The Site Assure 2 Journey:

Reimagining On-Site Reporting for Major Road Projects Victoria with User-Centered Design

Site Assure 2 is a mobile application used by surveillance teams across Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) to record site observations, risks, and compliance issues. While the desktop system existed, the original mobile experience failed to support the realities of on-site work. As a result, critical information was fragmented, delayed, or lost altogether.

As the Senior UX/UI Product Designer, I led the redesign of Site Assure 2 to transform it into a tool that surveillance officers would actually use in the field—under pressure, in harsh environments, and with minimal cognitive load.

Note: Screens and detailed visuals are intentionally omitted due to government data sensitivity.

Why This Mattered

This project was not just about improving an app—it was about reducing operational risk on active road projects.

Surveillance officers are responsible for capturing critical safety and compliance information. When reporting is delayed, incomplete, or inaccurate, issues can be missed, escalations slow down, and safety outcomes are compromised. The existing workflow forced officers to duplicate work and rely on memory hours later, increasing the likelihood of errors.

My goal was to enable accurate, real-time reporting at the point of observation, without slowing officers down.

How Could It Make a Difference

A truly mobile-first, user-centred redesign had the potential to:
• Eliminate double handling of information
• Improve the quality and structure of data
• Reduce time spent on reporting
• Improve visibility of critical issues for supervisors
• Increase trust and adoption of the system in the field

Stakeholders, Teams and Users

The project involved close collaboration across multiple groups:

Users:

Site Surveillance Officers (50–80)
Site Supervisors (6)

Internal Teams:

Product & Business Analysts
Developers (Power Apps)
Executive stakeholders representing the business

Balancing operational needs, technical constraints, and executive expectations within a six-week delivery window required focused stakeholder management and clear decision-making.

Research Phase

Designing for Reality, Not Assumptions

Before redesigning the experience, I focused on deeply understanding how work was actually being done on site.

I conducted interviews with:

5 surveillance officers
3 supervisors
Developers, BA, and executive stakeholders

These sessions revealed that:

Officers avoided the mobile app entirely
Notes were captured across paper, voice memos, photos, and memory
Reports were later submitted as a single unstructured block of text
Photos lacked context, captions, or traceability
Searching historical data was time-consuming and frustrating

Environmental Constraints

A critical insight was that the original design ignored the physical environment:

Loud construction noise
Bright sunlight and screen glare
Rain and PPE usage
Frequent one-handed operation

These factors became core design inputs rather than edge cases.

Personas & User Journey Maps

Research Report

The Challenge

The existing solution technically allowed reporting, but it was misaligned with user behaviour and context. This resulted in:

Low adoption
Delayed and inaccurate reporting
Missed critical information
Increased after-hours work

The challenge was to redesign Site Assure 2 into something that felt faster than paper, not slower than desktop.

The Vision

The vision was a mobile experience that:

Required minimal typing
Worked seamlessly with one hand
Structured data automatically
Captured context at the moment of observation
Supported incomplete, real-world workflows

Design Exploration

User Journeys, Low-Fidelity Concepts, and Validation

I translated research insights into:

Simplified user journeys
Low-fidelity wireframes
Clickable prototypes for rapid validation

Early testing focused on speed, clarity, and effort, not aesthetics.

Design System

A lightweight, scalable design system was created to:

Ensure consistency across forms and flows
Support accessibility and outdoor visibility
Enable faster development within Power Apps constraints

Accessibility and Inclusion

Accessibility was embedded from the start:

WCAG-aligned interaction patterns
Plain language for users with non-English backgrounds
Large, bold controls for gloved or “fat-finger” use
High-contrast colour choices to combat sun glare
Full single-handed operation

This ensured the app worked for real people in real conditions.

The Solution

Crafting a Field-First Experience

1. Short, Structured Forms

Unnecessary inputs were removed and data was broken into clear, scannable categories.

2. Automation by Default

Location, weather, and site data were auto-captured to reduce cognitive load and errors.

3. In-App Media Capture

Built-in photo capture and markup removed the need for third-party apps and improved context.

4. Critical Issue Triggers

Editable rules automatically flagged and escalated critical issues.

5. Draft Reporting

Officers could start, pause, and complete reports later—reflecting real on-site workflows.

User Testing

Testing with surveillance officers validated that:

Reporting was significantly faster
The structure reduced mental effort
Photos and issues were easier to understand later
The app finally “fit” the job it was meant to support

The Results:

The redesigned Site Assure 2 delivered immediate, measurable impact:

60%+ adoption within the first week
80% faster report submission, completed on the same day
80% increase in data accuracy
90% faster searching and review for supervisors
Officers reported finishing on time without staying back after hours

The app shifted from being avoided to becoming the primary reporting tool.

Conclusion:

Designing for Context Creates Real Change

Site Assure 2 demonstrated how user-centred design—grounded in real environments, behaviours, and constraints—can transform not just a product, but an entire workflow. By designing for the realities of on-site work, we improved safety outcomes, data quality, and trust in the system.