In the dynamic landscape of Singapore's public housing sector, staying ahead means embracing innovation and adopting a customer-centric approach. PALO IT recently collaborated with the public housing agency to reimagine their roadshows, a key event for future homeowners. This roadshow aimed not only to provide information but to foster personal connections among prospective homeowners, creating a more engaging and impactful experience.
a critical role in fostering social cohesion and contributing to the development of stronger communities.
With over 80% of the country's residents residing in public housing across the island, the organisation faced the challenge of adapting to demographic shifts, including a rapidly aging population and an increasing number of Singaporeans remaining single. As Singapore's population continues to diversify through inter-ethnic and transnational marriages, as well as the inclusion of new citizens, their role extends beyond housing provision alone, fostering social cohesion and contributing to the development of stronger, more resilient communities.
Understanding the Challenge:
Historically, the roadshows have been crucial in facilitating the transition to homeownership for many. However, its delivery model has been traditionally centered on information dissemination, offering limited opportunities for participants to engage or collaborate with each other. Through a comprehensive discovery phase, including 50 semi-structured interviews across five roadshows, insights highlighted the need for a more inclusive and interactive approach to solve the following challenges:
- Positive first impressions to the roadshow, but diverse opinions on the stage program and exhibition booths.
- Key collection dates and renovation tips emerged as the most significant topics, influenced by individual preferences, while other subjects varied based on personal interest.
- Challenges were faced by parents with young children and non-English speaking elderly during the stage program.
- Diverse audience segments exhibited distinct preferences for content delivery.
- While attendees recognize the importance of getting to know neighbors, it is not the primary focus within the roadshow context.
- The program and space design prioritise information delivery over fostering participant interaction.
Design Thinking in Action:
Empathise and Define:
The insights from the discovery phase led to the development of four user personas, each representing a key participant segment with unique pain points, needs, and wants. An as-is user journey was created to identify key moments for redesign. This foundation allowed for a more targeted and effective approach to addressing the challenges.
Ideation and Pilot:
A co-creation workshop brought together representatives from the public agency, community engagement organisations, and future homeowners. Teams developed concepts using Lego to bring a sense of play into the ideation process. The ideas from the workshop were then piloted in a roadshow within the Western district. It implemented concepts such as bilingual support, customized booths, and activity areas to encourage interaction and connection among attendees.
Results and Implementation:
The pilot roadshow with the new features exceeded attendance expectations, with high subscription rates for interactive activities like bus tours and interest-based booths. Attendees appreciated the added elements, expressing gratitude for activities for children and opportunities to learn more about their community in an interactive manner. The success of the pilot led to the integration of interactive activities as a crucial aspect of the roadshow, now implemented in future roadshows.
‘I work as an educator and for me it was really exciting to see the type of interests and activities featured and meeting local leader, gives me a better sense of my neighbourhood’ - attendees at one of the roadshows.
Beyond addressing immediate challenges, the design thinking engagement with the public agency also contributed to fostering a culture of innovation within the organisation. Placing the customer at the center of the decision-making process equipped them to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing market.
By embracing design thinking, organisations can enhance their service design, creating experiences that not only meet but exceed the evolving expectations and needs of their audience. The successful redesigned pilot of these roadshows is a testament to the transformative power of design thinking in shaping the future of service design.
