Conversation with Lottie

Each month, we invite you to join us for a roundtable discussion led by one of our team. This month, join our Strategic Design Lead as she leads a roundtable on:

How do we design in care, when collaborating with mentally-injured workers?

Government plays a major role in addressing complex problems all across our society. The issue of work-related mental injury is no different. Prioritising innovation within the public sector can't be achieved without early and meaningful involvement with actors across the system.

In this edition of Office Hours, Lottie Greally (Strategic Design Lead at Paper Giant) and Karen Phillips (Return-To-Work Specialist at WorkSafe Victoria) discuss their experiences developing 'Stepping Stones' a new initiative connecting workers with complex WorkCover Claims to rebuild, recover and return to work.

We're proud to announce that the Stepping Stones program has won gold in the Public Sector Services category and is a winner of the Social Impact category at the Good Design Awards, 2023.

→ Register here for this online lunch-time session

Generations of change

The plight of intersex individuals (the I in LGBTIQ+) doesn't get much attention in mainstream conversation. However, there have been recent notable shifts in legislation and healthcare practices. Historically there was a disregard for the rights and choices of intersex people in medical settings. Children born into healthy bodies would undergo medically invasive surgeries and interventions, without consent, in pursuit of normative ideas of what ‘male’ and ‘female’ bodies must be. 

With the passing of the Variations in Sex Characteristics (Restricted Medical Treatment) Bill in the ACT, Australia has taken a groundbreaking step toward safeguarding the rights of intersex individuals. This landmark legislation establishes legal protections and empowers intersex people to be active participants in decisions about their medical treatments. In addition to legal reforms, healthcare service design changes include the appointment of a dedicated care coordinator, and enhancing support for doctors, intersex individuals, and their families. 

For LGBTIQ+ people this scale of change has long seemed impossible. This legislation and the many achievements of activists over decades, show us that change happens slowly.  Though this legislation does not redress the wrongs committed against intersex people in the past, it provides hope for the next generation.  

How might the progress made for intersex people lay the foundation for a more compassionate and fair healthcare system for future generations?

Projects awarded in the 2023 Good Design Awards

1.
Our team collaborated with mentally injured workers to improve WorkSafe Victoria's return-to-work process. Stepping Stones to Worker Wellbeing received a Gold Winner Accolade in the Service Design category and (!) a Winner Accolade in the Social Impact category.

2.
Our team helped to co-design Victoria's biosecurity statement with Traditional Owners, farmers, government agencies, environmental interest groups and individual residents across Victorian communities. Co-designing Victoria’s Biosecurity Statement received a Winner Accolade in the Design Strategy category.

3.
Our team worked with Bank Australia to redesign their website to better serve their customers, and to effectively express their brand values. Designing a beautiful digital experience for Bank Australia received a Winner Accolade in the Digital Design category.

→ Read more about the Award-winning projects

Things I’ve learned while designing a digital strategy for local government

1.
Collectively defining what ‘digital’ means creates a sense of clarity and shared understanding of a topic that had felt ambiguous to many.

2.
Describing future state scenarios and calling out "what this looks like in action" makes goals and desired outcomes more tangible and engaging.

3.
Using hand-drawn illustrations in a digital strategy brings a sense of humanity and playfulness to a space where it is lacking at times.

4.
Stripping the document of technical language or jargon and replacing it with clear, concise content written in plain language makes it accessible and engaging to the wider organisation.

● A POEM FROM OUR TEAM

Monday 9:00am
So many channels to check
Where is my coffee?

● A MOMENT FOR REFLECTION

How can we make sure there are safe channels for our team to raise questions, or issues they’re having?