design looks at the user’s whole journey, not just a single transaction, to ensure end-to-end support.

Level 4 – Leading

User-centred design is fully ingrained in the Council’s approach. No major service change goes live without demonstrable evidence that it meets user needs, for example by testing with diverse user panels. The Council continuously monitors points of frustration, digital usage, and satisfaction for different user segments, using the data collected to iterate and improve services.

Metrics

User Research Coverage

Percentage of new or redesigned services that include user research and testing before launch.

Target: 100%. All new digital services should involve real users in design/testing phases.

Digital Service Adoption Rate

Proportion of target users who use digital services vs. other channels. A higher rate indicates the service meets users’ needs.

Target: Year-on-year increase across all demographic groups.

“Failure Demand” Incidents

Number of avoidable support contacts (calls, face-to-face visits) due to issues with an online service.

Target: Decrease over time. (Fewer users should have to seek help because the digital service didn’t work for them.)

User Satisfaction

User satisfaction scores for online services. Measured via post-transaction surveys or feedback forms.

Target: >X% positive satisfaction (with benchmarks set as we gather data). Consistently high satisfaction indicates services are user-friendly and meet needs.

Strategic alignment

Target Operating Model

Service Design and Customer Focus: The TOM states “our design will put people and communities at the heart of what we do”.

This principle directly delivers on this by mandating user-centred service design. It is also linked to the TOM‘s Digital and Technology theme about designing accessible digital services (it promises services will be accessible and no one left behind). This principle provides that practical blueprint.

Strategic Objectives

“A Fairer, More Ambitious Somerset”: By designing services with empathy and accessibility, we ensure equitable access – a key to fairness. For example, a user-first approach means an elderly resident can use our online forms, advancing “Healthy and Caring Somerset” by removing barriers to online health/care services. It contributes to “Flourishing Somerset” as well, because easy-to-use services encourage more people to engage digitally, supporting economic and community participation. Overall, meeting user needs helps fulfil the Council’s promise to be a listening and responsive organisation that puts residents first.

Wider Corporate Plan

Customer/Citizen Focus and Trust: The Corporate Plan commits to making all contacts with the council “user friendly, promoting a culture of trust and reliability”.

This principle ensures that commitment is met in the digital realm. By involving users and refining services based on feedback, we build trust in our digital channels. It also reflects the Corporate Plan’s spirit of “digital by choice, not by force” – designing great digital services but keeping other options for those who need them. Overall it aligns with core values of openness and integrity: we openly seek user input and adjust to it, showing integrity in delivering what works for the residents of Somerset.

Actions to ensure maturity

1. Mandate early user engagement: Make user research a required step at project inception. No new digital project should proceed without evidence of engaging real users (e.g. through user interviews, surveys, or co-design workshops) to gather requirements. This can be enforced via project governance – e.g. business cases must document user research findings.
2. Embed accessibility and inclusive design: Ensure all digital services meet WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards at a minimum and are tested with assistive technologies. Treat accessibility not just as compliance but as a core design principle. If a person with a disability or low literacy cannot use a service, we are not truly user-first. Include users with varied needs in testing cycles and design reviews.
3. Implement feedback loops: Provide easy ways for users to give feedback on digital services and act on that feedback. Establish a “You said, we did” practice. Regularly inform users and staff of improvements made due to user feedback. This closes the loop and builds trust that the Council listens and iterates.
4. Holistic journey mapping: When designing or redesigning services, map out the end-to-end user journey, especially if multiple services or departments are involved. For example, if a resident is applying for a Blue Badge, consider their related needs like parking permits or bus passes. Work across teams to join up these steps so the user’s experience is seamless (e.g. share data or provide clear referrals, so the user does not hit any dead-ends).
5. Training for user-centred design: Train project teams and service designers in user-centred techniques (UX training, accessibility awareness, inclusive design methods). Build internal capability so that staff intuitively think of the user perspective. This could involve workshops on creating user personas, conducting usability tests, and writing in plain language.
6. Monitor and audit: Regularly review a sample of live digital services for usability and accessibility. For instance, conduct periodic UX audits or “mystery shopper” exercises to identify pain points. Also review whether each project’s user engagement commitments were met. Use metrics like those above (adoption, satisfaction, failure demand) to pinpoint where user needs might not be fully met and prioritise those areas for improvement.