# oxd.com > Make New Experiences Possible --- ## Pages - [Decision Paralysis Poll Responses](https://oxd.com/decision-paralysis-poll-responses/): - [Test](https://oxd.com/test-2/): tests testststtsts test test tets - [Home](https://oxd.com/): We help complex organizations deliver new and better experiences by putting people first. Start your digital transformation with us. - [Subject Matter Experts](https://oxd.com/methods/subject-matter-experts/): Subject matter expert (SME) interviews are a key qualitative research method in user experience (UX) design, where insights and deep... - [Methods](https://oxd.com/methods/): - [Human-Centred Design](https://oxd.com/services/human-centred-design/): Government and public sector teams trust OXD to make digital services simpler and more human through user-centred design consulting. - [Terms of Use](https://oxd.com/terms-of-use/): Provides information about use of the OXD website, any related web pages, or any content (collectively, the oxd.com website). - [Management Consulting](https://oxd.com/services/management-consulting/): Our Management Consulting services help innovate organizational design, sharpen strategic thinking, and allow clients to manage complexity. - [Technology Solutions](https://oxd.com/services/technology-solutions/): Our technology solutions are a holistic set of people, processes, information, and technology that tackle business-critical challenges. - [Digital Services and Products](https://oxd.com/services/digital-services-and-products/): Our Digital Services and Products help clients to deliver their own modern and accessible digital services and websites to their customers. - [Digital Transformation and Innovation](https://oxd.com/services/digital-transformation-and-innovation/): Our Digital Transformation and Innovation services help clients embrace new technologies and ways of working across their organization. - [Government Consulting](https://oxd.com/services/government-consulting/): Our government consulting services include digital strategy, technology consulting, and service design to drive transformation in the public sector. - [Services](https://oxd.com/services/): Digital Transformation and Innovation, Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design, and Consulting in Tech, Government, Management. - [Land recognition](https://oxd.com/land-recognition/): OXD offices are on land within the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples—a large group with several distinct languages and cultures. - [Dairy Pro BC](https://oxd.com/dairy-pro-bc/): In a landscape dominated by high-tech jobs, Dairy Pro BC was looking for a way to make the dairy industry a viable and relevant career option. - [Design for Policy Reading List](https://oxd.com/design-for-policy-reading-list/): We've put together an extended reading list featuring some of our favourite Design for Policy materials (long and short reads). Check it out! - [2018 Web Awards submission: Honeywell's SmartLine configuration tool](https://oxd.com/2018-web-awards-submission-honeywell-configuration-tool/): OXD worked to help create the best possible digital experience for configuring and validating Honeywell's new SmartLine tool. - [St. Paul’s Hospital Heart Function Clinic: Virtual Heart](https://oxd.com/st-pauls-heart-helper-e-service/): OXD was hired to build a web-based system that allows for heart failure patients to self-manage their disease. Learn how we made this happen! - [Our story](https://oxd.com/our-story/): In 1996 a computer-savvy physicist met a book-loving researcher. Together they created OpenRoad—now OXD! Read about our story. - [Design for Innovation](https://oxd.com/design-for-innovation/): Design for Innovation methods have the opportunity to improve how we live, work, and thrive in challenging times. Contact us to learn more. - [People](https://oxd.com/about/people/): The OXD team is a group of remarkable, experienced professionals with a wealth of knowledge in UX, design, and building websites and web apps. - [Careers](https://oxd.com/careers/): Do work you love, with people you respect, at a company you can be proud of—with some pretty sweet perks along the way! Check out our careers. - [Contact](https://oxd.com/contact/): Contact us at sales@oxd.com if you want to start a new project, find out more about our services, or submit a request for proposal. - [News and events](https://oxd.com/news/): Keep up with us through our news and events updates. You can learn about the projects we're working on, our latest achievements, and events. - [About](https://oxd.com/about/): Learn more about OXD. We are at the convergence of strategy, design, and technology, helping complex organizations spark change. - [Our work](https://oxd.com/work/): Whether building better human-centred services or helping reach the next generation of students, we’re passionate about work that matters. - [Privacy Policy](https://oxd.com/privacy/): We respect your privacy. Please read to learn about the information that is collected on our site, how its stored, and what its used for. --- ## Posts - [OXD named one of Canada's Best Workplaces™, again!](https://oxd.com/blog/2025/04/04/oxd-named-one-of-canadas-best-workplaces-again/): We're proud to announce our recognition as one of the 2025 Best Workplaces™ in Canada for two years running! - [Emily Carr's future design leaders get a glimpse into how OXD operates](https://oxd.com/blog/2025/03/21/emily-carrs-future-design-leaders-get-a-glimpse-into-how-oxd-operates/): Students from Emily Carr's Interaction Design program got a curated studio tour, seeing how our professional design and technology firm operates. - [OXD and the School of Good Services partner to build service design capabilities in BC public sector](https://oxd.com/blog/2025/02/20/oxd-and-the-school-of-good-services-partner-to-build-service-design-capabilities-in-bc-public-sector/): OXD was proud to partner with the School of Good Services to deliver service design training for government staff in Victoria, BC. - [OXD sponsors 2025 Vancouver Service Jam—a community service design event](https://oxd.com/blog/2025/02/05/oxd-sponsors-2025-vancouver-service-jam-a-community-service-design-event/): We're proud to sponsor the 2025 Vancouver Service Jam, a collaborative service design event where participants spend 48hrs prototyping innovative solutions. - [BC's Ministry of Environment and Parks partners with OXD to enhance the Recreation Sites and Trails visitor experience](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/11/30/bcs-ministry-of-environment-and-parks-partners-with-oxd-to-enhance-the-recreation-sites-and-trails-visitor-experience/): The Ministry of Environment partnered with us as part of their 4-year digital transformation strategy to improve the visitor experience. - [OXD named a Great Place To Work® in Canada for the second year in a row!](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/11/21/oxd-named-a-great-place-to-work-in-canada-for-the-second-year-in-a-row/): We’ve done it again! Being awarded this for the second year running speaks to the heart of our company culture. We think that’s pretty great. - [OXD delivers strategic portfolio management framework for BC Ministry of Education](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/09/30/oxd-delivers-strategic-portfolio-management-framework-for-bc-ministry-of-education/): The British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care engaged OXD to improve how they manage and report on their technology portfolio. - [Enhancing park accessibility with AI and crowdsourcing: How a Hackathon inspired real-world solutions](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/09/20/enhancing-park-accessibility-with-ai-and-crowdsourcing-a-two-day-hackathon/): OXD’s “Gastown Gumberoos” prototyped a solution for an outdated accessibility website, using AI and crowdsourcing, at a two-day Hackathon. - [Annual summer picnic at Second Beach in Stanley Park](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/08/23/annual-summer-picnic-at-second-beach-in-stanley-park/): OXD and ThoughtFarmer staff, family, and even pups got together at Second Beach in Stanley Park for our 2024 annual summer picnic. - [UBC Extended Learning redesign bridges the gap between education and life](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/07/10/ubc-extended-learning-redesign-bridges-the-gap-between-education-and-life/): Our redesign of the UBC Extended Learning site addresses critical pain points, transforming it into a dynamic, functional resource for users. - [Three things we loved from DesignThinkers 2024](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/06/04/three-things-we-loved-from-designthinkers-2024/): Discover the speakers and topics (AI, typography, storytelling) that captivated us at the 2024 DesignThinkers conference in Vancouver. - [Modernizing the DriveBC website to deliver a better experience for drivers](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/05/28/modernizing-the-drivebc-website-to-deliver-a-better-experience-for-drivers/): OXD helped modernize the DriveBC.ca site, bringing user-centred design, Agile development, and a future-focused roadmap to the project. - [OXD and ThoughtFarmer celebrate another year of achievements at the 2024 company party](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/05/17/oxd-and-thoughtfarmer-celebrate-another-year-of-achievements-at-the-2024-company-party/): Staff from OXD and ThoughtFarmer came together for an unforgettable evening of celebration at the annual Spring Party. - [Courthouse Libraries BC partners with OXD to continue improving access to justice](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/05/10/courthouse-libraries-bc-partners-with-oxd-to-continue-improving-access-to-justice/): Implementing digital trust into the CLBC website increases security and convenience for lawyers and Courthouse Libraries BC. - [Creative Director Wil Arndt presents at DesignThinkers 2024 conference in Vancouver](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/05/07/creative-director-wil-arndt-presents-at-designthinkers-2024-conference-in-vancouver/): We’re honoured to be among the many speakers, practitioners, and thinkers participating in the DesignThinkers 2024 Conference in Vancouver. - [Gordon Ross to join panel at Exchange Lab’s Agile Open House](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/04/30/gordon-ross-to-join-panel-at-exchange-labs-agile-open-house/): On Thursday, May 2, public-sector employees from around BC can network and discuss topics around Agile ways of working in government. - [OXD named one of Canada's Best Workplaces in 2024](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/04/24/oxd-named-one-of-canadas-best-workplaces-in-2024/): Best Workplaces in Canada™ was awarded to OXD for 2024! We’re grateful to our staff and leadership for fostering an amazing work environment. - [25 years strong! We’ve laced up once again for the Vancouver Sun Run.](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/04/21/25-years-strong-weve-laced-up-once-again-for-the-vancouver-sun-run/): Can you believe it? Sunday, April 21, 2024 marked the 25th time OXD and ThoughtFarmer have taken on the 10-kilometre Sun Run challenge. - [Grab your free Technical Assessment Checklist from OXD](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/04/08/grab-your-free-technical-assessment-checklist-from-oxd/): What is a Technical Assessment checklist and why do you need it? Get the same checklist we use at OXD to shape better technology solutions. - [Wil Arndt condensed a year of design school into 15 minutes—here’s what happened…](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/04/04/wil-arndt-condensed-a-year-of-design-school-into-15-minutes-heres-what-happened/): OXD’s Creative Director, Wil Arndt, offered practical strategies to revitalize your internal comms in a webinar hosted by ThoughtFarmer. - [Deborah MacKenzie a panelist for GBA+ in settlement sector webinar](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/03/23/deborah-mackenzie-is-panelist-for-gba-in-settlement-sector-webinar/): Deb MacKenzie, Sr. UX Designer at OXD, was a panelist at the Toronto Local Immigration Partnerships’s (InterLIP) webinar series on GBA+. - [OXD helps Ministry of Environment and Parks team build an approach for better visitor use data insights](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/03/15/oxd-helps-ministry-of-environment-and-parks-team-build-an-approach-for-better-visitor-use-data-insights/): Better data means better recreation and reconciliation outcomes for Parks’ Recreation Sites and Trails, BC Parks, and all who enjoy these lands. - [Deb Mackenzie presents Service Design 101 at Vancouver Service Jam](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/03/06/deb-mackenzie-presents-service-design-101-at-vancouver-service-jam/): Our own Deborah MacKenzie, Senior User Experience and Service Designer, gave a Service Design 101 presentation at Vancouver Service Jam 2024. - [OXD sponsors 2024 Vancouver Service Jam](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/02/23/oxd-sponsors-2024-vancouver-service-jam/): OXD is pleased to sponsor the Vancouver Service Jam March 1-3, part of the 2024 Global Jam event. Read our post to learn more. - [A guide to celebrating Lunar New Year 2024 in Vancouver](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/02/05/a-guide-to-celebrating-lunar-new-year-2024-in-vancouver/): Celebrate Lunar New Year 2024 in Vancouver with OXD's curated list of events, fundraisers, and personal traditions from our staff. - [Agile coaching for brand and marketing: UBC partners with OXD to help their teams unlock new ways of working.](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/01/29/agile-coaching-for-brand-and-marketing-ubc-partners-with-oxd-to-help-their-teams-unlock-new-ways-of-working/): Our coaching engagement equipped the UBC brand and marketing team with the expertise to build an innovative design system. - [Jim Peers a panelist for Testing Trends 2024](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/01/24/jim-peers-a-panelist-for-testing-trends-2024/): OXD's QA Manager, Jim Peers, was a panelist for “Testing Trends 2024”, an event hosted by the yvrTesting Meetup community. - [How collaboration with OXD is transforming BCParks.ca](https://oxd.com/blog/2024/01/19/how-collaboration-with-oxd-is-transforming-bcparks-ca/): The Digital Gov BC blog recently featured OXD's research-guided design enhancement work on the BCParks.ca website. - [FortisBC.com gets a comprehensive accessibility review ](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/12/10/fortisbc-com-gets-a-comprehensive-accessibility-review/): OXD performed a comprehensive accessibility review on FortisBC.com, providing them recommendations for improvements and potential fixes. - [OXD recognized as Great Place to Work® in Canada](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/11/13/oxd-recognized-as-great-place-to-work/): We're thrilled to be certified as a Great Place To Work® in Canada. Check out our people—they're what makes us great! - [OXD hosts GBA+ workshop for BC Gov Design Community meetup](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/11/10/oxd-hosts-gba-workshop-for-bc-gov-design-community-meetup/): OXD’s service designers are excited to facilitate a GBA+ workshop at the November 30th BC Gov Design Community meetup. - [OXD gives Vancouver design students an exclusive studio tour](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/10/20/oxd-gives-vancouver-design-students-an-exclusive-studio-tour/): OXD welcomed 20 students into our creative space, situated in the heart of Gastown, as part of the DesCan 2023 Launch! Student Conference. - [OXD hosts website navigation webinar](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/09/13/oxd-hosts-website-navigation-webinar/): Register now to learn about the best practices we use to design website navigation systems in our free webinar. - [Annual summer picnic at Stanley Park](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/08/26/annual-summer-picnic-at-stanley-park/): OXD and ThoughtFarmer staff, family, and even pups got together at Stanley Park for our 2023 annual summer picnic. - [Gastown Grand Prix 2023 party at OXD](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/07/14/gastown-grand-prix-2023-party-at-oxd/): This year marked our annual Gastown Grand Prix party for 2023. We shared the experience of great food, drinks, and music. - [OXD hosts webinar on why QA matters](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/05/23/oxd-hosts-webinar-on-why-qa-matters/): Learn the fundamentals of creating and managing design systems during our webinar on Thursday, November 24th at 9 a.m. PST / 12 p.m. EST. - [OXD and ThoughtFarmer unite for a night of celebration at our annual company party](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/05/23/oxd-and-thoughtfarmer-unite-for-a-night-of-celebration-at-our-annual-company-party/): Laughter, great food, and even dancing neon lights filled the room where staff from across the country gathered to party the night away. - [OXD joins expert panel for Goldman School of Public Policy webinar series](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/05/09/oxd-joins-expert-panel-for-goldman-school-of-public-policy-webinar-series/): On May 7th, we joined a discussion on the implementation of Agile methodologies in government to enhance inclusion and innovation. - [We’re participating in the Vancouver Sun Run… again!](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/04/12/were-participating-in-the-vancouver-sun-run-again/): The Vancouver Sun Run is one of OXD’s longest-standing employee events—we’ve been running it since 1999! Will we see you there? - [BC Parks wins Best Public Sector Experience at VanUX Awards](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/04/05/bc-parks-wins-best-public-sector-experience-at-vanux-awards/): OXD is honoured to be part of the extended digital service transformation team at BC Parks, providing strategic direction, UX, read more... - [Research support from OXD bolsters BC’s Climate Action Plan](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/03/31/research-support-from-oxd-bolsters-bcs-climate-action-plan/): Discovery research and a service design approach ensured the strategy we developed for BC's Climate Action Plan was rooted in user needs. - [Gordon Ross Jury Chair for VanUX Awards 2023](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/03/14/gordon-ross-a-juror-for-vanux-awards-2023/): OXD VP Gordon Ross will be the Jury Chair, convening the judging of the eight award categories, for 9th Annual VanUX 2023 Awards. - [Building team unity with a fun night out for OXD and ThoughtFarmer staff](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/02/27/building-team-unity-with-a-fun-night-out-for-oxd-and-thoughtfarmer-staff/): OXD and ThoughtFarmer staff explored the beginner basics of printmaking at Luminous Elephant in Vancouver. - [Enhancing outdoor adventures: BC Parks and OXD relaunch BCParks.ca](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/02/10/enhancing-outdoor-adventures-bc-parks-and-oxd-relaunch-bcparks-ca/): The revamped BCParks.ca website is now live thanks to the collaborative, user-centred effort between BC Parks and OXD.  - [Gordon Ross invited to speak at Ministry of Attorney General Legal Services Branch](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/01/26/gordon-ross-invited-to-speak-at-ministry-of-attorney-general-legal-services-branch/): Legal Services Branch of Ministry of Attorney General asks Gordon Ross to present an intro to using human-centred design methods in justice. - [Gordon Ross presents to University of Victoria law students on designing for justice](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/01/17/gordon-ross-presents-to-university-of-victoria-law-students-on-designing-for-justice-3/): Gordon Ross shares our experiences in designing for justice with projects like the BC Online Divorce Assistant​ to UVic law students. - [Celebrating Lunar New Year in Vancouver 2023](https://oxd.com/blog/2023/01/13/celebrating-lunar-new-year-in-vancouver-2023/): Ways to celebrate Lunar New Year in Vancouver by enjoying local festivities, learning about traditions, and eating our way into 2023. - [Now you can use the same checklist we do to make sure web applications are secure](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/12/18/now-you-can-use-the-same-checklist-we-do-to-make-sure-web-applications-are-secure/): Download our free checklist and get access to the same tools OXD uses to secure website applications for our clients. - [OXD hosts webinar on design systems](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/11/15/oxd-hosts-webinar-on-design-systems/): Learn the fundamentals of creating and managing design systems during our webinar on Thursday, November 24th at 9 a.m. PST / 12 p.m. EST. - [British Columbia’s vaccine submission tool becomes more robust](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/11/08/british-columbias-vaccine-submission-tool-becomes-more-robust/): The vaccine submission tool means an expanded digital service that further improves health services for British Columbians. - [Gordon Ross on Insights Panel at Civic Design 2022](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/11/04/gordon-ross-joins-insights-panel-at-civic-design-2022/): Join Gordon Ross and other panelists at Civic Design 2022 as they reflect on insights emerging from the themes of the three-day conference.  - [Wil Arndt presents at the 2022 Seattle Interactive conference](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/10/20/wil-arndt-presents-at-the-2022-seattle-interactive-conference/): Creative Director Wil Arndt, explores the concept of branding in the age of UX at the 2022 Seattle Interactive conference. - [BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food improves weather monitoring tools for farmers](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/10/13/bc-ministry-of-agriculture-and-food-improves-weather-monitoring-tools-for-farmers/): OXD worked with the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food to improve digital weather monitoring services for BC farmers. - [OXD hosts mapping webinar](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/09/28/oxd-hosts-mapping-webinar/): Deb MacKenzie, Senior UX Designer/Service Designer at OXD presents "Solving complex problems with mapping" webinar. - [Wil Arndt hosts intranet redesign webinar for IntraTeam](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/09/25/wil-arndt-hosts-intranet-redesign-webinar-for-intrateam/): OXD Creative Director Wil Arndt to deliver webinar on intranet redesign as part of the IntraTeam networking group membership. Register now. - [OXD collaborates with OPEN Technologies to enable the construction of more affordable housing across Canada](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/09/22/oxd-collaborates-with-open-technologies-to-enable-the-construction-of-more-affordable-housing-across-canada/): The Affordable Housing Navigator streamlines energy modeling, decision-making, and funding for non-profit affordable housing developers. - [Honouring Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2022](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/09/13/honouring-canadas-national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation-2022/): We've put together resources on how our staff and community can honour Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2022. - [Get peace of mind with these cloud migration strategies from OXD](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/08/26/get-peace-of-mind-with-these-cloud-migration-strategies-from-oxd/): Get access to OXD's free Cloud Migration Checklist that shares guidelines to use as a foundation for planning a cloud migration. - [OXD shares website planning process in downloadable guide](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/07/13/oxd-shares-website-planning-process-in-downloadable-guide/): Learn the steps we use in planning and executing a successful website project with our clients. Download our free website planning guide. - [Our “aha!” moments from the DesignThinkers 2022 conference](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/06/13/our-aha-moments-from-the-designthinkers-2022-conference/): Caitlin, James, Lisa, and Wil Arndt share what made us go “aha!”, “hmm”, or “yes!” from the lineup of amazing presenters at DesignThinkers. - [OXD Creative Director Wil Arndt a judge for GDC/BC’s Salazar Awards](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/05/27/oxd-creative-director-wil-arndt-a-judge-for-gdc-bcs-salazar-award/): OXD Creative Director Wil Arndt helps choose winner for The Salazar Award, presented by Graphic Designers of Canada’s (GDC). - [We’re celebrating Asian Heritage Month 2022 in Vancouver!](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/05/13/asian-heritage-month-2022/): Read the story of S.U.C.C.E.S.S., find ways to celebrate Asian Heritage Month 2022, and check out our staff's favourite Asian foods. - [OXD staff donate their time and skills for Design Day for GOOD](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/05/11/design-day-for-good-gets-support-from-oxd-staff/): Volunteers from OXD support Okanagan-based non-profits with new and revamped design and marketing materials. - [Talking Energy website gets a redesign](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/05/10/talking-energy-website-gets-a-redesign/): We’re happy to support the redesign and launch of FortisBC's Talking Energy website. Learn more about the project. - [OXD creatives attend DesignThinkers VAN 2022 conference](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/05/09/oxd-attends-design-thinkers-van-2022-conference/): OXD creative professionals are ready to Defy. The expected. at RGD's DesignThinkers VAN 2022 conference. Join us! - [OXD User Experience Designers share their thoughts on top UX trends of the year (so far)](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/05/02/oxd-user-experience-designers-share-their-thoughts-on-top-ux-trends-of-the-year-so-far/): Jane, Lilian, Sarah, and Astrid talk UX trends of the year: inclusive design, collaboration tools, and the metaverse. - [Make a date with Mother Nature for Earth Day 2022](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/04/14/earth-day-2022/): Here’s how you can participate in Earth Day 2022 in and around Vancouver. We've included in-person and virtual events. - [How we've used our intranet to improve diversity and inclusion over the past two years](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/03/24/how-weve-used-our-intranet-to-improve-diversity-and-inclusion-over-the-past-two-years/): OXD shares tips on how we use our intranet to support our workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals. - [Lotteries Yukon launches their redesigned website](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/02/22/lotteries-yukon-launches-their-redesigned-website/): OXD builds Lotteries Yukon website on a robust, scalable CMS—ensuring the information was now easy to manage, find, and navigate. - [Jacqueline Antalik and Winnie Ho to deliver keynote at Royal Roads Design Thinking Conference](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/02/08/oxd-service-designers-deliver-keynote-at-royal-roads-design-thinking-conference/): Jacqueline Antalik and Winnie Ho will facilitate a workshop on Frame Innovation at the Royal Roads Design Thinking Conference. - [Celebrating Lunar New Year with our local Vancouver community](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/01/25/lunar-new-year-2022/): To help celebrate the Lunar New Year in Vancouver, we’ve put together a few ways to enjoy local festivities, learn about traditions, and eat! - [OXD Designers share their thoughts on 2022 Design Trends](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/01/14/oxd-designers-share-their-thoughts-on-2022-design-trends/): 2022 design trends are one of the conversations our talented Designers on our Creative team are talking about. Find out what they had to say! - [Gordon Ross presents to University of Victoria law students on designing for justice](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/01/11/gordon-ross-presents-to-university-of-victoria-law-students-on-designing-for-justice-2/): Gordon Ross shares our experiences in designing for justice with projects like the BC Online Divorce Assistant​ to UVic law students. - [OXD shares how we guide our clients through content migration in downloadable guide](https://oxd.com/blog/2022/01/05/oxd-shares-how-we-guide-our-clients-through-content-migration-in-downloadable-guide/): Download our guide and learn the steps OXD uses to ensure clients have a successful content migration in their new website project. - [OXD helps emerging designers at GDC/BC Launch 2021](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/12/16/oxd-helps-emerging-designers-at-gdcbc-launch-2021/): Students got a virtual sneak peek into OXD's design team, how we collaborate, and tips for successful job applications at GDC/BC Launch 2021. - [Gordon Ross to present on COVID-19 response in government at Civic Design 2021](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/11/10/gordon-ross-to-present-on-covid-19-response-in-government-at-civic-design-2021/): Join Gordon Ross as he reflects on his time spent with the BC Government digital delivery network, working on the COVID-19 response. - [OXD’s UX team to host workshop at Magnify Conference](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/10/06/oxds-ux-team-to-host-workshop-at-magnify-conference/): We're hosting a workshop, “Exploring the past and potential futures of inclusive design” at the virtual Magnify 2021 Conference. - [OXD observes the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/09/22/national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation/): National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Sep 30, is now a statutory holiday at OXD. We've included helpful resources to learn more. - [BC government launches divorce e-filing](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/08/05/bc-government-launches-divorce-e-filing/): The new BC divorce e-filing service improves accessibility and efficiency for citizens to file, while reducing processing time. - [Collaborative design research results in a better experience for FortisBC customers](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/08/03/collaborative-design-research-results-in-a-better-experience-for-fortisbc-customers/): Using design research, FortisBC commercial customers now get access to more tools that help them find equipment suppliers rebates. - [New community engagement tools coming for FortisBC energy projects](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/07/31/new-community-engagement-tools-coming-for-fortisbc-energy-projects/): OXD has been working with FortisBC to investigate, design, and develop new public engagement tools for their existing Talking Energy website. - [How is the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic affecting digital directions for governments across the globe?](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/07/16/how-is-the-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-affecting-digital-directions-for-governments/): Gordon Ross explored the direction of Digital Transformation in different regions across the globe in the government sector at the WebSci'21. - [Gordon Ross delves into the future of the energized workforce with PPEARL](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/07/01/gordon-ross-delves-into-the-future-of-the-energized-workforce-ppearl-webinar/): Gordon Ross shares insights on re-humanizing the workforce with the 2021 PPEARL Re-Now webinar series. Listen to a recording of the webinar. - [National Indigenous History Month: understanding our role in reconciliation](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/06/09/reconciliation-what-is-it-and-why-does-it-matter/): We're learning about reconciliation for National Indigenous History Month and how it's affecting Indigenous peoples across Canada. - [Legal Aid BC partners with OXD to improve access to justice for family law applicants](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/05/17/legal-aid-bc-partners-with-oxd-to-improve-access-to-justice-for-family-law-applicants/): We’re proud to have helped LABC reimagine their service model and client portal to ensure equal access to justice for family law applicants. - [Ways you can recognize Asian Heritage Month in Vancouver](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/05/14/ways-you-can-recognize-asian-heritage-month-in-vancouver/): In honour of Asian Heritage Month, we invite you to learn more about the history of Asian Canadians and celebrate their contributions. - [25 years later, we're still shaping design by putting humans at the centre of it](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/03/24/celebrating-25-years-of-human-centred-design/): Celebrating 25 years of human-centred design. Thank you to our staff, clients, friends and family who've supported us. Here’s to the future! - [Innovating Metropolitan Transportation Commission's transit fare policies during a global crisis](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/03/10/oxd-brings-qualitative-research-methods-to-san-francisco-municipal-transportation-authoritys-transit-modernization-project/): OXD was contracted to apply design and qualitative research methods—uncovering key business insights about the Bay Area’s public transit fare policies. - [OXD pays tribute to women who have inspired our design culture](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/03/05/oxd-pays-tribute-to-women-in-design/): We're commemorating International Women’s Day 2021 and Women’s History month, by paying tribute to women in design who've helped shape design. - [OXD honours Black History Month with tribute to Hogan’s Alley](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/02/09/oxd-honours-black-history-month-with-tribute-to-hogans-alley/): In honour of Black History Month, and in continuation of our DEI work initiatives, we’d like to acknowledge Vancouver's Hogan’s Alley Society. - [Gordon Ross explores digital transformation in government after a pandemic year](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/01/28/gordon-ross-explores-digital-transformation-in-government-after-a-pandemic-year/): VP and Partner, Gord Ross, explores what digital transformation means through interviews with Canadian public service digital practitioners. - [Gordon Ross presents to University of Victoria law students on designing for justice](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/01/18/gordon-ross-presents-to-university-of-victoria-law-students-on-designing-for-justice/): Gordon Ross shares our experiences in designing for justice with projects like the BC Online Divorce Assistant​ to UVic law students. - [Jacqueline Antalik to discuss using Agile for Good at Boston University’s 2021 Agile Conference](https://oxd.com/blog/2021/01/06/jacqueline-antalik-to-discuss-using-agile-for-good-at-boston-universitys-2021-agile-conference/): OXD is using an Agile approach to design for good—lessons learned and how we plan to go forward at the BU Innovation Lab Agile Conference. - [Canadian Digital Service launches COVID Alert contact tracing app](https://oxd.com/blog/2020/07/27/canadian-digital-services-launches-covid-alert-contact-tracing-app/): OXD, in part with a larger tester team, is helping the government with robust and timely quality assurance services for the COVID-Alert app. - [Gordon Ross to speak at Service Design Canada’s Virtual Dialogue event](https://oxd.com/blog/2020/05/22/gordon-ross-to-speak-at-service-design-canadas-virtual-dialogue-event/): Join Gordon Ross, Marika Escaravarge, and invited guests on for a conversation about resilience through design at Service Design Canada. - [Alberta’s child care certification process gets digitized](https://oxd.com/blog/2020/03/20/albertas-child-care-certification-process-gets-digitized/): OXD helped digitize the Early Childhood Educator Certification app for the Alberta government, continuing digital modernization efforts. - [Wil Arndt to deliver keynote at Graphic Designers of Canada AGM](https://oxd.com/blog/2020/03/06/wil-arndt-to-deliver-keynote-at-graphic-designers-of-canada-agm/): Wil Arndt shares the inside story of how we—after 23 years as OpenRoad Communications—renamed, rebranded, and relaunched our company as OXD. - [An end-to-end modern digital approach to BCI's new client-focused portal](https://oxd.com/blog/2020/03/05/an-end-to-end-modern-digital-approach-to-bcis-client-focused-portal/): BCI and OXD developed a new, modern client portal. The client-focused portal provides BCI clients with a more efficient and interactive experience. - [UBC launches a redesigned Campus and Community Planning website](https://oxd.com/blog/2020/02/12/ubc-launches-a-redesigned-campus-and-community-planning-website/): The University of British Columbia works with OXD to launch a redesigned Campus and Community Planning website that's easier to navigate. - [OXD partners with the Alberta Digital Innovation Office](https://oxd.com/blog/2020/02/04/oxd-partners-with-the-alberta-digital-innovation-office/): The Alberta Government’s Digital Innovation Office (DIO) worked with OXD to launch the Online Child Care Subsidy Application. --- ## People - [Leon Hui](https://oxd.com/about/people/leon-hui/): As a Sr. Service and UX Designer, Leon Hui plays a key role in identifying systemic elements of services to understand and meet users' needs. - [Mandy Leung](https://oxd.com/about/people/mandy-leung/): As a Service Designer, Mandy leads the creation of seamless, end-to-end journeys for complex services across digital and offline channels. - [Ray Wang](https://oxd.com/about/people/ray-wang/): Ray is a Sr Software Developer at OXD. He helps helps the software development team navigate technical decisions to craft custom solutions. - [Jason Stewart](https://oxd.com/about/people/about-people-jason-stewart/): Jason is a Senior QA Engineer at OXD. He helps ensure the software we create meets the needs of our customers and is pleasant to use. - [Amanda Chan](https://oxd.com/about/people/amanda-chan/): An Intermediate UX Designer, Amanda uses a human-centred approach to create fluid experiences that have a positive impact on people. - [Duncan MacKenzie](https://oxd.com/about/people/duncan-mackenzie/): As a Senior Software Developer at OXD, Duncan uses best practices in development, UX, and budgeting to set the project team up for success. - [Diego Ramirez](https://oxd.com/about/people/diego-ramirez/): As a Software Developer at OXD, Diego aims to understand our clients’ needs while solving problems with high-quality software solutions. - [Astrid Simões Tremper](https://oxd.com/about/people/astrid-simoes-tremper/): As a Senior User Experience and Service Designer, Astrid helps uncover and resolve complex problems for clients through design for users. - [Adrianne Tung](https://oxd.com/about/people/adrianne-tung/): Adrianne collaborates with developers, designers, and project managers to understand project requirements throughout the lifecycle. - [Ayumi Tanaka](https://oxd.com/about/people/ayumi-tanaka/): As a Software Developer at OXD, Ayumi uses modern frontend technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, UI) to make design innovation a reality. - [James Byun](https://oxd.com/about/people/james-byun/): James works with the OXD design team to create meaningful design solutions in a variety of media including websites and web applications. - [Meghan Yorston](https://oxd.com/about/people/meghan-yorston/): As Office Administrator, Meghan is one of the first friendly people that employees, clients, and contractors talk to at OXD. - [Jane Mountain](https://oxd.com/about/people/jane-mountain/): As a Senior User Experience Designer at OXD, Jane helps take complex tasks and ideas and translates them into clear, precise designs. - [Lisa Farmer](https://oxd.com/about/people/lisa-farmer/): As Marketing Manager, Lisa crafts honest content to tell the story of the important work we do, and how we solve challenges for our clients. - [Dylan Rogowsky](https://oxd.com/about/people/dylan-rogowsky/): Dylan collaborates with cross-functional teams to design and develop new features and releases, while translating technical requirements into elegant, scalable solutions. - [Carmen Chau](https://oxd.com/about/people/carmen-chau/): As a Senior Project Manager, Carmen helps lead a diverse team of multidisciplinary experts towards a common goal. - [Manuji Samara](https://oxd.com/about/people/manuji-samara/): As a QA Engineer at OXD, Manuji takes ownership of product quality and works closely with our Development team. - [Dominik Szopa](https://oxd.com/about/people/dominik-szopa/): As a Project Manager, Dominik is responsible for keeping projects on time and within budget, while keeping clients engaged and informed. - [Deborah MacKenzie](https://oxd.com/about/people/deborah-mackenzie/): As a Senior User Experience Designer at OXD, Deborah champions the interests of the end-user. Her primary goal is to make complex tasks easy. - [Chanel Lethbridge](https://oxd.com/about/people/chanel-lethbridge/): As an Accountant Chanel plays an important role in