Transforming customer support services
WHAT IS NDIS
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is an Australian government-funded program that supports people with disabilities, aiming to improve their quality of life.
Bridging the gap for NDIS customers
While service providers and support workers are digitally connected, NDIS customers and guardians remain excluded from the ecosystem. Many still rely on paper records, phone calls, or emails to get their booking information, resulting in frequent miscommunication and delays.
With over 610,000 Australians accessing the NDIS, there is a clear need for a simple and accessible way to stay informed and in control. This project introduces a mobile app designed to give NDIS customers real-time visibility over their bookings, timely updates, and the ability to manage their services all in one place.
Direct booking access
Customers can view and manage their bookings anytime and anywhere, reducing reliance on providers and increasing their independence.
Key highlights
Designed mobile app experience
tailored to the unique needs of NDIS customers.
Introduced the first mobile design system
featuring scalable and reusable UX patterns.
Onboarded five enterprise providers
for beta launch and ongoing refinement.
Unlocked significant revenue
with a projected value of $2 million.
MY ROLE
Led the project end-to-end, from discovery to delivery.
Built scalable components as the foundation for the mobile app design system.
Partnered with the product manager to define product scope and strategy.
Facilitated workshops with customers and guardians to uncover insights.
Collaborated with the copy team to create our first product terms library in ZeroHeight.
METHODS
Surveyed up to 600 NDIS customers and guardians in partnership with The Evolved Group.
Visited customers service sites for observations and workshops.
THE TEAM
Collaborated with 1 product manager and 3 mobile engineers.
Who may benefit from using the app
Business-to-consumer
(B2C)
Consume NDIS supports
Confident with technology
Seek high-quality support
Want to communicate their needs
Responsible for 1 or more customers
Time poor
Focus on quality and efficiency
Tech savvy
Business-to-business
(B2B)
Seek customers to deliver support
Want to provide trust and reliability
Seek efficiency
Value-driven
Prioritising what matters most
To understand what NDIS customers experience and identify critical touchpoints, the full journey is mapped from their first engagement with the NDIS to the consumption of services.
This mapping is informed by on-site customer visits and workshops conducted with selected providers to uncover pain points and opportunities.
For the MVP, the Pre-Service and Service Delivery stages are selected, as they have the greatest impact on how customers access and manage their booking information.
Understanding the NDIS user journey across key stages, from planning to post-service.
Insights from NDIS customers and guardians, gathered through a survey with The Evolved Group.
Directions that help shape the design approach.
Customers look for reliability and transparency
The survey revealed that the biggest theme for NDIS customers is reliability and transparency. Responses highlighted that communication plays a key role in improving service delivery, particularly in keeping customers informed and building trust in their care.
Frustration and mistrust often arise from not knowing when they will be contacted, not being informed of changes, or receiving inconsistent information. These insights help define what information customers value most.
Being kept up-to-date as the provider frequently forgets to inform if the carer is not coming...
Direct quote from a Guardian with 8+ years of experience using the NDIS
Customers face challenges in managing bookings, from limited access to information to navigating complexity
Isolated information
Customers are unable to directly access their booking information, relying solely on contacting service providers which leads to unnecessary delays and frustration.
Inefficient booking management
Cancelling or updating booking requires back-and-forth with providers, which is time-consuming and can result in missed information being passed on to support workers.
Lack of real-time updates
When changes are made to bookings, customers are often the last to know, or may not be informed at all, resulting in missed appointments and disrupted care.
Complex care coordination
Customers often juggle services from multiple providers, and guardians may manage care for several family members, making scheduling overwhelming.
Empower NDIS customers with greater control and independence in managing their support services
Adaptive booking cards that show key details
A dynamic and interactive card is introduced to provide customers with a zoomed-out view of their booking information.
The compact format allows multiple bookings to be displayed on the screen, allowing users to quickly scan and access key details.
To support more complex needs, such as managing multiple service providers or family members, each card clearly identifies the associated provider or customer and accommodates multi-attendee and multi-day bookings.
Exploring card layouts to find a compact size that preserves key details while accommodating different scenarios, such as showing group booking, transport details or multi-day booking indicator.
Making information easy to digest
User interviews and card sorting exercises help identify the most frequently accessed information and how it is best organised. Content is broken into manageable chunks to reduce information overload, while still allowing customers to view more details when needed.
Style concept 2 is selected for its clean and approachable design, aligning with our goal of presenting information clearly and making it easy to read without overwhelming customers.
A clean visual style, paired with humanised copy, creates a more welcoming experience that supports understanding and builds trust throughout the app.
Dynamic layout built for scalability
The flexible layout adapts to the complexity of each booking. For example, when additional transport details are included, collapsible and expandable sections keep the interface clean while maintaining quick access to essential details.
Built with scalability
A new design library for the mobile app is created to align with the updated brand identity, ensuring a cohesive visual language across the platform. Flexible and reusable design patterns support future features and accommodate complex user flows.
Tapping the month button opens the calendar picker.
Stay on top of your plan
Whether planning for the week or the entire year, users can easily view upcoming services, check availability, and stay in control of their support schedule.
Real-time updates
Booking states like upcoming bookings or urgent changes like reschedules or location updates, are highlighted with distinct visual cues. This ensures users stay informed and never miss important changes.
Zoom in for details
If the card provides a zoomed-out view of key information, tapping it reveals a zoomed-in view with full details. Users can access all booking information in advance, including the assigned support worker, other attendees in the same booking, and even the cost of the service.
More control, less effort
Customers can leave instructions for support workers and are empowered to modify or cancel bookings with minimal effort, reducing dependency on providers.
Quickly find bookings
Customers can quickly filter and find specific bookings based on their needs, such as by attendees, service type, or providers. This saves time and reduces the effort needed to search through large volumes of bookings.
Improve customers’ quality of life
Working on this project has been deeply rewarding. Experiencing firsthand the impact design can have on people’s lives highlights the importance of continuous iteration to deliver meaningful and lasting improvements.
By crafting an end-to-end experience tailored to the unique needs of NDIS customers, the app empowers individuals with greater control, clarity, and confidence in accessing their support.
We successfully onboarded five enterprise providers for the beta launch, enabling ongoing refinement. The app not only enhances how customers engage with NDIS services, but also strengthens the broader ecosystem by improving relationship between customers, support workers, and service providers.
