Document/Communication Design
In my role as a Design Consultant I was responsible for the design of essential print communications for clients in the financial, superannuation and insurance industries, telecommunication and power industries and various government departments.
These essential communications can be invoices, statements, bilings, forms, letters and ad-hoc items.
Clients include ANZ, NAB and Bendigo Bank, AAMI, Lumley Insurance, Health Super, WorkSafe (Victorian WorkCover Authority), Department of Justice (infringement notices), Australian Power and Gas, AGL, ConnectEast (EastLink toll road).
The aim of each document design project is to increase understanding of the documents whilst encouraging a positive response from the recipient and to increase revenue whilst reducing costs and adding value for the client.
The design or redesign of essential communications is carried out with consideration to the business requirements of the client and the user experience of the recipient. Designs incorporate the requirements of many divisions within each organisation including management, finance, compliance, IT, marketing and call centre.
Designs are achieved through an iterative process that includes a proposal and scope of the document suite, facilitation of stakeholder workshops and content development workshops. The process also includes consultation with business analysts, programmers and print/mail production staff in order that the production process is as much a part of the new designs as is the look and feel of the documents.
All final document designs are presented along with Document Architecture and Style Guides for programming. These documents maintain the integrity of the designs regardless of the final print and mail facility.
These essential communications can be invoices, statements, bilings, forms, letters and ad-hoc items.
Clients include ANZ, NAB and Bendigo Bank, AAMI, Lumley Insurance, Health Super, WorkSafe (Victorian WorkCover Authority), Department of Justice (infringement notices), Australian Power and Gas, AGL, ConnectEast (EastLink toll road).
The aim of each document design project is to increase understanding of the documents whilst encouraging a positive response from the recipient and to increase revenue whilst reducing costs and adding value for the client.
The design or redesign of essential communications is carried out with consideration to the business requirements of the client and the user experience of the recipient. Designs incorporate the requirements of many divisions within each organisation including management, finance, compliance, IT, marketing and call centre.
Designs are achieved through an iterative process that includes a proposal and scope of the document suite, facilitation of stakeholder workshops and content development workshops. The process also includes consultation with business analysts, programmers and print/mail production staff in order that the production process is as much a part of the new designs as is the look and feel of the documents.
All final document designs are presented along with Document Architecture and Style Guides for programming. These documents maintain the integrity of the designs regardless of the final print and mail facility.
(Home, Contents and Motor Vehicle Insurance)
AAMI sought to decrease the quantity of print communications generated through new business and renewal of annual insurance policies, whilst increasing ‘on time’ payments and providing a simpler understanding of insurance documentation.
Through workshops involving internal stakeholders a suite of 320 documents were given a fresh look whilst complying with AAMI’s strict branding guidelines.
The redesign reduced 5 pre-printed basestocks to 2 and reduced printed output of cover letters, insurance schedules, payment options and additional disclosure information from 5 impressions on 3 pages to 2 impressions on 1 page
AAMI achieved annual print and production savings of $300k.
(Victorian WorkCover Authority)
WorkSafe Victoria, who manage Victoria’s workplace safety system, sought to reposition WorkCover in the eyes of employers from being perceived as a tax to being seen for what it is – insurance.
WorkSafe also desired to increase the number of insured employers and premiums paid on time and to improve the communication of insurance premium information.
Through workshops involving internal stakeholders and representatives of each of the six agent insurance organisations, WorkSafe was able to gain a better understanding of the content required in their communications.
The redesigned communications offered employers a simpler, easier to understand layout, more succinct content and created a positive image of WorkSafe through consistent tone and branding.
The new communications achieved a saving of over $100k in the first year of operation due to process improvements and print and mail reduction. Call centre enquiries decreased 10-20% and ‘on time’ payment of premiums rose significantly due to easier to understand billing communications.
Overall a smoother policy renewal process was observed and disclosure of employers ‘ratable remuneration’ increased by over $1 billion in the first year.
(EastLink toll road)
ConnectEast approached Computershare as document design experts in order to generate a suite of documents for billing, statements and associated letters. Being a new organisation, ConnectEast had no prior documents or knowledge of what data should be captured and included in the documents. The entire suite was created from scratch using a logical approach to what a motorist would like to know about their toll road trips and expenses. Of particular importance was the information required by businesses and households with multiple vehicles.
During the Content Development phase, close attention was given to each data segment to ensure that the designs and the available data were compatible. This process is worked in consultation with the project’s business analysts in conjunction with the available business rules and functional specification.
Comparison of a 'Before' and 'After' concept design incorporating new branding for Bendigo Bank statements.
Department of Justice Speeding Infringement Notice - Design Concept 1 - Front
(Speeding Infringement Notices)
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has over $20 million dollars of unpaid fines circling their system at any given time. The old document suite had an over complicated layout and lack of design consistency across the documents. DOJ experience a disproportionate amount of misunderstanding about the information given and the nomination process and form. This lack of understanding has resulted in a 30% return rate of incorrect forms and fine payments and an enormous amount of negative call centre activity costing between $8 and $12 per call.
There were 27 stakeholders for the initial workshop including representatives from DOJ (Marketing, IT, Finance, Compliance, Call Centre), Tennix, Victoria Police, Magistrate's Court, Vic Roads, TAC and CityLink.
The new documents have identical layout across the various types with readily identifiable segments for vehicle registration, date and location of offence, fine amount and demerit points. Long legal paragraphs have been replaced with summaries, with extended versions on the reverse of the document. The Nomination Form has been removed from the back of the infringement notice and replaced with a stand-alone document with step-by-step directions of which areas to fill in and why.
A 3-5% increase in on time payments of fines would result in generating between $600k and $1m in revenue. This does not include the savings associated with reduced print production and mailing of returns and reminders or the savings associated with a reduction in call centre activity.
Stand alone Nomination Form concept
Repeated use of design elements across the document suite aids in recipient familiarity.
Client - Lumley Insurance - Kmart Insurance Policy Quote
Kmart Tyre and Auto Service launched a range of vehicle insurance in early 2010. I was asked to design the
documents to match the look and feel of the self service website, whilst providing the recipient with an easy to read and understand insurance document.
Below is the Policy Schedule that appears on the reverse.
Kmart Tyre and Auto Service launched a range of vehicle insurance in early 2010. I was asked to design the
documents to match the look and feel of the self service website, whilst providing the recipient with an easy to read and understand insurance document.
Below is the Policy Schedule that appears on the reverse.
