The Ministry of Justice (MoJ), a UK government agency, achieved organisational transformation by establishing a user-centred culture and systems that streamlined service delivery, improved collaboration, and enhanced customer, policy, and stakeholder satisfaction across its diverse public and internal services.

The challenge: A broad service landscape

The MoJ faced a familiar challenge for large organisations: a wide range of services, from fully digital to entirely paper-based, with inconsistent design and varying levels of user experience. This lack of cohesion created inefficiencies, frustrated users and staff, and hindered the MoJ's ability to effectively serve the public and support its staff.

A journey of transformation

The MoJ started a journey to transform its service delivery. The transformation wasn't just about digitising existing processes but a fundamental shift in how the organisation viewed and delivered its services, putting users' needs at the centre.

This transformation reduced the costs associated with delivering services, enabling MoJ to deliver more even when faced with reduced funding from the central government.

The service landscape

The MoJ first needed a comprehensive understanding of its existing services to lay the groundwork for this transformation. To this end, a detailed "Register of Public-Facing Services" was created, categorising each service by its level of digital maturity. This register revealed a complex landscape, with a mix of modern digital services alongside many paper-based and partially digitised processes. It provided crucial insights, guiding the MoJ towards a strategic and prioritised approach to transformation.

Publishing this register in the open fostered transparency and empowered teams by allowing them to make informed decisions about service development. By understanding the broader landscape, teams could assess whether to invest in new features for existing services or prioritise efforts to digitise paper-based processes, thereby modernising the service landscape.

Building a common design language

To create a more unified and user-friendly experience, the MoJ needed a common language for design. A unified design system was established, serving as a blueprint for all services, from public-facing services to internal staff tools. A "Design System Working Group" brought together designers, developers, user researchers, and other stakeholders, fostering collaboration and ensuring the design system met the diverse needs of the organisation and its users. This design system created a shared understanding and a consistent experience across all touchpoints.

Establishing a unified design system also delivered benefits in terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The design system streamlined the service delivery process by providing a standardised framework and a shared set of design elements. This approach enabled quicker and easier development and deployment of accessible services, ultimately reducing the costs associated with service delivery.

Empowering teams through user research

The MoJ recognised that true transformation required a deep understanding of the people it served. Teams were empowered to conduct thorough user research, gathering insights from the public and MoJ staff. This user-centric approach was woven into the organisation's fabric, ensuring that services were designed to be genuinely useful, usable, and accessible to everyone.

The outcome

This collaborative and people-focused approach delivered remarkable results:

• A culture of collaboration: Silos were broken down, replaced by open communication and a shared commitment to user-centered service.

• Increased efficiency: The design system streamlined development processes, reducing redundant work and improving consistency across all services. This translated to cost savings and a more agile organisation.

• Empowered teams: The Design System Working Group became a driving force for innovation, fostering a sense of ownership and pride in the design process.

• User-centred at the core: By incorporating user research throughout the design process, the MoJ created services that were intuitive, user-friendly, and effective for both the public and staff. This led to increased user satisfaction and improved outcomes.

Sustainable change

The MoJ's transformation journey demonstrates the power of a strategic, organisation-wide commitment to user-centred working methods. By fostering collaboration, building a shared design language, and prioritising user needs, the MoJ created a foundation for sustained improvements in service delivery. This is a story of how an organisation embraced change, listened to its users, and transformed itself to better serve the public and its people.