User Experience Flows
Elected by you to oversee how crime is tackled in your police force area
Clients
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Locations
Manchester
London
Services
Government Approved Branding
UX/UI
The Situation
Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) ensure the policing needs of your community are met as effectively as possible and oversee how crime is tackled in your area. Elections for PCCs, PFCCs, and Mayors with PCC or equivalent functions needed a new method of sharing candidate information with media before the election took place on 2 May 2024.
PCCs
Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are elected to hold your police force to account for delivering the kind of policing you want to see. PCCs are responsible for the totality of policing in their force area and aim to cut crime and deliver an effective and efficient police service. PCCs bring a public voice to policing and they do this by:
- Engaging with the public and victims of crime to help set police and crime plans;
- Ensuring the police force budget is spent where it matters most; and
- Appointing the chief constable, holding them to account for delivery of their objectives, and if necessary, dismissing them.
Work with others
PCCs also work with your council and other organisations to promote and enable joined up working on community safety and criminal justice. As directly elected individuals, they provide opportunities for greater collaboration and effective scrutiny of public services. In doing so, PCCs also have regard to national cross border threats, and ensure there is an effective policing response.
The PCC does not “run” the police force. Chief Constables continue to be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the police, but they are accountable to the public via the PCC.
Problem
The previous method of managing candidate information for Police and Crime Commissioner elections was fraught with inefficiencies. Candidates would submit their details through various informal channels, leaving admins responsible for manually inputting and organising this information. This approach often led to inconsistencies, data entry errors, and significant time delays, complicating the election preparation process.
Solution
To address these challenges, we developed a dedicated portal for Police Area Returning Officers (PAROs) to upload candidate statements, details, and media directly. This solution included three distinct workflows: one for PAROs to manage candidate submissions, another for creating and updating candidate profiles, and an admin flow for overseeing and managing all data. This streamlined the entire process, reducing the reliance on manual data entry.
Results
As a result, the process became significantly more accurate and efficient. Data inconsistencies and errors were minimised, and the time required to manage candidate information was drastically reduced. This ensured that candidate details were consistently up-to-date, easily accessible, and ready for publication in a timely manner.
Visit The Choose My PCC Website
Goals
- Provide Accurate and Up-to-Date Information: Ensure all candidate profiles, policies, and election details are current and accurately presented to users.
- Enhance User Engagement: Increase user interaction by providing intuitive navigation, relevant content, and interactive features like candidate comparison tools.
- Streamline Candidate Submission Process: Offer an efficient and user-friendly platform for PAROs and candidates to upload and manage their information and media.
- Ensure Platform Stability and Security: Maintain a secure, reliable, and responsive platform that can handle high traffic volumes, particularly during the election period.
- Facilitate Voter Education: Educate voters about the role of PCCs, the election process, and how their vote impacts community policing.
- Support PAROs in Election Management: Provide robust tools and resources for PAROs to manage and oversee the candidate submission process effectively.
- Increase Voter Turnout: Encourage greater voter participation by making the site easy to use and by clearly communicating the importance of the PCC elections.
- Improve Data Integrity: Ensure that all submitted information is correctly processed and displayed, minimising errors and inconsistencies.
- Offer Multilingual Support: Provide content in multiple languages to cater to a diverse electorate and ensure accessibility for non-English speakers.
- Gather User Feedback: Implement mechanisms to collect feedback from voters, PAROs, and candidates to continuously improve the platform’s functionality and user experience.
Target audience
 Police Area Returning Officers (PAROs) |  Election Candidates |  Admins |  Voters / General Public | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Situation | Responsible for managing the PCC election process, including candidate information submissions. | Preparing to present their policies and profiles to the electorate in the upcoming PCC election. | Managing the Choose My PCC platform, ensuring smooth operation during the election period. | Seeking information about PCC candidates and their impact on local policing before the election. |
Challenges | Ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of candidate data submissions under tight deadlines. | Effectively communicating their platform and ensuring their information is accurately represented. | Keeping the platform running efficiently while managing data accuracy and addressing user issues. | Difficulty finding reliable, clear, and comprehensive information about candidates and their policies. |
Goals | To efficiently manage and oversee the submission of all required candidate information. | To maximise their reach to voters and clearly convey their campaign messages. | To maintain a seamless, secure, and reliable platform for all users involved in the election. | To make an informed decision that aligns with their community safety priorities. |
Objections | Concerns about the complexity of the submission process and potential technical difficulties. | Worries about the submission process being overly complicated or prone to errors. | Concerns about potential system overloads, data management challenges, or technical glitches. | Concerns about biased or incomplete information and confusion over the role of PCCs. |
Values | Efficiency, reliability, and user-friendliness in the tools provided. | Visibility, accuracy, and ease of communication in presenting their candidacy. | Stability, security, and responsiveness in platform management and support. | Transparency, trustworthiness, and accessibility in the information provided. |
Key Takeaways
Streamlined Election Management
The project successfully streamlined the candidate submission process, reducing errors and inefficiencies by providing dedicated workflows for PAROs, candidates, and admins.
Improved Data Integrity and Security
The implementation of robust data management tools ensured high levels of accuracy and security, maintaining the integrity of all submitted candidate information.
Enhanced Voter Engagement
By offering clear, accurate, and accessible information, the platform significantly improved voter education and engagement, making it easier for the public to make informed decisions.
User-Centred Design
The focus on creating a user-friendly interface tailored to the specific needs of different audience segments led to higher satisfaction and better overall user experience across the platform.
Visuals
