This article is part of the 2025 Report: GovCX Trailblazers Case Studies, published by the International Foundation for Customer Experience in Government. The report aims to advance the global dialogue on Customer Experience (CX) in the public sector by highlighting innovative practices from around the world and setting benchmarks to help governments strengthen their CX initiatives.

Explore Trailblazer Wendy MacDermott

The biggest challenge was not technology, it was mindset.

“To be truly person centered we must do more than digitize forms. We need to question the information we request and require.”

Many long-standing practices; such as mandatory addresses, ink signatures, expiry dates, and witnesses; were treated as fixed requirements, even when they created barriers.

These assumptions disproportionately affected the most vulnerable:

“Without transportation and a printer, they pose significant barriers for the people who most need our support and are least likely to have these conveniences.”

At the same time, years of prioritizing compliance and risk management had shaped systems that were difficult to change. 

“Our processes, years of reinforcing rules over results, and perception of risk created systems that undermine what brought us here in the first place, to help.”

The transformation began by digitizing applications across key services, including supports for seniors, people with disabilities, foster and adoption applicants, and renters.

But more importantly, the team redesigned how services work.

User feedback became a core driver of change:

“We were told that the mandatory ‘address’ field required applicants to lie or not be able to complete the application.”

In response, a “no current address” option was introduced; removing a barrier while also enabling more tailored support for people without housing.

Partnerships also played a critical role:

“Partnerships with community organizations to conduct user testing… have become embedded in ‘how we work.”

Enhanced support channels, including 211, were integrated to ensure applicants could access help when needed.

At the same time, policy and process changes unlocked further simplification:

• Removal or reduction of unnecessary requirements such as expiry dates and signatures
• Streamlining of application steps within secure digital environments
• Use of digital systems to better detect fraud, enabling fewer barriers for users

“Our digital systems can help us better identify fraud, enabling us to simplify processes and remove barriers to access.”

Three key enablers supported the success of this transformation:

Listening and acting on feedback
User insights were not only collected but translated into real changes in service design.

Challenging assumptions
Long-standing rules were revisited in collaboration with policy and privacy teams to distinguish necessity from habit.

Embedding new ways of working
Co-design, testing, and iteration became part of everyday practice; not one-off initiatives.

This approach led to strong outcomes:

• 95%+ of applications for key services are now submitted online
• Over 12,000 individuals have accessed supports through digital channels
• 98% would recommend the application process
• 75% reported the application was easy to complete

One user summarized the experience:

“Wow, this site and the application process is so well done… The language used on the site is simple, well phrased and short/to the point.”

For Wendy, the transformation is not about digitization alone; it is about redefining how government serves people.

“Being truly person centered, responsive, and authentic is culture change in an environment that has privileged structure and processes.”

The next step is advancing toward Total Experience, where policy, process, technology, and human interaction are aligned around real needs.

Each improvement, no matter how small, contributes to a broader shift:

“Each improvement builds new muscles and the belief that government processes and rules are not set in stone and can evolve.”

For public sector leaders navigating similar challenges, Wendy offers a simple but powerful message:

“Start small, but start!”

Transformation does not begin with large-scale reform. It begins with questioning assumptions, removing one barrier at a time, and building systems that truly serve people.