Streamlined calendar for efficient scheduling
Redesign a roster calendar that enables users to effectively monitor client needs and distribute schedules evenly among staff.
Challenge
Recent changes to the SCHADS (Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services) industry award have made it challenging for roster managers to handle client’s rebooking and staff makeup shifts when cancellations occur. Additionally, the interface was not user-friendly, making it difficult for users to access crucial information, resulting in time-consuming efforts to gather additional data outside of the product.
UX activities
Research | How might we | User Flow | Prototyping | Usability Testing
Tools
Figma, FigJam, Tokens Studio, GitHub
Business Impact
Implementing the solution addressed user needs, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty, which led to more consistent and increased revenue. It also enabled seamless tracking and easier replacement of staff for canceled shifts, ensuring continuous shift coverage. This differentiation positioned the business a more adaptable and client-focused service provider in the market.
User problem statement
“Roster managers currently record canceled shifts on Excel spreadsheets and printed paper lists, spending considerable time referencing them when scheduling makeup shifts. Many have complained that tracking these details separately results in missed notes or forgotten schedules, causing client and staff to lose government benefits, which in turn poses a business risk of lost revenue. ”
Stakeholder problem statement
“Offering flexible scheduling options will set us apart from competitors. Our current Master scheduling template restricts our ability to serve clients who require services every 3, 4, or 6 weeks, or on a monthly basis. This lack of flexibility often results in the loss of potential clients with specific scheduling needs.”
29
Interviews
80%
Interaction Design
Users
Rosterer & Care-coordinator
9
Usability Testing
Competitor Analysis
Analyzing immediate competitors allowed me to assess how our Rostering service compared to similar market solutions, providing valuable insights into key areas such as:
What is currently available to customers?
How can we improve our service?
UX Audit
I started by conducting a UX analysis of the current application and found it was not informative and user friendly. Our clients manage two calendars to streamline the rostering process:
Master calendar: which serves as a template for all long-term clients
Roster calendar: where we import from master calendar and publish these long-term schedules alongside shifts for short-term clients (eg: transitional/trial period clients)
Interview
Stakeholder interviews - They highlighted some key challenges, such as the complexity of aligning the scheduling process with the new SCHADS (Social, Community, Home Care, and Disability Services) Industry Award. Additionally, they expressed the need for improved navigation, the ability to unassign shifts for priority clients, real-time shift status notifications and alerts when clients are low on budget.
User interviews - Communicated with Roster Managers where we had a few open-ended questions and usability testing tasks using the current product, resulting in a comprehensive list of requirements essential for their fast-paced environment.
Focus Group
I engaged with Aged Care CEOs, Roster Managers, Care Managers and HR professionals to understand their vision for rostering services and gathered valuable insights. This interaction helped refine our brand identity and market positioning by aligning our solutions with their needs and expectations.
“I continuously referenced these user insights throughout the entire design process to ensure solutions are aligned with their real needs.”
Highlighted few painpoints from Rosterers, Stakeholders and Staff during interview
Concept creation
I thoroughly researched SCHADS awards and created a detailed flow chart for clear understanding. In the award, there were a few types of cancellations and each working in different way - based on who is cancelling and when they are cancelling.
After analysing research data, I suggested adding a cancellation feature would help users to manage and organise the shifts. Also while cancelling a shift, the Roster manger needs to decide whether it is a
Client cancellation
Organisation cancellation
Based on the above cancellation categories, makeups for staff and re-booking shifts for clients are provided.
Flow Chart
I created flow charts to visualize typical patterns and paths to check how users follow within the service. It also helped me to figure out where and when to include the new features within the service.
How might we
The 'How Might We' approach guided me in developing a solution for a Master template that was capable of accommodating a diverse range of client needs.
How did I get it ? - I first tried working out using 4/6 week template - but the main problem was recurring cycle got messed up. Next tried real-time Master calendar template, and found, it can accommodate any type of client, also while importing shift from master to roster calendar it just copy based on dates selected. For example: copy from calendar week 12 to 16, it just import that calendar week of that year from the master calendar template.
“While competitor analysis didn’t provide a clear solution, adopting a 'How might we' approach helped me generate an effective solution. ”
Sketch to hi-fidelity design
Design Hypothesis
“I believe that using too many color codes can confuse users. Sticking to a base color and indicating cancellations with subtle variations will keep the information clear and manageable. Additionally, including the cancelled time directly on the shift card will provide more relevant information without overwhelming the user.”
Usability testing
Key findings from usability testing
Bring the organisational cancellation shifts somewhere on top of the calendar. So if client wants rebook later then it will be easy to find it out.
When high-care client shifts are occasionally cancelled due to staff shortages, our priority is to swiftly reassign them to available carers. It’s important to communicate that a high-care shift has been cancelled and requires reallocation.
Notify staff and Care Coordinators when shifts get cancelled.