managing our business operations and financial record-keeping. - [Charles Shin](https://oxd.com/about/people/charles-shin/): As a SoftwareDeveloper at OXD, he contributes to developing large scale websites and helps solve complex development problems. - [Winnie Ho](https://oxd.com/about/people/winnie-ho/): As a Senior User Experience Designer, Winnie is responsible for improving the usability, utility, and enjoyment of interactions for users. - [Wil Arndt, CGD](https://oxd.com/about/people/wil-arndt/): As Creative Director, Wil works to ensure that projects meet the highest standards of design and communications excellence. - [Susan Gibbons, CPA, CGA](https://oxd.com/about/people/susan-gibbons/): As Controller, Susan keeps OXD's financial house in order. Susan began her accounting career through the SFU Co-op program. - [Steve Ly](https://oxd.com/about/people/steve-ly/): As Director of Software Development, Steve leads talented developers to solve complex problems using simple technological solutions. - [Sara Redpath](https://oxd.com/about/people/sara-redpath/): As Client Engagement Manager, Sara works with current and potential clients, managing new business, and supporting our project teams. - [Min Ji Choi](https://oxd.com/about/people/min-ji-choi/): As a Front-End Developer, Min builds visual interfaces for site and app projects, acting as a bridge between our Designers and Programmers. - [Michael Olund](https://oxd.com/about/people/michael-olund/): Michael is a Software Development Manager who specializes in business systems integration and database development. - [Lawrence Chan](https://oxd.com/about/people/lawrence-chan/): As Senior System Administrator, Lawrence manages all the computers, servers, networking, firewalls, backups, and software at OXD. - [Kallie Ashenden](https://oxd.com/about/people/kallie-ashenden/): As Design Director at OXD, Kallie is driven by a desire to create honest, intelligent and elegantly crafted works. - [Kaitie Bakker](https://oxd.com/about/people/kaitie-bakker/): As a Designer at OXD, Kaitie creates elegant, functional touchpoints along the user journey, bringing a keen eye for detail to her work. - [Justin Johnson](https://oxd.com/about/people/justin-johnson/): As Principal Software Developer at OXD, Justin spends much of his time writing code within the context of long-term projects. - [Julie Robinson, CPHR](https://oxd.com/about/people/julie-robinson/): As People Operations Manager at OXD, Julie plays a critical role creating a seamless experience across the employee life cycle. - [Joey Bevacqua](https://oxd.com/about/people/joey-bevacqua/): As Director of Project Services, Joey is at the helm of strategic initiatives for clients, managing end-to-end, multi-discipline projects. - [Jacqueline Antalik](https://oxd.com/about/people/jacqueline-antalik/): As Director of User Experience, Jacqueline leads our UX and Service Design teams. She is passionate about meaningful user experiences. - [Gordon Ross](https://oxd.com/about/people/gordon-ross/): As VP and Partner of OXD, Gordon has been leading the design and delivery of high-impact websites, web apps, and intranets since 1996. - [Foley Lynn](https://oxd.com/about/people/foley-lynn/): As a Software Development Manager, Foley sits at the intersection of design, strategy, and development, choosing the best tech for clients. - [Dave Kachman](https://oxd.com/about/people/dave-kachman/): As a Senior User Experience Designer at OXD, Dave is responsible for creating user experiences that are intuitive and easy to use. - [Darren Gibbons](https://oxd.com/about/people/darren-gibbons/): Darren Gibbons has led OXD since co-founding the company in 1996. He brings a unique blend of strategic thinking, tech, and people skills. --- ## Job Postings - [Project Manager](https://oxd.com/careers/project-manager/): We're hiring a FT Project Manager who is proactive and brings a strong mix of traditional PM and Agile delivery skills to lead multidisciplinary teams. --- ## Insights - [Low-risk strategies for modernizing legacy systems](https://oxd.com/insights/low-risk-strategies-for-modernizing-legacy-systems/): Learn how modernizing legacy systems in government is possible—without disrupting essential public services. - [Beyond components: How design principles transform design systems](https://oxd.com/insights/beyond-components-how-design-principles-transform-design-systems/): Learn how design principles transform design systems from component collections into strategic assets driving successful digital transformation. - [Performance engineering: The secret to faster, more reliable applications](https://oxd.com/insights/performance-engineering-the-secret-to-faster-more-reliable-applications/): Slow applications frustrate users and cost businesses millions in lost revenue. The solution? Shift left—a performance engineering concept. - [Exploring the relationship between service evaluation and admin burden](https://oxd.com/insights/exploring-the-relationship-between-service-evaluation-and-admin-burden/): Our article explores how evaluating services and addressing admin burden in gov can improve service delivery for citizens. - [When court processes are stuck in the past, justice suffers.](https://oxd.com/insights/when-court-processes-are-stuck-in-the-past-justice-suffers/): We help courts transition from paper-based processes to modern digital solutions, improving admin while maintaining operational continuity. - [Innovative AI solutions for government that transform citizen services](https://oxd.com/insights/how-ai-can-transform-modern-government-services/): As experienced consultants, we believe the future includes using AI to modernize government services to be more efficient and accessible. - [Canadian governments are overdue on reducing the administrative burden of their services](https://oxd.com/insights/canadian-governments-are-overdue-on-reducing-the-administrative-burden-of-their-services/): How do we address the administrative burden in government that is leading to ineffective programs and policy that don’t deliver? Learn more. - [Is digital government just government? A nuanced debate at FWD50](https://oxd.com/insights/is-digital-government-just-government-a-nuanced-debate-at-fwd50/): Gordon Ross suggests that the answer lies not in choosing sides, but in better understanding the evolution of government capabilities. - [Establishing digital trust with verifiable credentials](https://oxd.com/insights/establishing-digital-trust-with-verifiable-credentials/): Learn how we can help your organization or government implement verifiable credentials and take a step toward a more secure digital future. - [Five impressions from an unexpected healthcare service journey](https://oxd.com/insights/five-impressions-from-an-unexpected-healthcare-service-journey/): Gord Ross, OXD VP and Partner, was forced to reconsider how a service designed equates to a service experienced. Read his impressions on the collision of time, infrastructure, and identity across an unexpected summer healthcare journey. - [Will AI replace software developers? Why the Answer is “No”.](https://oxd.com/insights/will-ai-replace-software-developers-why-the-answer-is-no/): Our Director of Software Development, Steve Ly answers the question: "Will AI replace software developers" ... find out the answer. - [Embracing the vertigo of service design](https://oxd.com/insights/embracing-the-vertigo-of-service-design/): Gordon Ross shares insights around the profound impact of viewing service design from a broader perspective. - [Top six reasons governments should implement Zero Trust principles](https://oxd.com/insights/top-six-reasons-governments-should-implement-zero-trust-principles/): Discover how adopting Zero Trust principles can bolster cybersecurity and better protect sensitive data from modern threats. - [United on the field: Government teams and vendors in action](https://oxd.com/insights/united-on-the-field-government-teams-and-vendors-in-action/): Gordon Ross discusses how blended digital teams can transcend traditional roles to achieve success in public sector projects. - [Public cloud hosting vs. private for modern government web applications](https://oxd.com/insights/public-cloud-hosting-vs-private-for-modern-government-web-applications/): Public cloud hosting or private for government applications? Our analysis breaks down the benefits and challenges between them. - [Exploring the role of value in government product management](https://oxd.com/insights/exploring-the-role-of-value-in-government-product-management/): Government should focus on fostering value-creating behaviours in product managers if they want to get the most from the role. - [Pre-Discovery and the challenge of the fuzzy front-end of digital transformation](https://oxd.com/insights/pre-discovery-and-the-challenge-of-the-fuzzy-front-end-of-digital-transformation/): I’m going to be blunt: we aren’t big fans of the term "Pre-Discovery” at OXD—and we’re not the only ones. VP/Partner, Gord Ross, explains why. - [AI and access to the justice system: design challenges and considerations](https://oxd.com/insights/ai-and-access-to-the-justice-system-design-challenges-and-considerations/): Gordon Ross of OXD, stresses that AI can’t improve public access to justice system unless the underlying information is addressed first. - [Cross-platform vs. native application development: How to choose?](https://oxd.com/insights/cross-platform-vs-native-application-development-how-to-choose/): For a majority of our clients, using cross-platform technologies is the best approach in supporting all their user’s needs. - [With great decisions comes great responsibility: The work of the Decider](https://oxd.com/insights/with-great-decisions-comes-great-responsibility-the-work-of-the-decider/): Feeling inspired to try DICE, RACI, or other another decison-making process? Before you do, ask: do you have the authority to decide? - [User interface and UX in industrial manufacturing simplify complex systems](https://oxd.com/insights/the-pivotal-role-of-user-interface-and-user-experience-in-industrial-manufacturing/): As industrial manufacturing continues to integrate and modernize digital tools, the role of UI/UX will grow in significance. We can help. - [A day in the life of the QA Engineers at OXD](https://oxd.com/insights/a-day-in-the-life-of-the-qa-engineers-at-oxd/): QA Engineers at OXD help ensure we’re building excellent and sustainable software for our clients, and their users. - [How you can use GBA+ for inclusive analysis in projects](https://oxd.com/insights/using-gba-for-inclusive-analysis-in-projects/): GBA+ (Gender-based Analysis Plus) improves design practices to deliver more inclusivity—improving equality without re-enforcing gender gaps. - [QA testing is worth the cost now to reduce risks later. Here are five reasons why.](https://oxd.com/insights/qa-testing-is-worth-the-cost-now-to-reduce-risks-later-here-are-five-reasons-why/): QA testing helps reduce future risks while delivering high quality, accessible software products to your organization and its users. - [How to plan for a smooth replatforming to Drupal 10](https://oxd.com/insights/how-to-plan-for-a-smooth-replatforming-to-drupal): Replatforming your legacy CMS to Drupal 10? Our software development team shares some tips to help you avoid the common pitfalls. - [Should you compensate research participants?](https://oxd.com/insights/should-you-compensate-research-participants/): Research participant compensation is not only essential, but an ethical requirement for us at OXD. Find out why. - [How to conduct design research with compassion](https://oxd.com/insights/conducting-design-research-with-compassion-part-i/): Learn ways to conduct design research with compassion to support participants dealing with life stressors affecting their cognitive abilities. - [Digital Transformation in Government](https://oxd.com/insights/digital-transformation-in-government/): Get access to our Images of Digital Transformation research, with deep insights into digital transformation in government perspectives. - [Are your website KPIs traceable?](https://oxd.com/insights/are-your-website-kpis-traceable/): It's incredibly important to ensure that your website Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) reflect the larger goals of the organization. Read on - [Three common content migration mistakes, and how to avoid them](https://oxd.com/insights/three-common-content-migration-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them/): Get our free guide with three important recommendations for avoiding common content migration mistakes. Download it now! - [Your website is not your brand](https://oxd.com/insights/websites-are-not-brands/): A website is one of a brands’ most important channels for communicating with customers, but it’s only one aspect of a company’s brand. - [Toddler-first usability testing](https://oxd.com/insights/toddler-first-usability-testing/): Using your toddler for mobile phone usability testing. If you’re developing a mobile app or website, you'll want to read this. - [How to broaden your reach and reduce participant barriers with remote user research](https://oxd.com/insights/how-to-broaden-your-reach-and-reduce-participant-barriers-with-remote-user-research/): Considerations for conducting remote user research in a virtual world. The following tips can help you get started on the right foot. - [An Agile approach to an anti-racist and inclusive workplace](https://oxd.com/insights/an-agile-approach-to-an-anti-racist-and-inclusive-workplace/): At OXD we are committed to improving our anti-racist and inclusive workplace processes and programs—learn how we’re using an Agile approach. - [Digital Transformation as an endurance sport](https://oxd.com/insights/digital-transformation-as-an-endurance-sport/): An OXD Service Designer draws parallels between their work in digital transformation initiatives with government and endurance sport. - [The Indigenization of policies and services in BC: lessons from Te Ao Māori](https://oxd.com/insights/indigenization-of-policies-and-services-in-bc-lessons-from-te-ao-maori/): OXD Service Designer reflects on his work in the public sector and how BC can move towards the systemic Indigenization of policies. - [OpenShift: making Agile development a reality for government projects](https://oxd.com/insights/openshift-making-agile-development-a-reality-for-government-projects/): How and why we used OpenShift— (PaaS)—to help the Ministry of the Attorney General build capacity and improve citizen access to justice. - [Illustration: the overlooked design principle](https://oxd.com/insights/illustration-product-design/): How can illustration help improve the experience of a product and affect the user experience? An OXD Designer explores the question. - [Four easy tests to determine if your website is accessible](https://oxd.com/insights/web-accessibility-four-easy-tests/): Software QA Engineer and OXD’s web accessibility expert Sophie Repussard shares four simple tests to help you evaluate your website’s accessibility. - [Pokémon GO: a great example of safe, ethical children's entertainment.](https://oxd.com/insights/pokemon-go-ethical-childrens-entertainment/): Children's entertainment is where we can affect positive change. OXD reflects on Pokémon GO and how it's redefining ethical video games. - [The benefits of decoupled CMS architectures](https://oxd.com/insights/decoupled-cms/): Decoupled content management system (CMS) architectures can improve content editing, workflows, and content migration. Learn how. - [Design for Policy: Bringing a design thinking approach to TransLink’s Fare Review process](https://oxd.com/insights/design-for-policy-translink/): Learn how we used design for policy methods like fieldwork, design research, workshops, and prototyping to understand customer experiences. - [Navigating the PIA process in the BC provincial government](https://oxd.com/insights/navigating-pia-process-provincial-government/): An OXD Service Designer reflects on their experience working with the BC Government and offers tips to make your PIA process easier. - [Gratitude in the workplace](https://oxd.com/insights/gratitude-employee-engagement/): Can a simple show of gratitude lead to greater happiness and engagement at work? Our Director of User Experience, explores the question. - [Improving collaboration and design outcomes with empathy](https://oxd.com/insights/improving-collaboration-and-design-outcomes-with-empathy/): The recommendations in Designing Together by Dan Brown aren't just applicable to designers, everyone can use them in their interactions. --- ## Our work - [Alberta Courtroom Digital Service](https://oxd.com/work/alberta-cds/): Read about our justice digital modernization efforts transitioning a 100-year old process from paper to a cutting-edge digital solution. - [In a crowded industrial manufacturing market, can a better digital service set your product apart?](https://oxd.com/work/honeywell-versatilis/): OXD's industrial manufacturing digital service boosts Honeywell's market position. Customer-driven features and top-tier UX design create a competitive edge in industrial manufacturing. - [Building Organizational Consensus With an Alignment Phase](https://oxd.com/work/from-insight-to-impact-the-significance-of-alignment-in-revitalizing-the-digital-experience/): Learn how OXD used alignment and exploration methods to help the College of New Caledonia redesign the right website for their users. - [Enhancing Data Quality and Utilization: A Data Collection Strategy for Community Organizations](https://oxd.com/work/enhancing-data-quality-and-utilization-a-data-collection-strategy-for-community-organizations/): We worked with a provincial organization to research an effective data management system to support their data collection strategy. - [Shaping the Future of Digital Health for Government: Lessons, Learnings, and a Leap Forward](https://oxd.com/work/crafting-the-future-of-digital-health-for-government-lessons-learnings-and-a-leap-forward/): OXD worked with a government health organization to produce outcomes that will improve digital health services for patients. - [Improving Access to Community Funding by Putting the User First](https://oxd.com/work/improving-access-to-community-funding-by-putting-the-user-first/): Lotteries Yukon government website gets a redesign on a robust, scalable, best-in-class content management system. - [Solving COVID-19 Immunization Complexities With Service Mapping](https://oxd.com/work/service-mapping-solves-complex-healthcare-needs-for-people-in-bc/): Service mapping methods by OXD helped the Provincial Health Services Authority deliver COVID-19 vaccinations throughout the province. - [Overhauling a Mission-Critical System on the Fly](https://oxd.com/work/how-kernaghan-adjusters-modernized-their-tech-stack/): Our goal for KEA was to deliver a modern tech stack and user-centric system that increased functionality and maintained company productivity. - [Technology Improvements Lead to Better Health Management of Vaccine Records](https://oxd.com/work/improved-vaccine-submission-technology-helps-british-columbians-with-their-health-management/): OXD worked with PHSA to improve management of health records for people and health care workers in BC by upgrading their technology. - [A Complicated Expert System, Redesigned to Work Faster](https://oxd.com/work/prototype-design-to-improve-a-complicated-expert-system/): We partnered with the BC Ministry of Education PEN Registry team to design a high-fidelity prototype, improving digital processes for users. - [Alberta Child Care Subsidy Modernization](https://oxd.com/work/modernization-of-government-of-alberta-child-care-digital-service/): Using Service Design and Agile development, we helped the Government of AB modernize access to critical citizen services for Albertans. - [FortisBC Website Redesign](https://oxd.com/work/fortisbc-website-redesign/): FortisBC worked with Vancouver-based OXD to improve customer service with a customer-centric website redesign that reflected their brand. - [Co-Design During a Crisis: Ensuring Food Security and the Health of Farm Workers](https://oxd.com/work/co-design-during-a-crisis-ensuring-food-security-and-the-health-of-farm-workers/): Using novel co-design methods, OXD helped protect lives and prevent a food shortage crisis at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. - [Legal Aid BC Digital Transformation Portfolio](https://oxd.com/work/legal-aid-bc-digital-transformation-portfolio/): How Legal Aid BC partnered with OXD to improve their digital transformation strategy and expand access to justice for British Columbians. - [OXD Brand Strategy and Identity](https://oxd.com/work/oxd-brand-strategy-and-identity/): The story of our rebrand from OpenRoad to OXD. Using rational, user-centred design to remove risk and uncertainty from an emotional process. - [​Emily Carr University of Art + Design Website Redesign](https://oxd.com/work/emily-carr-university-website-redesign/): How OXD helped Emily Carr University of Art + Design improve their global reputation by prioritizing the student experience. - [​UBC Digital Agency of Record](https://oxd.com/work/ubc-digital-agency-of-record/): Since 2016, OXD has been the Digital Agency of Record for UBC Brand & Marketing, offering guidance and strategic website design services. - [Online Divorce Assistant Application](https://oxd.com/work/bc-government-online-divorce-assistant-application/): Fair and equitable access to justice through Agile development and citizen-centered design with the Online Divorce Assistant Application. - [​Emily Carr University of Art + Design Digital Audit](https://oxd.com/work/emily-carr-university-of-art-design-digital-audit/): Illuminating the unknown: Mapping a forward-thinking, early-adopting University's vast digital presence through a digital audit. - [​TELUS Home Solutions Onboarding](https://oxd.com/work/telus-home-solutions-onboarding/): Using a service design approach, OXD helped TELUS create and test an improved onboarding experience for their customers and team.  - [​TReO Tolling Website](https://oxd.com/work/treo-tolling-website/): ​How OXD helped bridge the user experience gap for the largest transportation infrastructure initiative, TReO—a tolling website, in BC's history. - [Website Redesign for Vancouver Island’s Health Authority ](https://oxd.com/work/island-health-website-redesign/): Island Health on Vancouver Island partnered with us to redesign their website to be patient-centred, accessible, and responsive. - [​Honeywell SmartLine Application and Validation Tool](https://oxd.com/work/honeywell-smartline-application/): The Honeywell SmartLine complex ordering tool is now 3.6x faster than the industry standard, allowing them to stand out in a crowded market. - [​Pokémon Website Localization](https://oxd.com/work/pokemon-localization/): To meet the needs of their growing global audience, Pokémon worked with OXD to offer their website in five new languages.  - [Youth Voices](https://oxd.com/work/bc-family-justice-youth-voices/): The BC Family Justice Innovation Lab helps improve the experience of children and families going through separation and divorce. - [TransLink Customer Experience Research](https://oxd.com/work/translink-customer-experience-research/): ​How OXD helped TransLink gain insights for improvement and innovation by uncovering what their customers do, think, and feel. --- # # Detailed Content ## Pages ### Decision Paralysis Poll Responses - Published: 2025-05-14 - Modified: 2025-05-14 - URL: https://oxd.com/decision-paralysis-poll-responses/ --- ### Test - Published: 2024-10-31 - Modified: 2024-10-31 - URL: https://oxd.com/test-2/ tests testststtsts test test tets --- ### Home > We help complex organizations deliver new and better experiences by putting people first. Start your digital transformation with us. - Published: 2024-05-03 - Modified: 2025-04-29 - URL: https://oxd.com/ --- ### Subject Matter Experts - Published: 2024-03-12 - Modified: 2024-03-12 - URL: https://oxd.com/methods/subject-matter-experts/ Subject matter expert (SME) interviews are a key qualitative research method in user experience (UX) design, where insights and deep knowledge are gathered from individuals with significant expertise in a relevant area. These experts, who can be either internal decision-makers or external professionals, offer invaluable understanding into user needs, business objectives, technical limitations, and the competitive environment. The aim is to leverage their specialized knowledge to inform and improve the design process, ensuring that solutions are both user-centred and aligned with business goals. Through structured or semi-structured interviews, UX researchers and designers use SMEs to understand complex domains, validate assumptions, identify user pain points, gather project requirements, and explore potential design solutions. This method ensures that the design process is grounded in expert insights, enhancing the usability, relevance, and effectiveness of the final product or service. SME interviews are essential for crafting skillful designs that meet user needs while balancing technical feasibility and business objectives. Learn about our Services --- ### Methods - Published: 2024-03-11 - Modified: 2024-03-11 - URL: https://oxd.com/methods/ --- ### Human-Centred Design > Government and public sector teams trust OXD to make digital services simpler and more human through user-centred design consulting. - Published: 2023-09-05 - Modified: 2025-04-22 - URL: https://oxd.com/services/human-centred-design/ --- ### Terms of Use > Provides information about use of the OXD website, any related web pages, or any content (collectively, the oxd.com website). - Published: 2023-08-11 - Modified: 2025-05-12 - URL: https://oxd.com/terms-of-use/ OXD Website Terms of Use Use of this website, any related web pages, or any content (collectively, the oxd. com website) hosted by OXD Consulting, ltd (OXD) is subject to all of the following terms and conditions. Your use of the oxd. com website is your acknowledgement and agreement that you have read, understood, and agreed to the following terms and conditions (the “Terms of Use”). OXD has the right to change the Terms of Use at any time without notice. Your continued use of the OXD website after any change is your irrevocable acceptance of the revised Terms of Use. At any time, OXD may (i) terminate your use or right to use the Website for any reason; or (ii) modify or discontinue the Website (or any part of it), temporarily or permanently, with or without notice. Disclaimers THE OXD WEBSITE IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE USE OF THE WEBSITE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK. OXD DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY, CURRENCY, COMPLETENESS, RELIABILITY OR SUITABILITY FOR ANY PURPOSE, OF THE INFORMATION OR MATERIALS CONTAINED IN OR REFERENCED TO THE WEBSITE. ANY PERSON ACCESSING OR USING THE WEBSITE ACCEPTS AND ASSUMES ALL RISKS RELATING TO THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF, OR ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF, ANY INFORMATION OR MATERIALS AVAILABLE ON OR THROUGH THE WEBSITE. OXD WILL NOT HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL,... --- ### Management Consulting > Our Management Consulting services help innovate organizational design, sharpen strategic thinking, and allow clients to manage complexity. - Published: 2022-06-02 - Modified: 2023-08-21 - URL: https://oxd.com/services/management-consulting/ --- ### Technology Solutions > Our technology solutions are a holistic set of people, processes, information, and technology that tackle business-critical challenges. - Published: 2022-05-11 - Modified: 2024-03-26 - URL: https://oxd.com/services/technology-solutions/ --- ### Digital Services and Products > Our Digital Services and Products help clients to deliver their own modern and accessible digital services and websites to their customers. - Published: 2022-03-16 - Modified: 2025-04-04 - URL: https://oxd.com/services/digital-services-and-products/ --- ### Digital Transformation and Innovation > Our Digital Transformation and Innovation services help clients embrace new technologies and ways of working across their organization. - Published: 2022-03-03 - Modified: 2023-08-16 - URL: https://oxd.com/services/digital-transformation-and-innovation/ --- ### Government Consulting > Our government consulting services include digital strategy, technology consulting, and service design to drive transformation in the public sector. - Published: 2022-02-09 - Modified: 2025-04-22 - URL: https://oxd.com/services/government-consulting/ --- ### Services > Digital Transformation and Innovation, Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design, and Consulting in Tech, Government, Management. - Published: 2022-02-09 - Modified: 2023-09-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/services/ --- ### Land recognition > OXD offices are on land within the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples—a large group with several distinct languages and cultures. - Published: 2021-07-31 - Modified: 2023-10-31 - URL: https://oxd.com/land-recognition/ OXD offices are on land located within the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples—a large language group with several distinct languages and cultures. Coast Salish traditional lands include the American states of Washington and Oregon and extend north to Bute inlet in British Columbia. OXD is on the traditional territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish Nation), Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh First Nation), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band) Peoples.   Recognizing the history of the land we live, work, and play on is part of a broader process that we’re taking towards supporting the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We support the practices of recognizing and appreciating the land we live on and to help: raise awareness of Indigenous cultures, languages and land rights in our work and meetings with clients and staff, recognize and learn more about the history of colonialism and the detrimental impacts that racist and discriminatory practices have had, and continue to have, on Indigenous Peoples—and, support a work environment that is fair and equitable where we welcome and respect all people and cultures. We’re grateful to be guests on this inspiring land where we can do creative work and help provide solutions to support our community and international partners. We’re committed to celebrating the talents and contributions of Indigenous Peoples while we strive to continue learning. We commit to participating in and learning from workshops and Indigenous-led training to actively reduce racist and colonial practices that continue to impact Indigenous Peoples and their lands.... --- ### Dairy Pro BC > In a landscape dominated by high-tech jobs, Dairy Pro BC was looking for a way to make the dairy industry a viable and relevant career option. - Published: 2019-04-05 - Modified: 2021-12-14 - URL: https://oxd.com/dairy-pro-bc/ Using design insight to flip preconceptions & create radical product differentiation. BC Milk Producers Association was founded to provide industry leadership and advance the interests of British Columbia dairy producers. Working with local farmers and educational institutions, the association developed an apprenticeship program designed to ensure an adequate supply of qualified employees for the dairy industry in British Columbia. With the core program curriculum developed, they looked to our creative team to help them “make dairy farming cool”. The problem In a job-fair landscape dominated by high-tech, well-paying jobs, how do you make the dairy industry a viable and relevant career option for potential career-seekers? And, on an even larger scale, how do you combat the popular perception that a career on the farm is less sophisticated than those sexier high-tech jobs? The process Initial research showed us that working on the farm was anything but “low-tech”. The farming industry had been transformed in recent decades by technological advancements like logistics software and RFID tags. We found that the level of technology on the modern farm was astounding, requiring a high degree of specialization and expertise. As a dairy farmer, employees have access to innovative, scientific, and progressive technologies. They are part of a necessary and specialized industry that not only supports local communities, but also impacts the world through trade and commerce. But that could be said of nearly any major industry, right? So, rather than take a “me too” approach, we decided to take an alternative approach, turning... --- ### Design for Policy Reading List > We've put together an extended reading list featuring some of our favourite Design for Policy materials (long and short reads). Check it out! - Published: 2019-04-05 - Modified: 2025-04-02 - URL: https://oxd.com/design-for-policy-reading-list/ Gordon Ross presented at Making it Real: Putting Policy into Practice a conference in Victoria, British Columbia. He's shared some of our favourite Design for Policy materials. On Friday March 8, 2019 Gordon Ross presented at Making it Real: Putting Policy into Practice a conference in Victoria, British Columbia. Below is an extended reading list—featuring some of our favourite Design for Policy materials—to accompany this presentation. Some texts are introductory, while others are a lengthier, deeper dive into policy design, design theory, and the intersection of those two domains. We’ve included policy scholars writing about design (Howlett, Mukherjee, Lejano) as well as design scholars writing about policy (Kimbell, Bailey, Julier, Junginger) and public sector innovators with both an eye for design and a nose for policy (Basons, Christiansen, Bunt). We hope this makes for a great appetizer and helps you continue to grow your policy practice, finding value in exploring design as part of that process. If you’d like to keep the conversation going please send us an email, subscribe to our newsletter below, or give us a call. We’re always keen on having great discussions with smart people. OXD (formerly OpenRoad) materials Design for Policy: Bringing a Design Thinking Approach to TransLink’s Fare Review Process Making Sense of Prototyping for Policy Books Bason, Christian. 2014. Design for Policy. Surrey: Gower Publishing Bason, Christian. 2017. Leading Public Design. Bristol: Policy Press. Journal articles, essays, reports, and presentations Bailey, Jocelyn, and Peter Lloyd. 2016. The Introduction of Design to Policymaking: Policy Lab and the UK Government. Proceedings of DRS 2016, Design Research Society 50th Anniversary Conference. Brighton. 27–30. Bunt, Laura, and Jesper Christiansen. Innovation in Policy 2012. NESTA... --- ### 2018 Web Awards submission: Honeywell's SmartLine configuration tool > OXD worked to help create the best possible digital experience for configuring and validating Honeywell's new SmartLine tool. - Published: 2019-04-05 - Modified: 2021-12-14 - URL: https://oxd.com/2018-web-awards-submission-honeywell-configuration-tool/ OpenRoad worked with Honeywell to help them create the best possible digital experience for configuring and validating their new SmartLine device. When we first began the project, Honeywell’s customers were using a tedious, industry-standard process of spreadsheets and lookup tables to find model numbers. Through comparative and competitive research, technology prototyping, and user interviews, we were able to uncover insights that further informed the design and development of the tool. One of the challenges we encountered was that the standard mathematical modelling and simulation tools required by our client did not integrate well with responsive web design. To mitigate this we wrote a lightweight, JavaScript-based algorithm that was faster and more responsive than the industry standard. Our user interface was designed to keep distractions to a minimum, to not overwhelm the customer with the sheer number of options, and to inject some delight into the process with subtle animations, fast response times, and clean design elements. The online ordering tool we built for Honeywell is 3. 6 times faster than than what preceded it. In a crowded industry of similar offerings, this tool helps Honeywell stand out. Honeywell's SmartLine Application and Validation Tool homepage Want to learn more? Read our case study about Honeywell's Smartline Application Validation tool and click here to see the tool live. --- ### St. Paul’s Hospital Heart Function Clinic: Virtual Heart > OXD was hired to build a web-based system that allows for heart failure patients to self-manage their disease. Learn how we made this happen! - Published: 2019-04-04 - Modified: 2023-01-23 - URL: https://oxd.com/st-pauls-heart-helper-e-service/ Helping patients manage heart disease online. Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a progressive, chronic, terminal disease that has affected over 70,000 people in British Columbia. Of those affected, more than 15,000 live within the Metro Vancouver area. It is estimated that in reality double that number of individuals are affected and with an aging of the population, CHF will reach epidemic proportions in the years to come. Heart failure is also the most costly chronic disease to treat, costing the province more than $96 million/year. In 1999, the Heart Function Clinic (HFC) was established at Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital, part of Providence Health Care. The clinic’s objectives were to reduce mortality and morbidity, reduce cost of patient care, improve patient quality of life, increase patient education, and implement a system to track clinical outcomes in CHF patients. Connecting patients and health care professionals OXD was hired to build a web-based system that allows for heart failure patients to self-manage their disease. Patients track their daily weight and answer several questions about their current heart failure symptoms. This system then reports data back to clinical and nursing staff at the Heart Function Clinic, who review and triage the data, along with any alerts generated due to drastic increases in weight or negative answers to the condition questions. The application launched with a year-long research study of heart failure patients in June 2006, testing the hypothesis that patients can use a web-based system to self-manage their disease, under the shared-care remote supervision... --- ### Our story > In 1996 a computer-savvy physicist met a book-loving researcher. Together they created OpenRoad—now OXD! Read about our story. - Published: 2019-04-02 - Modified: 2023-09-11 - URL: https://oxd.com/our-story/ In 1996, a computer-savvy physicist met a book-loving researcher. Together they created OpenRoad; a firm that understood both human behaviour and technology. Gordon Ross and Darren Gibbons Where user experience and technology converge. OpenRoad was one of the first agencies to pair human-centred design with technology to solve complex business problems. By focusing on user experience we amplified the impact of their technology offerings. Building a community of practitioners. This passion for user experience contributed to a vibrant community of UX professionals in Vancouver. Through partnership with other local practitioners, we founded the Vancouver User Experience Group and the Vancouver User Experience Awards. With membership in the thousands, these groups remain an important part of Vancouver's UX community. Responding to market demand with a product offering. In 2005 OpenRoad launched ThoughtFarmer, an off-the-shelf intranet product. ThoughtFarmer was born out of a client project and turned the standard approach to intranets upside-down by putting communication power in the hands of the employee. Bridging strategy and execution. In 2013 OpenRoad acquired long-time design partner Mod7. With the addition of a Creative Services team, this acquisition closed the gap in our service offerings, increasing the scale and the impact of OpenRoad's work to include everything from design to build to implementation. Rebranding from OpenRoad to OXD. In 2019, OpenRoad became OXD. This rebrand articulated our evolution over the course of two decades, while setting the tone for the future. OXD is where past experience converges with new opportunities. The next 20 years. OXD... --- ### Design for Innovation > Design for Innovation methods have the opportunity to improve how we live, work, and thrive in challenging times. Contact us to learn more. - Published: 2019-02-15 - Modified: 2023-06-13 - URL: https://oxd.com/design-for-innovation/ --- ### People > The OXD team is a group of remarkable, experienced professionals with a wealth of knowledge in UX, design, and building websites and web apps. - Published: 2019-02-12 - Modified: 2023-08-21 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/ People are what make great work possible. Our multi-disciplinary team members are experienced, knowledgeable, curious, and passionate. Meet OXD. --- ### Careers > Do work you love, with people you respect, at a company you can be proud of—with some pretty sweet perks along the way! Check out our careers. - Published: 2019-02-05 - Modified: 2024-01-26 - URL: https://oxd.com/careers/ We strive to offer meaningful, challenging work in a supportive environment where people can grow.   