Transport for NSW

About This Project

A government transport agency needed to fully transform its business processes and workflow in order to deliver improved information services and a better customer experience for residents and tourists planning travel across the state.

The Situation

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is responsible for delivering customer service, infrastructure and regulation services across transport modes in NSW. It has an essential role in connecting people with their communities, jobs and recreational activities.

The department recognised that its current operating model for delivering transport information was outdated, overly complex and needed to evolve, in order to deliver more efficient and effective services and provide a more customer focused experience.

TfNSW needed a way to better understand their customer needs and how they could be addressed. They also recognised the opportunity to utilise ICT infrastructure and applications as a transformational enabler to provide value-added services and improve communication, efficiencies and productivity. From this, the Customer Channel Transformation Program (CCTP) was born.

The main objectives of this program were:

• To help customers make better transport decisions.
• To provide an easy-to-use self-service platform with personalisation options to improve efficiency and the customer experience.
• To deliver improved information services through the integration of multiple customer channels.
• To create an integrated customer experience across all modes, from planning a journey to buying tickets, managing accounts for bike lockers and the Opal fare collection system, and accessing other services related to transport.

TfNSW commissioned two separate Program Streams to support the delivery of their new ICT transport platform:

1.   Integrating multiple transport and communications services into one platform. The aim of this was to provide customers with a single source of travel information, regardless of their mode of transport or operator.
2.   Streamlining and consolidating business processes and workflow to improve efficiency and deliver better services.

TfNSW recognised that delivery of the digital platform was not enough. It was also critical for the organisation to work as a unified body, with streamlined business processes and clear communication channels to ensure the success of the program.

The Approach

Working together with TfNSW, Information Professionals Group developed the CCTP Operating model. This included included designing and then implementing new business processes, as well as redesigning the supporting processes.

The second phase of the project involved the delivery and implementation of their new model. An important part of this phase was developing a communications toolkit to ensure TfNSW staff were prepared for the transition and that TfNSW managers were well armed to communicate and lead the change.

The final step was to integrate these two project phases, creating a seamless transition from the old to the new operating model.

We started by carrying out extensive research to inform the development of a new operating model that could deliver on the transformation goals. This research was mainly carried out through a series of workshops for both internal and external stakeholders – designed to help clarify business processes and customer journeys, which were then used to create the new operating model.

To avoid any gaps in our understanding, we also did an audit of the current operating model to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their existing system. This allowed us to integrate existing processes into new ones where possible.

Throughout the whole process, Information Professionals Group assisted TfNSW in developing their new operating model to ensure alignment between customer needs, business process re-engineering and technology. Our in-depth knowledge and experience of similar large-scale digital transformation projects ensured a smooth transition for TfNSW.

Our role was that of a project lead — overseeing and directing the project, including the requirements, customer journey maps, business process and operating model. We also worked closely with internal business analysts and internal communications teams to ensure consistent messaging and compliance.

The Impact

The CCTP project was completed successfully — within budget and on time. This would not have been possible without the close working relationship between our team and TfNSW stakeholders.

Since the completion of the CCTP project, the way customers access transport system information and use transport-related services across NSW has been completely transformed.

Everyday workflows and processes have been improved, with a focus on delivering better services to customers. Transport information is now provided through a central digital platform, allowing customers to access real-time updates about their transport options.