Image Credit : Both VHBA and RPS are contributors to visualisations.
Project Overview
The $1.5 billion New Footscray Hospital Project is the single largest health infrastructure investment in Victoria’s history. Being delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA), the landmark project requires a community engagement approach that is inclusive and accessible. Amidst the ongoing global pandemic, VHBA was faced with the challenge of adapting its engagement approach to ensure the community remained informed and connected to the Project during ongoing restrictions, particularly as face-to-face engagement wasn’t possible.
RPS designed a dynamic and bespoke virtual consultation approach for the client to achieve the right blend of content and engagement; ensuring the room was an interesting and enticing space for community and stakeholders. By inviting a 3D environment interaction, users can learn about the hospital design and construction with a 3D tour of the design and watch interviews with project builders. The room also features a dedicated digital community nook with kids’ activities, including an opportunity to contribute ideas for a time capsule – physically placed on the new hospital site.
We have transformed government engagement by allowing the community to stay informed and contribute their ideas in a more convenient and relaxed manner. An accessible version of the virtual room information was also created to ensure inclusivity of engagement.
To analyse and evaluate the engagement feedback and process, RPS designed a framework for data analysis at inception, and following the engagement period, delivered valuable quantifiable data and metrics reporting to measure interaction and engagement with the digital space.
Project Commissioner
Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA)
Project Creator
Team
Strategic Lead Megan McBride
Creative Director Lisa Minichiello
Technical Director Stephen Henderson
Web Developer Stephen Henderson / David Ross
UX UI Researcher and Strategist Stephen Henderson
Data Insights and Analytics Shane Wong, Sophia Li
Creative Director, VHBA Rollo Pinsent
Communications and Engagement Senior Advisor, VHBA Diana Gablonski
Content Strategist, VHBA Diana Gablonski / Will Thompson / Nicola Evans
Digital Strategist, VHBA Majlin Skjetne
Project Brief
VHBA engaged RPS to deliver a digital replica of their in-person engagement for their infrastructure project. With Covid-19 just settling in on our doorsteps, VHBA wanted to develop a digital solution to support their face-to-face engagement events. The face-to-face engagement never eventuated ‘in real life’ due to Melbourne’s extended lockdowns.
Using floor plans, RPS replicated the original face-to-face event space as well as creative requirements for their project branding. Static and dynamic assets were featured in the digital space, with an innovative area developed to capture attention of users.
Accessibility was a key feature of the digital engagement space, and one that is highly valued in the health sector and with the client. The very nature of a hospital project required user interface and user experience to be highly prioritised and easy to use for all age groups.
Diversity and inclusion were featured through avatars and to reflect the demographics of the community, translations/duplications of the room were available in Simplified Chinese and Vietnamese. The website is also mobile responsive and accessible from all devices.
Project Need
Digital landscapes are different to face-to-face and the same approach to communication material isn’t always satisfactory. RPS presented an information architecture structured approach to simulate the experience of an in-person information session.
Engaging and interactive, the Digital Engagement Space solution:
• Simulates the experience of an in-person information session – ease of access for people with all abilities, including vulnerable groups and those unable travel to attend in-person events.
• Enhances choice by allowing the community and stakeholders to independently engage with project information where and when they choose, this does create challenges in designing the flow of the room and information hierarchy.
• Improves capacity to engage with audiences that are traditionally hard to reach in engagement – people with children, younger people, full time and shift workers, culturally and linguistically diverse community members.
• Allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of your communication through real time data insights, giving flexibility to adapt materials to resonate with audiences.
• Allows seamless integration with existing platforms and project websites.
• Includes accessibility features, such as choice on opening splash page to fully assessable website, available also once in the room and translations on multiple visuals, from large boards to iPad interaction for feedback.
RPS also recommended the client include future state thinking so they could easily incorporate future engagement projects with visual assets and content. The digital architecture can be adapted in the future to accommodate other projects, such as creating more intimate spaces for smaller project needs.
User Experience
RPS’ Digital Engagement Space was developed to respond to a growing need in the market as an alternative to face to face engagement. The pandemic saw clients needing to replicate in person engagement as a digital solution. VHBA, while focusing on replicating the in-person space, saw the opportunity from RPS to design a high quality, likeness to real life room. The opportunity to create a long term, inclusive, innovative, and adaptive digital environment evolved through ongoing conversation with RPS.
Users experience incredible functionality and visual content, and a lifelike environment with realistic shadows and lighting. Presented visually, our entry highlights Acknowledgment of Country, and the accessible option.
RPS have prioritised access for people with all abilities, including vulnerable groups and those unable travel to attend in-person events. Information was delivered in multiple languages, helping to reach culturally and linguistically diverse community members.
The interactive iPads feature subscription forms, email through questions, PDF brochures, FAQs, time capsule community input suggestions, children’s colouring book and a feedback form. The hot spots on the floor easily lead the user on a journey through each of the zones: Meet the Builder, The Time Capsule, Community Corner and Learn About the Design.
Each zone is easy to navigate with menu items presented at the base of the website for quick and easy access. Users have a zoom feature and are able to spin on a 360-degree axis to view all areas in this large space.
Project Marketing
Following the launch of the Digital Engagement Space, VHBA’s digital team implemented a marketing campaign to drive traffic to the site. Seamless integration with existing platforms and project websites allows this to happen organically.
This engagement collects a vast amount of qualitative and quantitative data. We gathered and analysed the audience behaviour data from the digital engagement space and present insights. Our data analysts actively monitor users’ interactions, to identify trends and find opportunities for further enhancements and provide maximum value. RPS provided an intelligent dashboard showing key findings, tailored to meet VHBA reporting requirements.
The market take-up with this innovative community consultation space has increased compared with traditional engagement methods, with the first week’s unique users pushing just above 1,000 and 20% of those users clicking through to the accessibility website.
The data captured from this engagement can then inform how the client promotes this engagement and future online campaigns. Nine dashboard reports will be supplied to the client within the six-month live period so they can be adaptive and continually innovate.
Project Privacy
RPS operates industry leading firewall, intrusion detection and prevention and anti-virus systems. All Group servers and computers are protected from viruses, trojans and spyware by automated antivirus signature updates controlled by a system which is integrated into the Group IT Support Desk. Internet Access security software blocks access to websites which may allow malicious software to be downloaded. Local Operating System firewalls also protect computers and laptops, and settings are restricted via Group Policy to ensure changes are not made by unauthorised software or users. Incoming connections to the local network are protected at various levels and are actively monitored by IT staff to ensure the integrity of the network and the data stored on it.
The website is General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant and RPS doesn’t collect any data on VHBA’s behalf.
Digital - Government Services
The provision of timely government services has been transformed as applications and sites are developed and implemented to either replace or complement previous methods. Be it the delivery of current and up to date critical information, compliance, community support and engagement, notification and registration or providing greater accessibility to government resources.
More Details