We’re proud of the fact that our people stay for the long haul—some of them for more than two decades—having found a place where they feel listened-to, respected, and valued. --- ### Contact > Contact us at sales@oxd.com if you want to start a new project, find out more about our services, or submit a request for proposal. - Published: 2019-02-05 - Modified: 2024-06-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/contact/ Wondering how a design and technology partner can help your organization deliver better service experiences? Let's talk—no obligations and no pressure. hello@oxd. com --- ### News and events > Keep up with us through our news and events updates. You can learn about the projects we're working on, our latest achievements, and events. - Published: 2019-02-05 - Modified: 2023-07-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/news/ --- ### About > Learn more about OXD. We are at the convergence of strategy, design, and technology, helping complex organizations spark change. - Published: 2019-02-05 - Modified: 2025-03-06 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/ We are at the convergence of strategy, design, and technology, helping complex organizations spark change. After 23 successful years as OpenRoad Communications, we’ve rebranded. Now as OXD we continue our work across industries, designing and building solutions to address some of the twenty-first century’s most complex social and business challenges. Read our story --- ### Our work > Whether building better human-centred services or helping reach the next generation of students, we’re passionate about work that matters. - Published: 2019-02-05 - Modified: 2023-09-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/ We’re at the convergence of strategy, design, and technology unravelling some of the twenty first century’s most complex social and business challenges. Whether we're building better citizen-centred services or helping reach the next generation of post-secondary students, we’re passionate about work that matters. --- ### Privacy Policy > We respect your privacy. Please read to learn about the information that is collected on our site, how its stored, and what its used for. - Published: 2019-01-28 - Modified: 2025-05-13 - URL: https://oxd.com/privacy/ Last updated: May 12, 2025 We respect your privacy. Please read on to learn more about the information that is collected on our site, how it's stored, and what it's used for. All mentions of OXD, we, and us refers to OXD Consulting Ltd. OXD’s privacy policy meets, and the five stipulations of the Web Analyst’s Code of Ethics and complies with both GDPR and CASL guidelines. This privacy policy is updated to reflect best practices and evolving laws. We strive to uphold the highest standards when it comes to use of personal information and website management. If you do not agree with this privacy policy please do not access our website. An overview Our primary website hosting and storage of questionnaire responses (collected via Gravity Forms) occur securely within Canada (Toronto). However, certain third-party tools, including HubSpot and Google Analytics, process and store data internationally, primarily in the United States, in compliance with applicable privacy laws. Information collected strictly for business communication, such as contact information for receiving research findings or participating in follow-up interviews, is not considered personal information under applicable privacy legislation (PIPA). Log files Our web server logs all requests including IP address, browser type, referring page, platform, file accessed, and date/time information. We use this log data to troubleshoot issues on the site. We don’t collect Personally Identifiable Information (PII) within these log files. If you want to avoid this data collection, we encourage you to use a proxy or anonymizer service to view this... --- --- ## Posts ### OXD named one of Canada's Best Workplaces™, again! > We're proud to announce our recognition as one of the 2025 Best Workplaces™ in Canada for two years running! - Published: 2025-04-04 - Modified: 2025-04-04 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2025/04/04/oxd-named-one-of-canadas-best-workplaces-again/ - Categories: News Proud to be recognized as one of the 2025 Best Workplaces™ in Canada for two years running! We're thrilled to announce that OXD has earned a spot as one of the Best Workplaces™ in Canada for 2025, for the second consecutive year! This recognition is based on direct feedback from our employees, who are at the heart of what makes us great. Employees of OXD and sister company ThoughtFarmer having a great time at Pop Queen Cardio Dance Fitness class—one of our monthly work events. This achievement provides a genuine snapshot of OXD's organizational culture, drawing on the input from each of our team members. It reflects our ongoing commitment to fostering a workplace built on trust, respect, and opportunity. We're proud of our staff, our culture, and the continued support from our clients and community. Learn more about the people who make working at OXD great. --- ### Emily Carr's future design leaders get a glimpse into how OXD operates > Students from Emily Carr's Interaction Design program got a curated studio tour, seeing how our professional design and technology firm operates. - Published: 2025-03-21 - Modified: 2025-03-31 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2025/03/21/emily-carrs-future-design-leaders-get-a-glimpse-into-how-oxd-operates/ - Categories: News Students from Emily Carr's Interaction Design program gained exclusive insights into the workings of a professional design and technology firm with specially curated studio experience. On March 20, 2025, senior Interaction Design students from Emily Carr University of Art + Design received an immersive experience offering the 28 graduating designers a rare glimpse into the day-to-day operations of a leading design and technology firm. During the visit, members from our UX and Creative teams shared real-world project examples and candid insights about the industry landscape, discussing everything from research methodologies to client collaboration strategies that aren't typically covered in classroom settings. OXD's leadership team, including the Creative Director and VP and Partner, also engaged with students during the Q&A period. “The students were incredibly enthusiastic to learn about the industry and had insightful and engaging questions to ask,” remarked Sarah Tan, Brand and Marketing Designer at OXD. Sarah shared with students on how she supports telling OXD’s brand story through visually captivating designs that prioritize audience connection and message clarity.   As part of our ongoing commitment to nurturing emerging design talent, OXD proudly supports several educational initiatives. Interested in connecting your design program with OXD for a similar experience? Contact us to explore collaboration opportunities. --- ### OXD and the School of Good Services partner to build service design capabilities in BC public sector > OXD was proud to partner with the School of Good Services to deliver service design training for government staff in Victoria, BC. - Published: 2025-02-20 - Modified: 2025-02-20 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2025/02/20/oxd-and-the-school-of-good-services-partner-to-build-service-design-capabilities-in-bc-public-sector/ - Categories: News OXD was proud to partner with the School of Good Services to deliver two days of service design training for government staff and co-host a discussion on the importance of design in Victoria, BC, from Feb 10 to 13, 2025. The School of Good Services, co-founded by Lou Downe, former Director of Design for the UK Government, and Sarah Drummond, former CEO of UK service design agency Snook, helps organizations build the design skills they need to deliver great services through training, coaching, and community building. About 80 public servants from ministries across the BC provincial government attended the training, which covered key principles of good design and how to create the right conditions for connected services to flourish. Gordon Ross, Vice President and Partner at OXD, helped facilitate the School of Good Services sessions in Victoria. This was part of a North American trip where Lou and Sarah delivered training in Chicago, Victoria, and Toronto. --- ### OXD sponsors 2025 Vancouver Service Jam—a community service design event > We're proud to sponsor the 2025 Vancouver Service Jam, a collaborative service design event where participants spend 48hrs prototyping innovative solutions. - Published: 2025-02-05 - Modified: 2025-02-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2025/02/05/oxd-sponsors-2025-vancouver-service-jam-a-community-service-design-event/ - Categories: Events Join Jammers in Vancouver—and around the world—for 48 hours of immersive, hands-on experience in designing and prototyping innovative services. OXD is proud to sponsor the 2025 Vancouver Service Jam, a collaborative, high-energy event where participants from across the globe will prototype innovative services in just 48 hours. A Service Design Jam is an immersive experience where teams work together to address real-world challenges. Guided by a secret global theme, Jammers use design thinking and service design methodologies to develop practical, human-centred solutions. By the end of the weekend, each team will have created a functional prototype and a strategic plan for implementation. At OXD, service design is at the heart of what we do. We partner with organizations to co-create solutions that truly meet user needs, and this Jam aligns with our commitment to human-centred innovation. By sponsoring this event, we’re fostering creativity, collaboration, and growth within the local service design community. The Vancouver Service Jam runs from Friday, February 21 to Sunday, February 23. Service Designers from OXD will be attending to encourage and mentor participants as they tackle design challenges. Visit the event website for more information. We’ve been exploring the relationship between human behaviour and technology for over 30 years. Learn more about how we use service design methods to create tailored solutions that place humans at the forefront. --- ### BC's Ministry of Environment and Parks partners with OXD to enhance the Recreation Sites and Trails visitor experience > The Ministry of Environment partnered with us as part of their 4-year digital transformation strategy to improve the visitor experience. - Published: 2024-11-30 - Modified: 2025-03-27 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/11/30/bcs-ministry-of-environment-and-parks-partners-with-oxd-to-enhance-the-recreation-sites-and-trails-visitor-experience/ - Categories: News Did you know that over 20,000 kilometres of trails, 1,935 recreational sites, and 29 interpretive forests across British Columbia are managed through a single system? The Ministry of Environment and Parks is responsible for the protection, management, and conservation of BC's water, land, air and living resources—including their network of recreation sites and trails. In addition to BC’s Provincial Parks, Recreation Sites and Trails BC (formerly BC Forest Service recreation sites and trails) provides numerous recreation opportunities through sound management of public areas on Crown Land, often in some of the most remote and beautiful parts of BC’s backcountry.   In order to provide visitors with high quality recreation opportunities that meet their needs and styles, RSTBC needs to publish reliable, up to date site and trail information. That same information and data is also crucial for staff decision-making and management of the recreational areas. Good digital tools make for great visitor experiences, effective stewardship of the land, and productive use of staff time.   The Ministry of Environment partnered with OXD as part of their four-year digital transformation strategy to better understand how they might improve the ecosystem of tools for Recreation Sites and Trails (RST) staff and visitors alike. Through a comprehensive design research phase, we uncovered the needs of users, held opportunities workshops, and set clear priorities for their Product Owner, breaking trail for a digital experience that helps visitors get what they need and enabling staff to focus on what they do best. We began the project with in-depth discovery research to understand the current system, how it’s used, and the pain points RSTBC staff are experiencing. We held user interviews... --- ### OXD named a Great Place To Work® in Canada for the second year in a row! > We’ve done it again! Being awarded this for the second year running speaks to the heart of our company culture. We think that’s pretty great. - Published: 2024-11-21 - Modified: 2024-11-21 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/11/21/oxd-named-a-great-place-to-work-in-canada-for-the-second-year-in-a-row/ - Categories: News We’ve done it again! We couldn’t be more excited to see our commitment to creating a supportive, fun, and truly human workplace recognized. We think that’s pretty great. We’re thrilled to announce that OXD has been recognized as a Great Place to Work® in Canada—again! Being awarded this for the second year running speaks to the heart of our company culture: a supportive, engaging, and fun environment where employee feedback genuinely matters. Here’s what our team has to say about working at OXD: It’s a safe, welcoming workplace for everyone We treat each other fairly We really care about each other Work-life balance isn’t just a buzzword—it’s part of who we are Success in a professional services firm comes when you focus on your people. Put your employees first: If you get that right, the rest will follow. ” Darren Gibbons, President, OXD At OXD, we’re on a mission to set the bar in the Canadian tech industry for what a great workplace can be. It’s not just about attracting top talent, but keeping it by creating a culture where everyone feels supported, inspired, and ready to innovate. Great Place to Work® Canada tells us that certified companies like ours see 50% higher employee retention. For us, this award is a reminder that our core values are more than words—they’re lived every day in the experiences of our team. A huge thank you to every member of the OXD team for making our workplace amazing. Together, we’ll keep growing, making an impact, and inspiring others to put workplace culture front and center. Want to be part of a company that puts people first? Learn more about life at OXD! --- ### OXD delivers strategic portfolio management framework for BC Ministry of Education > The British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care engaged OXD to improve how they manage and report on their technology portfolio. - Published: 2024-09-30 - Modified: 2025-04-15 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/09/30/oxd-delivers-strategic-portfolio-management-framework-for-bc-ministry-of-education/ - Categories: News When the BC Ministry of Education needed clarity in their tech portfolio, they turned to OXD. The British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care engaged OXD to improve how they manage and report on their technology portfolio. After adopting Agile practices, the Ministry’s Digital Strategies and Services Branch (DSSB) found that they lacked standardized reporting across projects. This created challenges around visibility, status tracking, and executive communication. They sought OXD’s help to improve their ability to make timely, informed decisions and align information technology (IT) initiatives with broader strategic goals. The result was a transformational shift in how DSSB manages their technology portfolio. We began by collaborating with DSSB to design and implement a Strategic Portfolio Management Framework that would bring clarity, consistency, and efficiency to how projects are managed and communicated across the organization. Our work started with a deep dive into the Ministry’s current state. Through stakeholder interviews and workflow analysis, we identified key gaps in reporting and areas for improvement. We created a service blueprint and delivered a findings report with actionable recommendations, which we presented to their executive director. A visioning workshop followed, where we worked with leadership to define the mission for a future Portfolio Management Office and prioritize key initiatives to support it. From there, we enhanced Jira and Confluence workflows to better support Agile practices. This included the introduction of customized templates and dashboards to standardize reporting, streamline backlog management, and enable real-time collaboration across teams. Building on our discovery insights, we developed a tailored Strategic Portfolio Management Framework. This included standardized processes for tracking project health indicators... --- ### Enhancing park accessibility with AI and crowdsourcing: How a Hackathon inspired real-world solutions > OXD’s “Gastown Gumberoos” prototyped a solution for an outdated accessibility website, using AI and crowdsourcing, at a two-day Hackathon. - Published: 2024-09-20 - Modified: 2025-01-27 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/09/20/enhancing-park-accessibility-with-ai-and-crowdsourcing-a-two-day-hackathon/ - Categories: News OXD’s “Gastown Gumberoos” prototyped a solution for an outdated accessibility website, using AI and crowdsourcing, at the Cryptid Coders in the Wilderness Hackathon. From September 17 to 19, 2024, 11 OXD team members joined seven other teams for the “Cryptid Coders in the Wilderness of BC” Hackathon, organized by the BC Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship (WLRS). The challenge was to solve a real-world problem or identify new opportunities around accessibility challenges for BC Parks. Fun fact To align with the “Cryptids of BC” theme, we used AI to generate the team name “Gastown Gumberoos”—a reference to a mythical, leathery-skinned bear from lumberjack folklore. Illustration of The Gumberoo by Richard Svensson, 2008. OXD has been working with BC Parks on improving the bcparks. ca website over the past few years. Because of our long-standing relationship, we wanted to use the Hackathon to test cutting-edge AI technologies and crowdsourcing approaches to enable BC Parks to provide accurate, up-to-date information about accessible facilities in the parks. The problem BC Parks is dedicated to preserving British Columbia's natural spaces and ensuring recreation in those spaces is accessible for everyone. However, their current accessibility microsite only provides information for a narrow set of accessibility concerns and lacks updated information for a wider audience with diverse needs. Image of accessibility. bcparks. ca website Our Hackathon challenge Our team identified valuable but outdated information on accessibility. bcparks. ca. When the site was initially built, park students collected photos of accessibility features, but BC Parks staff didn’t have the resources to regularly update the site. We needed a solution to keep it up-to-date. Our solution: Using AI tools... --- ### Annual summer picnic at Second Beach in Stanley Park > OXD and ThoughtFarmer staff, family, and even pups got together at Second Beach in Stanley Park for our 2024 annual summer picnic. - Published: 2024-08-23 - Modified: 2024-09-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/08/23/annual-summer-picnic-at-second-beach-in-stanley-park/ - Categories: News OXD and ThoughtFarmer staff and their families come together for another fun picnic event! Another year has come and gone since our last summer picnic at Stanley Park! This year, we were fortunate to nab the Second Beach Pavilion. And even though our tropical-themed event may not have had the weather to match, we had a blast anyway! Here are a few pics from an evening filled with shared laughs, cute pups, and plastic pineapples! Here's to next summer's event! --- ### UBC Extended Learning redesign bridges the gap between education and life > Our redesign of the UBC Extended Learning site addresses critical pain points, transforming it into a dynamic, functional resource for users. - Published: 2024-07-10 - Modified: 2024-07-10 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/07/10/ubc-extended-learning-redesign-bridges-the-gap-between-education-and-life/ - Categories: News The redesigned website provides an even more flexible learning experience, allowing all people to pursue their educational goals at any life stage. The University of British Columbia's Extended Learning website (UBC ExL) offers flexible learning opportunities to