Summary
Redesigning the advisor webform allocation workflow into a new, centralised tool to replace an inefficient and manual multi-system process.
Outcome
The new workflow has resulted in a reduction in the time it takes for new cases to be allocated. reducing the 8+ step case allocation process to a 5-click task.
The legacy "Webform tracker" spreadsheets have been successfully decommissioned.
Project description
As part of a wider migration from the legacy Flare21 system to a new internal platform called Casebook, the entire process for handling incoming client webforms needed to be redesigned. The existing workflow was a highly manual, multi-system process that was inefficient and difficult for staff to manage.
The project's goal was to design a new, centralised tool within Casebook to replace it.
The Problem
The way Team Leads and Advisors received, allocated, and processed webforms was slow, disjointed, and heavily reliant on manual work. Advisors worked in a busy, high-pressure call centre environment, and the tools were not supporting them effectively. The core issues were:
Manual Allocation: Team Leads had to manually export lists of new webforms from one system and paste them into a separate spreadsheet (a "Webform Tracker") to allocate cases to individual advisors.
Lack of Visibility: It was difficult for Team Leads to track the status of cases, see their team's workload, or know which cases were approaching their 5-day KPI deadline.
Inefficient Tools: The process required staff to constantly switch between the legacy case management system, email, and spreadsheets, leading to wasted time and a high risk of human error.
Users & Audience
The users for this project were our internal Citizens Advice staff:
Team Leads: Responsible for distributing the daily caseload of webforms fairly among their team and ensuring service level agreements (SLAs) were met.
Advisors: Responsible for picking up their assigned webform cases, actioning them, and responding to the client.
My Role & Responsibilities
As the Product Designer, I was responsible for the end-to-end design of the new webform management process. My responsibilities included:
Mapping the existing system and user workflows.
Conducting observational research and semi-structured interviews with Team Leads and Advisors.
Running a detailed task analysis to break down every step of the process.
Creating optimised user flows, process maps, and wireframes.
Designing and prototyping the new interface.
Process
1. Discovery &
Task Analysis
I began by speaking to IT and Operations to map the technical flow of how a webform travelled from the client-facing website into the legacy systems. Following this, I conducted observational research and interviews with Team Leads and Advisors to understand their real-world experience.
It became clear that each delivery centre had developed its own slightly different manual workaround. To capture this complexity, I ran a full task analysis, breaking down the two core user journeys: 'Allocating & Reporting' (Team Leads) and 'Advising & Actioning' (Advisors). I mapped every user step, the system or tool being used, and any issues or questions that arose. This process visually highlighted the key pain point: an excessive number of manual steps (like exporting data) and the reliance on multiple external tools (like Google Sheets and email).
2. Prioritisation & Requirements Gathering
Using the insights from the task analysis, I created optimised task flows that replaced manual user actions with automated system actions. Working with the Product Manager, we used these flows to prioritise which areas were in scope. We decided to focus on allocation, lists of webforms, and stats/KPIs.
I then worked with the PM and developers to define the design requirements, breaking them down into 'Must Haves' (e.g., see all webforms for their centre, prioritise the oldest cases) and 'Nice to Haves'. This collaborative session also produced a list of technical questions for the development team, ensuring our proposed solution was feasible.
Solution
I designed a centralised webform management page within the new Casebook system to replace the entire manual workflow. The solution was a single dashboard that gave Team Leads everything they needed in one place. The key features included:
A Summary Dashboard
At the top of the page, key stats like 'Overdue soon', 'Unassigned', and 'Completed today' gave Team Leads an instant overview of the team's workload and progress against KPIs.
A Centralised Case List
All incoming webforms for the centre automatically appeared in a single, sortable list, eliminating the need for any manual exporting.
Clear Status Indicators
The list clearly displayed the age of each case and flagged any that were 'Overdue' or 'Overdue soon', allowing Team Leads to prioritise effectively.
Bulk Allocation
The core innovation was the allocation tool. Team Leads could now select multiple cases via checkboxes, click 'Assign', and choose an advisor from a dropdown. This single, 5-click action replaced the entire 8+ step process of exporting, pasting, and manually assigning cases in a spreadsheet.
Usability Testing
I built a high-fidelity prototype of the dashboard and we tested it with six Team Leads. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and confirmed that the design solved their biggest pain points.
The simplicity and efficiency of the new process were immediately obvious to them. As two participants put it:
"So much easier than what I do now, that's unbelievable."
"I like how it's straightforward and you can easily see all the info. Little room for interpretation."
Results
The new design successfully transformed a fragmented and manual workflow into a simple, efficient, and centralised process.
The primary outcome was the replacement of an 8+ step manual allocation process involving multiple systems with a single 5-click task within one interface.
The solution eliminated the need for manual tracking spreadsheets, saving Team Leads significant time and reducing the risk of human error.