Case Studies

1 August 2024

Improving wayfinding at Melbourne’s busiest train station

Alexandra Almond Case Studies Clear Communication Awards, improving wayfinding, Melbourne public transport, public transport, Public Transport Victoria

Improving wayfinding at Melbourne’s busiest train station

Public Transport Victoria was looking for ways to help passengers navigate their way through Flinders Street Station. The focus of this project was digital information displays.

It was not possible to test in situ so we simulated the experience in a warehouse, using signage and background sounds to set the mood. We involved 30 people with a range of demographics, backgrounds, accessible needs, experiences and knowledge of the train network.

A week of testing sessions, with iterations each day, resulted in the final displays now live at Flinders Street Station, and guidelines for rolling out digital information across the rail network.

This project was a Finalist in the Digital category of Australia’s 2019 Clear Communication Awards. More detail on the approach is in this blog.

Client: Public Transport Victoria
Year: 2018 (while Alexandra was working at Meld Studios)

1 August 2024

Co-designing the APS Delivering Great Policy model

Alexandra Almond Case Studies APS, delivering great policy, Department of Premier & Cabinet, good design award winner, policy advice

IMAGE: Snapshot of the policy advice model

Co-designing the APS Delivering Great Policy model

The project goal was to improve the ability of the APS to provide high-quality policy advice to the government.

Our initial role was to guide the team through a 10-week co-design process to develop a model for great policy advice. Our approach used existing knowledge as a baseline, and engaged over 180 stakeholders in a series of co-design workshops both inside and outside the ACT.

We weren’t just creating a model, we were role modelling new ways of working, mindsets and approaches. These are the approaches that underpin the success of the new model, and testing them with the team enabled us to learn about the challenges and find ways to work through them. The process was made public at www.policyhub.gov.au.

After the official launch of the model prototype in late 2020, we tested it on real-life policy projects, and created a capability building framework to embed this way of working across the APS.

As the APS Academy website states:
“The Delivering Great Policy model outlines the key elements of great policy advice, provides common language and a framework to align around, and helps policy advisors to keep what’s important front of mind to deliver the best quality advice in any given context.”

Client: Department of Premier & Cabinet
Year: 2019-22 (while Alexandra was working at Meld Studios)

Full day forum with 158 people from a range of organisations

1 August 2024

Breaking the cycle of Indigenous disadvantage in child protection

Alexandra Almond Case Studies Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, child protection system, DCYJMA, Indigenous disadvantage, Indigenous disadvantage child protection, Kristal Kinsela Consulting

Breaking the cycle of Indigenous disadvantage in child protection

This project worked with a government agency and an Indigenous peak body to develop an action plan to address the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families in the child protection system.

Alexandra partnered with Kristal Kinsela Consulting for this work. Kristal is a proud and passionate Indigenous business leader who is an expert at connecting people and moving them into action.

Over six months in 2022 we engaged with a range of stakeholders through workshops, one–on-one discussions and small group sessions, to understand their perspectives and identify priorities.

The engagement culminated in a full day forum with 158 people from:

Government agencies
Non-Indigenous peak bodies
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peak bodies
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisations
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities
Out-of-home care sector employees.

Client: DCYJMA
Year: 2022 (while Alexandra was working at Meld Studios)

1 August 2024

Attracting and retaining key workers

Alexandra Almond Case Studies alternative employment models, marketing strategies, retain key workers, Tourism North East, Victoria’s high country region

Attracting and retaining key workers

Working in collaboration with Tourism North East, we engaged with a broad range of stakeholders—local businesses, councils, citizens, workers, potential workers—to better understand why it’s so hard to attract and retain key workers in Victoria’s high country region.

We used a combination of primary research and iterative prototype testing to take what we already knew about this challenge, and turn it into real ideas we could try out. As the project moved forward so did our understanding of what the most pressing problems were, and what we might do about them.

We moved into prototyping and testing potential solutions for alternative employment models, as well as marketing strategies, and the availability and management of accommodation.

Client: Tourism North East
Year: 2022 (while Alexandra was working at Meld Studios)

1 August 2024

Keeping patients with chronic illnesses out of emergency

Alexandra Almond Case Studies Brisbane North Health Alliance, Brisbane North PHN, co-design process, Emergency, emergency for chronic health conditions, ER

Keeping patients with chronic illnesses out of emergency

Working with Brisbane North Health Alliance, our goal was to reduce the number of presentations to the emergency department by patients with chronic health conditions, in non-emergency situations.

The initial co-design exercise involved patients, hospital staff, GP clinics and support services, working together to understand the challenges and generate possible solutions. Our approach combined desktop research, semi-structured interviews, and generative co-design sessions.

The result was a 12 month pilot that significantly reduced ED presentation by the target clients by 75%, and returned 396% of the funding invested.

Following on from the success at Caboolture, the team received funding to expand the program to Redcliffe ED. Alexandra undertook a further co-design process with practitioners and patients in the Redcliffe area, to incorporate lessons learned from Caboolture and explore what might be different or need to change in order to adapt the program to Redcliffe.

Client: Brisbane North PHN
Year: 2021 Caboolture and 2023 Redcliffe (while Alexandra was working at Meld Studios)