lifelong learners globally, combining excellence in teaching, academics, and research. Ranked among the top universities in the world, UBC ExL focuses on personal and professional growth, delivering a variety of online and blended courses to meet the needs of learners at all stages of life. The UBC ExL site is vital for communicating offerings to the external community, prospective students, and faculty partners. The original site, with over 350 sections and an outdated registration system, no longer met business needs. The UBC ExL team partnered with OXD to create a new responsive e-commerce Drupal website. We began with a discovery phase to understand user needs through journey mapping workshops, competitive analysis, content audit, and technology review. These findings informed our project goals and service outcomes. During the redesign, we reimagined the information architecture using content analysis, card sorting, and task testing. Our user experience team developed intuitive page flows and wireframes, while our creative team ensured the design aligned with functionality. Usability testing was conducted to resolve any performance issues. OXD’s redesign of the UBC Extended Learning site addressed critical pain points, transforming it into a dynamic, easy-to-navigate, and functional resource for all users. Check out the new website. --- ### Three things we loved from DesignThinkers 2024 > Discover the speakers and topics (AI, typography, storytelling) that captivated us at the 2024 DesignThinkers conference in Vancouver. - Published: 2024-06-04 - Modified: 2024-06-11 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/06/04/three-things-we-loved-from-designthinkers-2024/ - Categories: News Discover the speakers and topics that captivated us at this year’s Vancouver conference. OXD creatives Sarah Tan, Lisa Farmer, and Wil Arndt attended this year’s DesignThinkers conference. With so many outstanding speakers, we want to share a few inspiring insights we brought back. Sarah TanDesigner, Brand and Marketing The importance of narrative and storytelling within branding Speaker Zipeng Zhu demonstrated the power of weaving a captivating narrative into presentation storytelling. His thought-provoking talk, matched by his equally enthusiastic delivery, took us on an emotional journey—balancing humor, frustration, and hope perfectly. His personal brand remained consistent across every medium, from his shoes and clothing choice, physical interactions with the audience, and especially his slide deck. I learned that a brand’s touchpoints extend far beyond visuals to what is heard and felt as well. Lisa FarmerMarketing Manager(and designer) “Nuggets”—A bite-sized analogy I think everyone who attended DesignThinkers can agree that Ellen Lupton’s presentation was, well... just our type. All the kerning talk gave me warm fuzzies. Ellen beautifully illustrated the art of typography by likening it to crafting perfect “nuggets”. Each element, from kerning to typeface selection, is a little chunk that contributes to a cohesive, visually pleasing whole. (A hankering for McDonald’s chicken nuggies now, anyone? Where’s my honey mustard dipping sauce! ) As a designer for over 20 years, it reignited my own passion for typography. The instant desire to get into InDesign and just start laying out text was eminent. I’m a sucker for a great editorial spread. Something that conveys a message but also evokes a delightful visual experience. Thank you,... --- ### Modernizing the DriveBC website to deliver a better experience for drivers > OXD helped modernize the DriveBC.ca site, bringing user-centred design, Agile development, and a future-focused roadmap to the project. - Published: 2024-05-28 - Modified: 2025-01-08 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/05/28/modernizing-the-drivebc-website-to-deliver-a-better-experience-for-drivers/ - Categories: News OXD and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure partner to launch a modern, real-time travel information site using Agile development. Enhanced mapping capabilities have become commonplace and expected in consumer applications, and the government is making strides to adopt these innovations as well. DriveBC. ca is a vital travel information hub for drivers in British Columbia (BC), but the site needed a major overhaul. Working with OXD and using Agile development principles, the new and improved data-driven DriveBC beta website launched on May 28, 2024.   The innovative redesign includes many benefits for drivers, including BC-centric features that provide a better experience than some of the consumer mapping apps. DriveBC users can plan their next road trip using: The responsive map that acts as travellers’ command center Clear information of road closures and delays Up-to-date weather and road conditions Information from real-time issue advisories and alerts Customizable filters that automatically adjust and update along planned route The redesigned DriveBC. ca beta mapping features on tablet and mobile The transformative improvements at DriveBC aren't only benefiting the users of the system. Those who run and manage DriveBC are also experiencing significant advantages. The redesigned content management system (CMS) enables the DriveBC team to make announcements, issue advisories, and draw critical zones on the map independently of developers, enhancing the speed and efficiency of updates. The site architecture seamlessly integrates data, ensuring unmatched reliability and resiliency, making it future-proof. An Agile development approach lets us continue the work, with more improvements on the way even as the application is in use. Stay tuned for saving favourite cameras and routes and even more... --- ### OXD and ThoughtFarmer celebrate another year of achievements at the 2024 company party > Staff from OXD and ThoughtFarmer came together for an unforgettable evening of celebration at the annual Spring Party. - Published: 2024-05-17 - Modified: 2024-06-04 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/05/17/oxd-and-thoughtfarmer-celebrate-another-year-of-achievements-at-the-2024-company-party/ - Categories: News Staff from OXD and ThoughtFarmer came together for an unforgettable evening of celebration. Our annual "Spring Party" remains a highlight for everyone at OXD and our sister company, ThoughtFarmer. On May 10, 2024, staff and significant others filled the room with enthusiasm and camaraderie. We all enjoyed good food, vibrant music, laughter... even karaoke! (And yes, of course we sang "Sweet Caroline"). It's also tradition for us to vie over purchasing raffle tickets to support BC Children's Hospital. This year we donated $2520! The party celebrates the incredible individuals across both companies. Our staff are the cornerstone of our past achievements and continued success.   As the evening drew to a close, we raised our glasses in a toast: "Cheers to the year gone by and here's to what lies ahead". Cheers! --- ### Courthouse Libraries BC partners with OXD to continue improving access to justice > Implementing digital trust into the CLBC website increases security and convenience for lawyers and Courthouse Libraries BC. - Published: 2024-05-10 - Modified: 2024-06-17 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/05/10/courthouse-libraries-bc-partners-with-oxd-to-continue-improving-access-to-justice/ - Categories: News Implementing digital trust increases security and convenience for lawyers and Courthouse Libraries BC. Courthouse Libraries BC (CLBC) partnered with OXD to incorporate digital trust technology into the CLBC website. Digital trust allows users to access CLBC’s online resources using their digital Law Society of BC credentials along with the BC Wallet application, without the need to create a specific CLBC online user account. This ensures the highest levels of security and privacy while allowing easy and efficient access to protected resources. OXD worked with the CLBC team to create a high-level plan for architecting and implementing the solution on their existing website. In collaboration with the BC Government’s Digital Trust team, we developed a proof of concept to validate the compatibility between the Drupal Content Management System (CMS) and digital credentials. Findings from this work allowed us to validate the Law Society of BC digital credentials with the CMS using the OpenID Connect standard. Our development team then customized an authentication module on the CMS to ensure that no personal information is collected as part of this digital trust flow. End-to-end functional testing with the BC Wallet application was performed by our Quality Assurance team, while CLBC conducted user acceptance testing with active digital credentials. This is another step towards improving access to digital resources for BC lawyers. --- ### Creative Director Wil Arndt presents at DesignThinkers 2024 conference in Vancouver > We’re honoured to be among the many speakers, practitioners, and thinkers participating in the DesignThinkers 2024 Conference in Vancouver. - Published: 2024-05-07 - Modified: 2024-12-16 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/05/07/creative-director-wil-arndt-presents-at-designthinkers-2024-conference-in-vancouver/ - Categories: Events Learn how to apply UX tactics to your brand strategy. Wil Arndt, our Creative Director at OXD, will present a lightning talk, “Subjectivity Slayer—Hacking Your Brand with UX Tactics”. Join Wil as he demonstrates how UX methods helped the process we used for our OpenRoad to OXD rebrand. In just ten minutes, you’ll learn innovative approaches like the (somewhat fictional) Descriptive Facet Analysis, the (very real) Brand Personality Workshops, and a practical toolkit designed to build alignment among designers and non-designers alike. Wil also shares how we whittled 3,839 names down to one—and reached consensus across the company. As a previous attendee, Wil is thrilled to contribute as a speaker, engaging with his local design community. We’re honoured to be among the many wonderful speakers, practitioners, and thinkers heading to Vancouver to participate in the DesignThinkers 2024 Conference, presented by RGD. Whether you’re a brand, UX, or design professional, or an enthusiast of those fields of practice, Wil would love to see you there May 28-29th. Don’t miss out! Learn more about the conference and secure your tickets today to connect with leading design thinkers like Wil. --- ### Gordon Ross to join panel at Exchange Lab’s Agile Open House > On Thursday, May 2, public-sector employees from around BC can network and discuss topics around Agile ways of working in government. - Published: 2024-04-30 - Modified: 2024-05-22 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/04/30/gordon-ross-to-join-panel-at-exchange-labs-agile-open-house/ - Categories: Events Panelists will explore topics around Agile ways of working in government. We’re pleased to announce that Gordon Ross is invited to be a panel member at the Exchange Lab’s Agile Open House. Other panelists will include Alec Wenzowski from Button, Dhruv Dang from RealFolk, and Kendall Olsen-Maier from EY. The event will be at the Exchange Lab office in Victoria, British Columbia on Thursday, May 2, and is open to all BC public-sector employees. The Exchange Lab is operated by the Digital Office, within the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) in the Ministry of Citizens’ Services in Victoria, British Columbia. Their focus is on “digital modernization to help create a modern government that’s trusted to respond to change and meet public expectations for excellent service delivery. ” During the open house, panelists will discuss how the government can best leverage vendor talent on blended teams, how to better collaborate with external vendors, and coaching Agile team members. This is a great opportunity for those across government to network, take part in the discussion, and tour the lab. --- ### OXD named one of Canada's Best Workplaces in 2024 > Best Workplaces in Canada™ was awarded to OXD for 2024! We’re grateful to our staff and leadership for fostering an amazing work environment. - Published: 2024-04-24 - Modified: 2024-04-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/04/24/oxd-named-one-of-canadas-best-workplaces-in-2024/ - Categories: News OXD's positive work environment and innovative culture stem directly from the dedication of our leadership team. We’re excited to announce that OXD has been recognized as one of the Best Workplaces™ in Canada for 2024, in the category of companies with fewer than 100 employees. This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire OXD team and reflects our commitment to fostering a positive, engaging, and innovative work environment. The recognition was announced during a live awards ceremony in Toronto on April 23rd, 2024, which celebrated outstanding workplace cultures across Canada. Our leadership duo, Darren Gibbons and Gordon Ross, were there to represent OXD. Darren Gibbons and Gordon Ross, founders of OXD and ThoughtFarmer at the Best Workplaces in Canada awards ceremony in Toronto, Canada. Chosen from more than 900 candidates, this recognition highlights our efforts to be a benchmark in the Canadian tech industry for employee satisfaction and workplace culture. A big thank you to everyone at OXD for making this possible! And special congratulations also goes to our sister company, ThoughtFarmer, who also made the Best Workplaces in Canada list for 2024. Visit our careers page to learn more about working at OXD and our culture. --- ### 25 years strong! We’ve laced up once again for the Vancouver Sun Run. > Can you believe it? Sunday, April 21, 2024 marked the 25th time OXD and ThoughtFarmer have taken on the 10-kilometre Sun Run challenge. - Published: 2024-04-21 - Modified: 2024-07-01 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/04/21/25-years-strong-weve-laced-up-once-again-for-the-vancouver-sun-run/ - Categories: News Staff from OXD and ThoughtFarmer came together for a fun, and sunny run. Can you believe it? Sunday, April 21, 2024 marked the 25th time OXD and ThoughtFarmer have taken on the 10-kilometre challenge, a tradition that started back in 1999. The Sun Run, renowned as Canada’s premier 10k, continues to inspire community engagement and fitness, and we’re proud to keep contributing to its legacy. For us, the Sun Run is more than just a race—it's a cherished annual event that fosters healthy, active lifestyles for people of all ages and fitness levels. Jim Peers, our QA Manager (now retired), enjoying his first time participating on the OXD team. --- ### Grab your free Technical Assessment Checklist from OXD > What is a Technical Assessment checklist and why do you need it? Get the same checklist we use at OXD to shape better technology solutions. - Published: 2024-04-08 - Modified: 2024-07-29 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/04/08/grab-your-free-technical-assessment-checklist-from-oxd/ - Categories: News Ever wondered how we tackle tech challenges for partners like BCI, viaSport, and LegalAid BC? Now’s your chance to peek behind the curtain. A technical assessment is crucial for understanding your current tech setup and planning for the future. We're excited to share with you the very checklist we rely on. With this checklist, you can: Inventory your existing tech environment. Identify potential risks. Decide whether building or buying software is the right move for you. And it's completely free. Download our free checklist Get your hands on the checklist we use to craft the best technology solutions for our clients and their users. Your path to better technology implementation starts with a simple download. Download our checklist --- ### Wil Arndt condensed a year of design school into 15 minutes—here’s what happened… > OXD’s Creative Director, Wil Arndt, offered practical strategies to revitalize your internal comms in a webinar hosted by ThoughtFarmer. - Published: 2024-04-04 - Modified: 2024-04-04 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/04/04/wil-arndt-condensed-a-year-of-design-school-into-15-minutes-heres-what-happened/ - Categories: News OXD’s Creative Director, Wil Arndt, offered fresh, practical strategies to revitalize your internal communications. When Wil Arndt, the Creative Director at OXD, took the stage for the “Extreme Makeover: Internal Comms Edition” webinar, attendees didn’t know they were in for a crash course that would rival a year at design school. Hosted on March 27th as part of the webinar series by our sister company, ThoughtFarmer, this session was a goldmine for communications professionals seeking a fresh angle for their internal comms. In just 45 minutes, Wil unpacked actionable insights and strategies to inject new life into stale internal communications. This webinar was tailor-made for those feeling their well-crafted messages were just blending into the background, unnoticed. Key takeaways Included: The fine line between art and design: Art lets ideas flow without restraint, whereas design is all about intentionality, prioritizing clear communication and usability. The wrong design choices can muddle your message. Prioritizing substance over style: Engaging content must be valuable first, visually appealing second. Ensuring your messages are informative and meet your audience’s needs is crucial, with design elements serving to underscore your content’s clarity. The dynamic duo of readability and legibility: Capturing and maintaining attention demands content that is both easy to read and visually accessible. Consistent use of style guides can help your messages stay accessible and engaging. Understanding tables and spreadsheets: Each has its role; spreadsheets are for analyzing data, while tables organize data for clarity and direct focus to key insights. Attendees also learned about the unexpected role kittens can play in teaching us about effective internal communications, adding... --- ### Deborah MacKenzie a panelist for GBA+ in settlement sector webinar > Deb MacKenzie, Sr. UX Designer at OXD, was a panelist at the Toronto Local Immigration Partnerships’s (InterLIP) webinar series on GBA+. - Published: 2024-03-23 - Modified: 2024-04-04 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/03/23/deborah-mackenzie-is-panelist-for-gba-in-settlement-sector-webinar/ - Categories: News Deborah brings expertise to a panel discussion on leveraging gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) for program design and delivery. Deborah MacKenzie, Senior User Experience Designer at OXD, was invited to be a panelist at the Toronto Local Immigration Partnerships’s (InterLIP) capacity-building series on GBA+. The event covered themes around using GBA+ in program design, delivery, and evaluation in the settlement sector. The panel was part of a three-hour virtual webinar held on March 22, 2024. --- ### OXD helps Ministry of Environment and Parks team build an approach for better visitor use data insights > Better data means better recreation and reconciliation outcomes for Parks’ Recreation Sites and Trails, BC Parks, and all who enjoy these lands. - Published: 2024-03-15 - Modified: 2025-03-26 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/03/15/oxd-helps-ministry-of-environment-and-parks-team-build-an-approach-for-better-visitor-use-data-insights/ - Categories: News Better visitor use data means better recreation and reconciliation outcomes for the Ministry of Environment and Parks’ Recreation Sites and Trails, BC Parks, and all who enjoy these lands. Service providers of all kinds rely upon quality, accurate usage data to make sound decisions and investments in their services. Now imagine if your service was offered across 1900+ different locations, many of which required remote access, and consisted of 20,000km of trails across tens of thousands of hectares of land?   Recreation Sites and Trails BC (formerly BC Forest Service recreation sites and trails) provides numerous recreation opportunities through sound management of public areas on Crown Land. In a recent project, RSTBC partnered with OXD in order to improve their collection and management of visitor use data. Accurate and timely visitor use data informs RSTBC’s operational efforts, recreation investments, and reconciliation efforts.   