Stay on Track

The stay-on-track guidance bundle, a set of supplementary tools that highly value information accessibility, was designed to minimise the cost for children to understand legal concepts and help them keep on the right track during bail

PROJECT SCOPE:
ROLE:
TOOLS:

3 months, Team of 5
UI/UX designer; User researcher & Tester
Figma, Miro, Adobe Ilustrator

Our Client

Principal Client:
Youth Justice NSW

Collaborating Partners:
· Speech Pathology Australia
· Legal Aid NSW
· Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT
· Advocate for Children
and Young People
· Children’s Court of NSW

Problem Space

The current Bail Condition Form and Bail Acknowledgement Form are are difficult for youth to understand due to complex legal terminology, resulting in a low bail compliance rate. Therefore, this project aims to redesign these legal documents (as shown below) to create a more effective and youth-friendly system.

An example of current bail condition + bail acknowledgement form
(Please note: private information has been marked off)

Poor visual hierarchy and layout
Complex and variable bail conditions (it varies for everyone)
Child not understanding & complying with bail conditions
Scattered physical documents are unlikely to be preserved
Limited accessibility for children with learning/hearing difficulties
and cultural diversities
Children have limited access to digital devices

User Groups
& Stakeholders

Background Research

System
Requirements

Our primary users, aged 10 to 14, have diverse cognitive needs (University of Rochester Medical Center, 2019). By designing for users with or without ADHD, we embraced inclusive design principles that benefit all users. We examined the communication procedures and relationships between primary and secondary users for an effective two-ways communication. We also considered both digital and non-digital solutions to cater to diverse needs.

Design Framing

Persona

Iterations &
Key Insights

To best cater to user needs in our design and ideation process, we created a rough prototype and updated it three times based on evaluations from three rounds of user testing. Forms of prototype and the strategy of user test evaluation were outlined in the workflow below:

Iteration #1 Rough Paper Prototype

Insights

A simple calendar that allows the children to track the court dates; with a interactive sticker attached to indicate their bail conditions. Stickers can be sticked to according bail period.
A simplified version of the bail acknowledgment form using concise language.

James, Lawyer (specializing in Aboriginal children's cases)

A physical calendar is more convenient and less likely to be lost, making it a better alternative to original paper documents.

Simplifying bail conditions accurately requires criminal justice training due to their complexity and variability.

A space for notes is necessary on the calendar so lawyers can explain specific bail conditions.

Iteration #2 Refined Paper Prototype

We drafted sticker content with court dates and summarized bail conditions from legal documents. We also role-played with a speech pathologist on how a lawyer would use the calendar to explain bail conditions to a child.

Insights

Bernadette, Speech Pathology

Involving more court staff (e.g., police, social workers) can help them know whom to approach.

The simplified bail acknowledgment form is clearer but could be more visual.

Add customizable sticker sections for variations like dates, addresses, and names.

Amanda, Public Servant (Policy Maker) from NSW Government

The prototype should not be identifiable as a court document to protect the young person's privacy.

Consider adding a QR code for access to audio recordings.

Include contact details for relevant departments.

Is there a way to create a backup resource for children and stakeholders in case they lose the calendar?

Final
Artifacts

According to literature research and client insights, our final design system comprises both digital and non-digital components. The non-digital solution primarily serves the primary user, the child, who does not have access to a phone device. The digital solution serves as an alternative to the non-digital solution in case the child loses it. Additionally, the digital solution includes advanced functions and different user modes.

Visual Identity

Common bail conditions in simple English sentences with gender-neutral characters, and color coding to distinguish the Dos and Don’ts.

01 Stay On Track Booklet

Helping Lawyers Explain Bail Conditions to Children.

02 Bail Acknowledgement Infographics

Clear Visuals for Bail Acknowledgment and Compliance

03 Stay On Track Phone Application

Children & Family Mode

Children’s Mode Prototype

Lawyer & Caseworker Mode

Lawyer’s Mode Prototype