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Case study 2 of 3

HM Prison and Probation Service

Client: HM Prison and Probation Service

Services provided:

• Interaction Design

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About the project

In 2022 I worked with Farsight Consulting to design a new digital service for HMPPS (His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service) to plan, schedule and manage prisoners' education, training and activities.

The service was designed to be used by prison staff, including prison officers, education staff and prison managers. The project formed part of a wider digital transformation programme within HMPPS to replace legacy systems with modern, user-centred services.

What we did

We carried out extensive user research in prisons, and remotely, to understand the needs of prison staff and the constraints of the prison environment. These user needs were used to inform the design of the service, which was iterated and tested with users throughout the project.

As part of the user centred design process, I created a prototype of the service using the GOV.UK Prototype Kit. This was tested with users to validate the design and to gather feedback for further iterations.

One of the key challenges was designing an efficient way for staff to mark attendance for multiple prisoners at once. I developed and tested a new pattern that allowed for bulk actions whilst maintaining accessibility and accuracy. The pattern was well-received by users and significantly reduced the time needed to complete this frequent task.

A critical requirement was the need for clear, printable lists that officers could use on prison wings. Prison officers work in a high-pressure environment where they need to make quick decisions, usually without access to digital devices. The printed lists needed to help them instantly identify key information to reduce risks and maintain security and safety.

We designed the printed outputs to clearly highlight the most important information first, such as security risks and movement restrictions. The lists use a simple layout with clear visual hierarchy to help officers quickly scan and find what they need, even in challenging situations on busy prison wings.

Another significant achievement was simplifying a complex scheduling process into a straightforward, step-by-step journey. Despite needing to accommodate various scenarios and requirements, the interface remained intuitive and flexible. User testing showed that staff could quickly understand and use the new process, leading to very positive feedback during the Private Beta phase.

The outcome

The project was delivered on time and within budget, and the service is now being rolled out to prisons across the UK. The service is expected to save prison staff time and improve the relevance and quality of education and training for prisoners.