RSTBC faced challenges with its current visitor use data collection process. The existing approaches were inconsistent across regions and districts, leading to the risk of data loss, duplication, and challenges in accessing reliable data. Without a unified data collection and management framework, it was difficult to consolidate and analyze visitor use trends at district, regional, and provincial levels, creating barriers to informed decision-making for recreation and reconciliation initiatives. RSTBC’s processes differed from those at BC Parks, making it difficult to track and analyze annual recreation visitor use data across all recreation lands managed by the Province of BC. To address these challenges, OXD collaborated with RSTBC to create a robust action plan for establishing an efficient and consistent recreation visitor use statistics process. Our team conducted qualitative research to understand the current state of visitor data... --- ### Deb Mackenzie presents Service Design 101 at Vancouver Service Jam > Our own Deborah MacKenzie, Senior User Experience and Service Designer, gave a Service Design 101 presentation at Vancouver Service Jam 2024. - Published: 2024-03-06 - Modified: 2025-01-28 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/03/06/deb-mackenzie-presents-service-design-101-at-vancouver-service-jam/ - Categories: News OXD was pleased to sponsor the local, energetic, and talent-filled event. Over forty vibrant and enthusiastic participants came together for this year’s Vancouver Service Jam, where “Jammers” from around the world come together to prototype a service. Our own Deborah MacKenzie, Senior User Experience and Service Designer, gave a Service Design 101 presentation. We're thankful we had the opportunity to sponsor and support the local Service Design community. Check out some pictures from the event. Learn how we use Service Design to solve our clients' business problems. --- ### OXD sponsors 2024 Vancouver Service Jam > OXD is pleased to sponsor the Vancouver Service Jam March 1-3, part of the 2024 Global Jam event. Read our post to learn more. - Published: 2024-02-23 - Modified: 2024-02-23 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/02/23/oxd-sponsors-2024-vancouver-service-jam/ - Categories: Events OXD is pleased to sponsor the local Service Jam as part of the 2024 Global Jam event. The Vancouver Service Jam is an event where “Jammers” from around the world spend 48 hours simultaneously prototyping services around a secret global theme. We're happy to support the local Service Design community by sponsoring this learning event. Participants will learn and apply practical Service Design processes and techniques. The local event is March 1-3 and hosted by the Vancouver Service Design Community and Vancouver Design Check In. Our own Deborah MacKenzie, Senior User Experience and Service Designer, will be stopping by to say a few words. A Jam brings together people across design industries to build a functioning prototype. The event is open to anyone interested in service design and customer experience, including designers, students, business analysts, researchers, academics, and customers. Visit the Global Jam website for more information around the themes. Gain insights into how we use Service Design methods in our work. --- ### A guide to celebrating Lunar New Year 2024 in Vancouver > Celebrate Lunar New Year 2024 in Vancouver with OXD's curated list of events, fundraisers, and personal traditions from our staff. - Published: 2024-02-05 - Modified: 2024-04-21 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/02/05/a-guide-to-celebrating-lunar-new-year-2024-in-vancouver/ - Categories: News To help you make the most Lunar New Year 2024, we've curated a list of events, fundraisers, and personal traditions from our staff. The vibrant tapestry of Lunar New Year celebrations in Greater Vancouver reflects the rich cultural mosaic of our community. This festive occasion is observed by various Asian cultures, including but not limited to, China, Korea, and Vietnam. To help you make the most of this festive season, we've curated a list of events, fundraisers, and personal traditions from our staff. Personal traditions from OXD Amanda Chan, Intermediate UX Designer “My family traditions are simple: visiting family, having dinner, and giving ‘New Year’s money’. I love eating sweets and my family makes our own nian gao (年糕), a sticky rice cake. We like using this recipe for a baked version, less traditional but just as tasty. All the food and traditions have meaning, including nian gao, meaning ‘high’ or ‘tall’. This represents a wish for things to get higher or better each year. ” Where to get nian gao: Mardy’s Kitchen, Burnaby T&T Supermarket, Locations around Metro vancouver Maxim’s Bakery and Restaurant, ChinatownOr make your own with these recipes from Emma Choo, @VancouverFoodie or the Baked Coconut Sticky Rice Cake from Christine’s Recipes. Min Ji Choi, Frontend Developer “Celebrating Korean Seollal (설날) for me includes visiting my family and having a traditional meal together. The meal will include Tteokguk (떡국), a rice cake soup, and fresh mandoo (만두) (Korean dumplings) that we make together as a family the same day. When we have larger family gatherings, we play a Korean board game called Yutnori (윷놀이). Here’s a link to a free... --- ### Agile coaching for brand and marketing: UBC partners with OXD to help their teams unlock new ways of working. > Our coaching engagement equipped the UBC brand and marketing team with the expertise to build an innovative design system. - Published: 2024-01-29 - Modified: 2024-01-29 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/01/29/agile-coaching-for-brand-and-marketing-ubc-partners-with-oxd-to-help-their-teams-unlock-new-ways-of-working/ - Categories: News A new Design System becomes the vehicle for cross-team collaboration and innovation. The University of British Columbia's (UBC) world-class Brand and Marketing team (BAM) handles promoting and managing UBC’s brand, and helping the university with design and digital communication services. Over time, this mandate naturally led to the formation of two distinct delivery subteams within BAM—design and digital. However, leaders at BAM understood that, in the digital age, the lines between these disciplines are blurring and collapsing. The roles represented—graphic design, brand management and execution, user experience, and software engineering—needed to work closer together. And what better metaphor for this collaboration than a Design System, where design and development meet? BAM partnered with OXD to help their teams work together on creating a Design System framework. This will better align their various web properties. OXD helped the team create an effective workflow for ideation, collaboration, and decision-making. Simultaneously, they tackled challenges in governance, enhancing staff experience, and improving process efficiency. OXD took a "player-coach" approach, guiding BAM through the adoption of Agile principles. We also helped their designers level up their Figma skills. During this coaching engagement, we uncovered a critical truth: A Design System transcends being merely a tool; it’s an essential component of effective brand management. The initial engagement and coaching has helped our teams come together. UBC BAM team member --- ### Jim Peers a panelist for Testing Trends 2024 > OXD's QA Manager, Jim Peers, was a panelist for “Testing Trends 2024”, an event hosted by the yvrTesting Meetup community. - Published: 2024-01-24 - Modified: 2024-02-22 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/01/24/jim-peers-a-panelist-for-testing-trends-2024/ - Categories: News Quality Assurance Manager Jim Peers, answered questions around the top testing trends for yvrTesting Meetup. On January 23, our QA Manager, Jim Peers, was a panelist for “Testing Trends 2024”, an event hosted by the yvrTesting Meetup community. Jim, along with panelists Snehal Lohar, Karen Nakagawa, and moderated by Mike Hrycyk, had an interactive discussion about what trends are new for this year, and what past trends are showing a resurgence. Topics included: Accessibility in BC: Is this the year when it becomes important? AI and Machine Learning: What’s going to happen with these and testing this year? What are you going to do? DevOps: Is it going to evolve this year? Where are the improvements going to come from? Security: Will life change for your average tester with regards to security? Automation: What’s the new tool that everyone’s going to talk about this year? Project methodology: Any big changes coming? Will it ever change? Training: What topics are on your radar this year? Want to learn more about how we do quality assurance testing at OXD? Read our insight on A Day in the Life of a QA Engineer at OXD. --- ### How collaboration with OXD is transforming BCParks.ca > The Digital Gov BC blog recently featured OXD's research-guided design enhancement work on the BCParks.ca website. - Published: 2024-01-19 - Modified: 2024-04-04 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2024/01/19/how-collaboration-with-oxd-is-transforming-bcparks-ca/ - Categories: News Learn how we helped turn the BCParks.ca website into a user-driven experience. Informed by robust user research, our ongoing work simplifies park discovery and improves trip planning. New features like city search and location radius filters demonstrate the team's dedication to continuous improvement and user-centred design. Check out the full story, and future project updates, on the Digital Gov BC blog. Our continued collaboration with the BC Parks team marks a significant step towards making British Columbia's natural treasures more accessible to everyone. --- ### FortisBC.com gets a comprehensive accessibility review  > OXD performed a comprehensive accessibility review on FortisBC.com, providing them recommendations for improvements and potential fixes. - Published: 2023-12-10 - Modified: 2024-01-10 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/12/10/fortisbc-com-gets-a-comprehensive-accessibility-review/ - Categories: News FortisBC took a significant step towards ensuring digital inclusivity by engaging OXD to conduct a comprehensive accessibility review of their website. The FortisBC. com site underwent a redesign in 2019 which included improvements in adhering to accessibility standards. Since then, some new functionality and a lot of additional content has been added to the site. So, it was time for a thorough accessibility review. In a bid to align with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2. 1 AA standards, OXD worked with FortisBC to help remove barriers and promote digital accessibility for people with disabilities. Website accessibility is a crucial aspect of ensuring that the internet is a platform that caters to all users, irrespective of their physical or cognitive abilities. By making their digital content more accessible, FortisBC aims to reach a wider audience, foster inclusivity, and reduce the risk of potential lawsuits or litigation associated with non-compliance. OXD’s primary objective was to determine whether the current FortisBC. com website adheres to the accessibility requirements laid out in the WCAG 2. 1 AA standards. We did a full site review that involved manual testing, applying accessibility testing tools, and using screen readers. We also conducted a content review that examined reading grade levels, the use of abbreviations, and jargon within their content management system. OXD delivered a comprehensive report to FortisBC with the findings from our review, recommendations for improvements, and estimates for potential fixes. With this information, FortisBC is equipped with the right data and insights to make informed decisions, reduce risk, and shape the future direction for their website. FortisBC is committed to fostering a more accessible... --- ### OXD recognized as Great Place to Work® in Canada > We're thrilled to be certified as a Great Place To Work® in Canada. Check out our people—they're what makes us great! - Published: 2023-11-13 - Modified: 2024-11-15 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/11/13/oxd-recognized-as-great-place-to-work/ - Categories: News We’re thrilled to win the “Great Place to Work®” in Canada certification. We're excited to announce that we've received the Great Place To Work® in Canada certification for companies with under 100 employees. We’re super proud of this recognition, reserved exclusively for organizations that offer the most positive employee experience. And, no surprises here, this certification was only made possible thanks to our amazing team, who bring their A-game to work every day. We're so grateful for their passion, dedication, and all-around awesomeness; they are the reason OXD is a great place to work. The Great Place to Work® Model© defines a great workplace as one where “employees trust the people they work for, have pride in the work they do, and enjoy the people with whom they work”. Visit our careers page to learn more about working at OXD. --- ### OXD hosts GBA+ workshop for BC Gov Design Community meetup > OXD’s service designers are excited to facilitate a GBA+ workshop at the November 30th BC Gov Design Community meetup. - Published: 2023-11-10 - Modified: 2023-11-23 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/11/10/oxd-hosts-gba-workshop-for-bc-gov-design-community-meetup/ - Categories: Events Join Service Designers from OXD for a hands-on workshop on how we can apply GBA+ within our design processes. OXD’s service designers Jacqueline Antalik, Deb MacKenzie, and Amanda Chan are excited to facilitate a virtual GBA+ workshop at the November 30th BC Gov Design Community meetup. GBA+ is an analytical process you can apply to your work to assess how diverse groups of women, men, and non-binary people may experience policies, programs, and services. This is a great opportunity for us and the BC design community to share our wealth of experience, and explore the many ways we can bring GBA+ into our service design work. In this online workshop, we’ll share and learn from others about processes and considerations that help in applying GBA+ during project design phases. We’ll also identify questions for future exploration on how GBA+ can be applied—these may be items that teams need to investigate within their own context, or potential items for the GBA+ community to provide further guidelines on. Who is this workshop for? Anyone interested in designing public services and/or wanting to apply GBA+ to their work, including service designers, UX designers, and researchers, both within and outside the BC Government. The group and events are open to anyone interested in design in the BC Public Service. If you’d like to attend the workshop, please visit this page and email the group organizers to be added, or register using this signup form. --- ### OXD gives Vancouver design students an exclusive studio tour > OXD welcomed 20 students into our creative space, situated in the heart of Gastown, as part of the DesCan 2023 Launch! Student Conference. - Published: 2023-10-20 - Modified: 2024-02-12 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/10/20/oxd-gives-vancouver-design-students-an-exclusive-studio-tour/ - Categories: News Students participating in DesCan’s 2023 Launch! Student Conference visit our Gastown office. On October 20, 2023, OXD welcomed 20 students into our creative space, situated in the heart of Gastown, as part of the Design Professionals of Canada’s (DesCan) 2023 Launch! Student Conference. Students from the University of the Fraser Valley, BCIT, Capilano University IDEA School of Design program, Emily Carr University of Art + Design Communication Design Essentials program, Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Wilson School of Design, and newcomers to Canada looking to get into the industry attended the event. This initiative was aimed at supporting and empowering the next generation of designers. The office tour provided a quick overview of how an end-to-end design and technology agency operates. During the tour, students were able to ask several OXD designers questions about the processes, techniques, and collaborative efforts that drive innovation and creativity in the industry. Deborah MacKenzie, Senior UX Designer at OXD commented, "They were a wonderfully enthusiastic group of students whose interests spanned a lot of different areas under the umbrella of design. " The DesCan Launch! Student Conference, spanning two days, aimed to provide emerging designers with essential knowledge and skills to kickstart their design careers. Beyond the studio tours, students had access to immersive learning experiences, career guidance, and portfolio reviews from industry experts. OXD is dedicated to supporting and inspiring the next generation of designers. --- ### OXD hosts website navigation webinar > Register now to learn about the best practices we use to design website navigation systems in our free webinar. - Published: 2023-09-13 - Modified: 2024-01-08 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/09/13/oxd-hosts-website-navigation-webinar/ - Categories: Events - Tags: webinar Register now and learn about the best practices we use to design website navigation systems. Join us for our webinar "Intro to Website Navigation" on Thursday, October 5 at 9 a. m. PT / 12 p. m. ET. Dave Kachman, Senior User Experience Designer at OXD, will guide us through the best practices we use when designing user-centred navigation systems. Over the course of this informative 45-minute session (30-minutes plus 15-minute Q&A), you’ll learn: The types of navigation that show up on a website Mistakes to avoid when designing your navigation structure How to choose labels and distribute content using the L. A. T. C. H. principles Who should attend this webinar? User experience (UX) designers, developers, visual and graphic designers, project managers, product owners, business analysts, digital marketing professionals, and anyone who wants to understand or help design an exceptional website navigation experience for others. Register now Click this link to be taken to the Intro to Website Navigation webinar registration page. Can’t attend on October 5? Register now and we’ll send you the recording afterwards. --- ### Annual summer picnic at Stanley Park > OXD and ThoughtFarmer staff, family, and even pups got together at Stanley Park for our 2023 annual summer picnic. - Published: 2023-08-26 - Modified: 2023-09-13 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/08/26/annual-summer-picnic-at-stanley-park/ - Categories: News OXD and ThoughtFarmer come together for another fun event! It’s hard to believe it’s already been a year since our last summer picnic at Stanley Park! Our OXD and ThoughtFarmer teams had a blast on August 24, 2023 enjoying delicious food and camaraderie. "Little" Picnic (shown in the photo below) even got to meet "Big" Picnic, aka Lola! Check out some of the pictures from the event. "Picnic" on left and "Lola" on right "Picnic" on left, then "Lola", and "Rosie" in the back "Little Picnic" and "Big Picnic" aka "Lola" We're already looking forward to next summer's event! --- ### Gastown Grand Prix 2023 party at OXD > This year marked our annual Gastown Grand Prix party for 2023. We shared the experience of great food, drinks, and music. - Published: 2023-07-14 - Modified: 2023-09-13 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/07/14/gastown-grand-prix-2023-party-at-oxd/ - Categories: News OXD has been celebrating the Gastown Grand Prix since 2002! Every year since 2002, OXD has celebrated the Gastown Grand Prix with an annual party.  Some of the best views of Vancouver's legendary pro-cycling race are from the second floor of our office on Water Street. It's an enviable spot that was made even better when we shared the experience of great food, drinks, and music with our staff, family, and friends. ThoughtFarmer's very own Jen Gerth even participated in the race on July 12, 2023. From left to right: Haley Gill, Jennifer Gerth, Mikayla Ogrodniczuk and Pamela Troyer --- ### OXD hosts webinar on why QA matters > Learn the fundamentals of creating and managing design systems during our webinar on Thursday, November 24th at 9 a.m. PST / 12 p.m. EST. - Published: 2023-05-23 - Modified: 2024-06-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/05/23/oxd-hosts-webinar-on-why-qa-matters/ - Categories: News join us as we dive into why Quality Assurance is critical to delivering high quality software products. Join us for our webinar "QA Matters: Why quality assurance is critical to delivering high quality software products" on Thursday, May 18 at 9 a. m. PT / 12 p. m. ET. Jim Peers, QA Manager at OXD will guide us through how we use quality assurance testing to ensure the success of our digital products for our clients, while creating an accessible and secure experience for their users. Over the course of this informative 45-minute session (30-minutes plus 15-minute Q&A), you’ll learn: How QA can supercharge your software development efficiency How QA testing helps deliver high-quality, secure, and accessible software to clients and the broadest range of users How QA as part of your long-term strategy can maximize cost savings while reducing software risks Who should attend this webinar? Frontend developers, user experience designers, project managers, product owners, business analysts, and anyone who wants to deliver an exceptional digital product. Access the webinar *Note, this webinar was held live and recorded on May 18, 2023. Jim Peers is now retired. --- ### OXD and ThoughtFarmer unite for a night of celebration at our annual company party > Laughter, great food, and even dancing neon lights filled the room where staff from across the country gathered to party the night away. - Published: 2023-05-23 - Modified: 2023-05-23 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/05/23/oxd-and-thoughtfarmer-unite-for-a-night-of-celebration-at-our-annual-company-party/ - Categories: Events, News Laughter, great food, and even dancing neon lights filled The Roof at the sparkling Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, where staff from across the country gathered to party the night away. The annual company party is always a highly anticipated event for OXD and ThoughtFarmer staff, and this year was no exception. On April 28, 2023 the view from The Roof banquet room at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver did not disappoint. The evening was filled with excitement and celebration, as employees gathered to reflect on another year of working with great people and success. From the delicious food to the lively music and even a dress-up photo booth, everyone had a fantastic time creating new memories and letting loose. OXD and ThoughtFarmer have seen tremendous success over the years. This can be attributed to the shared commitment to craft, the drive to solve hard problems, and the focus on empowering people with technology. However, none of this would have been possible without the amazing people who make up our companies. As the night came to an end, everyone raised their glasses to toast to the past year and look forward to the future. It was a night to remember, and one that will surely be talked about for years to come. Be sure to check out some photos from the night and see for yourself just how much fun we had! --- ### OXD joins expert panel for Goldman School of Public Policy webinar series > On May 7th, we joined a discussion on the implementation of Agile methodologies in government to enhance inclusion and innovation. - Published: 2023-05-09 - Modified: 2023-05-09 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/05/09/oxd-joins-expert-panel-for-goldman-school-of-public-policy-webinar-series/ - Categories: News The discussion on the implementation of Agile methodologies in government to enhance inclusion and innovation was an enlightening and motivating experience. The discussion on the implementation of Agile methodologies in government to enhance inclusion and innovation was an enlightening and motivating experience. It was exciting to be part of the “Agile Government: Innovation and Inclusion In Public Management” webinar because we’d been specifically invited to share our experience on adopting Agile methodologies to promote anti-racism and inclusion in our work and workplace. Our article on this topic had caught the attention of the organizer, Larry Rosenthal, from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and we were grateful to be able to continue the conversation on May 4, 2023. The panel was moderated by Larry and featured panelists Jacqueline Antalik and Deborah McKenzie from OXD, Christopher 'CP' Richardson of Agile in Color Inc. , and Professor Andrea Headley of the McCourt School at Georgetown. The series of virtual webinars on government, innovation, and inclusion in public policy are free and open to the public. Left to right: Jacqueline Antalik, Professor Andrea Headley, Deborah McKenzie, Christopher 'CP' Richardson and Larry Rosenthal. “I leave the conversation today stimulated and optimistic about where we can take things from here, with the vision and leadership of inspiring colleagues like you. ” Larry A. Rosenthal, Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is an important aspect of our work. We strive to be transparent in our efforts, which helps keep us accountable. Our leadership team is committed to providing an inclusive... --- ### We’re participating in the Vancouver Sun Run… again! > The Vancouver Sun Run is one of OXD’s longest-standing employee events—we’ve been running it since 1999! Will we see you there? - Published: 2023-04-12 - Modified: 2023-04-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/04/12/were-participating-in-the-vancouver-sun-run-again/ - Categories: News Did you know OXD and ThoughtFarmer have been hitting the pavement for 24 years now? The Vancouver Sun Run is one of OXD’s longest-standing employee events—we’ve been running it since 1999! This year will be our 24th year participating in the 10-kilometre race on Sunday, April 16, 2023. The Sun Run mission is to be Canada’s leading and most influential 10k race, inspiring healthy, active lifestyles for people of all ages and at any fitness level year-over-year by offering fun and accessible community-based running/walking event and programs in BC. ” vancouversunrun. com Check out some of photos from OXD staff participating in the 2004 Sun Run. Gordon Ross Susan Gibbons and Darren Gibbons Lawrence Chan Will we see you on the pavement? --- ### BC Parks wins Best Public Sector Experience at VanUX Awards > OXD is honoured to be part of the extended digital service transformation team at BC Parks, providing strategic direction, UX, read more... - Published: 2023-04-05 - Modified: 2023-04-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/04/05/bc-parks-wins-best-public-sector-experience-at-vanux-awards/ - Categories: News BC Parks is recognized for their ongoing digital transformation work with the redesign and implementation of the camping reservation system and day-use pass digital service. OXD is honoured to have been part of the extended BC Parks team that has won the 2023 VanUX Award for Best Public Sector Experience. BC Parks submitted for their ongoing digital transformation work, including the redesign and implementation of the new camping reservation system, a new BCParks. ca, and the day-use pass digital service. OXD has worked in partnership with the digital service transformation team at BC Parks since 2021, providing strategic direction, leadership and coaching, project management, as well as user research, UX design, content strategy, product development, and quality assurance (QA). The 9th Annual Vancouver User Experience Awards took place March 29, 2023 in front of a packed house at the Hollywood Theatre in Vancouver. OXD are proud sponsors and community supporters of the event, having hosted and organized past editions of the award show. OXD VP Gordon Ross was the 2023 Jury Chair, convening the judging of the eight award categories: Best Digital Product Experience Best Student Experience Best Retail or E-Commerce Experience Best Content Experience Best Non Profit Experience Best Public Sector Experience Best Interactive Experience Jury’s Award for Best Overall UX --- ### Research support from OXD bolsters BC’s Climate Action Plan > Discovery research and a service design approach ensured the strategy we developed for BC's Climate Action Plan was rooted in user needs. - Published: 2023-03-31 - Modified: 2023-11-02 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/03/31/research-support-from-oxd-bolsters-bcs-climate-action-plan/ - Categories: News In British Columbia, the Climate Action Secretariat (CAS) and Emergency Management and Climate Resilience (EMCR) partnered on resilience research, with OXD guiding the analysis of data usage across sectors. In British Columbia, the Climate Action Secretariat (CAS) and Emergency Management and Climate Resilience (EMCR) partnered on resilience research, with OXD guiding the analysis of data usage across sectors. BC's climate strategy for 2022-2025 BC's Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy (CPAS) outlines actions to address climate impacts and build resilience throughout the province. Supporting the Province’s vision CAS identifies government sectors proactively addressing climate adaptation. While EMCR focuses on natural hazard risk reduction, the distinct data applications by both entities highlighted the necessity for collaboration. Their united aim? Developing an effective future data strategy. OXD’s expertise and team Before rolling out a formal data strategy, CAS and EMCR turned to OXD. Their objective was to comprehend the diverse facets of climate adaptation data—its context, sources, and users. Using a service design approach, we supported the initial discovery research to understand the needs and uses for this data to make risk-based decisions from the perspectives of the Ministries, their partners in local government, climate organizations, and the private sector. As part of our analysis, we also identified challenges in accessing data and opportunities that could be addressed through a data strategy. This work is foundational to designing a future cross-government data strategy. The project team included staff from CAS Climate Risk Management, service designers from the Service Transformation Branch, and OXD. A three-phased approach The project unfolded in three stages: Alignment and planning: Define the problem, set goals, and pinpoint key data users. Discovery research: Conduct user research, synthesize findings, and... --- ### Gordon Ross Jury Chair for VanUX Awards 2023 > OXD VP Gordon Ross will be the Jury Chair, convening the judging of the eight award categories, for 9th Annual VanUX 2023 Awards. - Published: 2023-03-14 - Modified: 2023-04-03 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/03/14/gordon-ross-a-juror-for-vanux-awards-2023/ - Categories: News OXD and the Vancouver UX Awards are excited to have Gord as the 2023 Jury Chair for 2023. The 9th Annual Vancouver User Experience Awards is March 29, 2023 at the Hollywood Theatre in Vancouver. OXD are proud sponsors and community supporters of the event, having hosted and organized past editions of the award show. OXD VP Gordon Ross will be the 2023 Jury Chair, convening the judging of the eight award categories:  Best Digital Product Experience Best Student Experience Best Retail or E-Commerce Experience Best Content Experience Best Non Profit Experience Best Public Sector Experience Best Interactive Experience Jury’s Award for Best Overall UX OXD co-founded the Vancouver User Experience (VanUE) meetup in 2004 and still actively supports the group and the VanUX awards. We’re looking forward to seeing the amazing work from organizations in Vancouver at year’s event. --- ### Building team unity with a fun night out for OXD and ThoughtFarmer staff > OXD and ThoughtFarmer staff explored the beginner basics of printmaking at Luminous Elephant in Vancouver. - Published: 2023-02-27 - Modified: 2023-02-28 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/02/27/building-team-unity-with-a-fun-night-out-for-oxd-and-thoughtfarmer-staff/ - Categories: News We brought a little colour into our lives with a beginner’s printmaking class. We had a blast at Luminous Elephant for a one-night printmaking class!   OXD and ThoughtFarmer staff explored the beginner basics of printmaking by learning to transfer a sketch, carve, and then print their own piece on Lino using watercolour printing inks. While many of us opted to draw flowers (maybe to summon Spring to come? ), others chose gnomes and chevron patterns. Some of us played it safe with one colour, while others mixed it up with ombre and experimental mixes. Pizza was eaten and laughs were had all around. Check out some of the beautiful prints we made! “Printmaking is something I've always wanted to try! It was a fun time hanging out and experimenting with a new craft. ”Amanda Chan “With most of my creative outlet being on a computer, I jumped at the chance to make something with my hands. And as I work remotely, it gave me the opportunity to see some faces I haven’t seen in person in a long time, and meet some new ones! It was such a fun event. ”Kaitie Bakker --- ### Enhancing outdoor adventures: BC Parks and OXD relaunch BCParks.ca > The revamped BCParks.ca website is now live thanks to the collaborative, user-centred effort between BC Parks and OXD.  - Published: 2023-02-10 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/02/10/enhancing-outdoor-adventures-bc-parks-and-oxd-relaunch-bcparks-ca/ - Categories: News A user-friendly BC Parks website creates more happy campers. Outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers in British Columbia (BC) have a reason to celebrate: the newly revamped BCParks. ca website is now live thanks to the collaborative effort between BC Parks and OXD. BC Parks embarked on the website redesign project to enhance the accessibility and enjoyment of BC’s incredible natural landscapes. OXD was tasked with helping transition the BC Parks website from a beta version to a fully functional production site. This required a significant content migration and website cutover effort before the official launch. Working closely with the BC Parks Information Services team, our User Experience (UX) team guided the audit and transfer of thousands of content pages. Our developers refined the site's architecture, employing automated processes to efficiently migrate valuable content. This collaborative effort ensured a seamless transition from beta to the live version. The previous content management system (CMS) posed functional and usability challenges for the BC Parks team, complicating content updates. In response, we enhanced the CMS and staff portal's user experience and streamlined the process for updating site content. Swift updates are crucial for maintaining the site's relevance, trustworthiness, and accuracy. Thanks to our integrated team's meticulous planning and execution, the BC Parks website launched successfully, just in time for the 2023 camping season. The improved CMS now offers a better digital experience, enabling users to easily access information on parks, trails, and camping opportunities. Our commitment to enhancing the BCParks. ca website continues. In partnership with BC Parks's developers and operational staff, our... --- ### Gordon Ross invited to speak at Ministry of Attorney General Legal Services Branch > Legal Services Branch of Ministry of Attorney General asks Gordon Ross to present an intro to using human-centred design methods in justice. - Published: 2023-01-26 - Modified: 2024-01-08 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/01/26/gordon-ross-invited-to-speak-at-ministry-of-attorney-general-legal-services-branch/ - Categories: Events, News Gord will provide an introduction to the use of human-centred design methods in justice and how it’s applied by BC’s own Ministry of Attorney General. Gordon Ross, Vice President and Partner at OXD, has been invited to present an introduction to the use of design methods in justice on February 7, 2023. He’ll provide perspectives on public sector innovation and the role design can play, as well as concrete examples of how the theory and practice of design is applied. I’m excited to share the work we’ve done with British Columbia’s own Ministry of Attorney General with this group of the legal services branch. Gordon Ross Gord will also share resources (authors, organizations, journals, and books) for participants to further explore, and connections to those within public service in BC who have made design part of their operations. --- ### Gordon Ross presents to University of Victoria law students on designing for justice > Gordon Ross shares our experiences in designing for justice with projects like the BC Online Divorce Assistant​ to UVic law students. - Published: 2023-01-17 - Modified: 2023-09-11 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/01/17/gordon-ross-presents-to-university-of-victoria-law-students-on-designing-for-justice-3/ - Categories: News Gordon shares insights into our 20-plus years of practice in human-centred legal design through work done on BC's Online Divorce Assistant. The UVic Law 325, ‘Access to Justice: Designing Change in the Legal Sector’ course confronts the fact of diminishing access to justice and responds with proactive, problem-solving, and human-centred approaches. The aim is to provide both theoretical and practical frameworks and methods to help students recognize, understand, and respond to access to justice issues. The course is taught by Professor Robert Lapper, QC who is the Lam Chair in Law and Public Policy at University of Victoria. Gord will present to students on January 17, 2023. Sharing our experiences in designing for justice with projects like the BC Online Divorce Assistant is one of the ways OXD supports access to justice initiatives. Our work with the Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia on this project helped provide fair and equitable access to justice through Agile development and citizen-centred design.   We’d be happy to speak about our experience at your next event or initiative. Please contact us to learn more. --- ### Celebrating Lunar New Year in Vancouver 2023 > Ways to celebrate Lunar New Year in Vancouver by enjoying local festivities, learning about traditions, and eating our way into 2023. - Published: 2023-01-13 - Modified: 2024-01-08 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2023/01/13/celebrating-lunar-new-year-in-vancouver-2023/ - Categories: News We’ve put together a few ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year by enjoying local festivities, learning about traditions, and of course, eating our way in 2023. It’s time to get festive! It’s the year of the Rabbit (兔), the fourth year in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle. The rabbit is the luckiest of all the zodiac animals (but maybe don’t spend all your money on lottery tickets just yet! ) To help celebrate the Lunar New Year (also Chinese New Year) that starts on January 22, we’ve put together a few ways for Vancouver area residents to enjoy local festivities, learn about traditions, and of course, eat their way into 2023. How to celebrate Chinatown New Year Parade The Lunar New Year is a big part of Vancouver’s culture and history. The first Chinese New Year Parade in Vancouver was held in Chinatown in 1973, and it’s now an annual tradition organized by the Chinese Cultural Centre. After a two-year hiatus, the 48th Vancouver Chinatown Celebration returns and will be held on January 22. The festivities include family-friendly activities, live entertainment, cultural dance troupes, marching bands, martial arts performances, and traditional lion dance teams. Want to get involved? Local organization S. U. C. C. E. S. S. is in need of 200 parade day volunteers. LunarFest Lunarfest Vancouver celebrations will be held January 21-22 at šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square (Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza). You can also join LunarFest at the Ocean Art Works pavilion for workshops and exhibitions, crafts, music, and performances from the diverse communities that make up Vancouver. Find a list of all the LunarFest events and dates on their website. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen... --- ### Now you can use the same checklist we do to make sure web applications are secure > Download our free checklist and get access to the same tools OXD uses to secure website applications for our clients. - Published: 2022-12-18 - Modified: 2024-03-14 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/12/18/now-you-can-use-the-same-checklist-we-do-to-make-sure-web-applications-are-secure/ - Categories: News Learn the steps OXD uses to ensure clients have a successful content migration in their new website project. Get an insider's view of the step-by-step process OXD uses to evaluate the security of our projects. Our Web Application Security Testing Checklist includes valuable resources and steps you can take to ensure the security of your website or web application.   In this checklist, you’ll find: standard OWASP Top 10 Web Application Security Risks, resources from PortSwigger, a well known web security company, and avenues to address potential security risks within a project. Download our free checklist We’ve used these same tools to validate the security of projects for our clients, including the Government of Alberta and Honeywell. Get access to the same step-by-step process we use at OXD with our free guide. --- ### OXD hosts webinar on design systems > Learn the fundamentals of creating and managing design systems during our webinar on Thursday, November 24th at 9 a.m. PST / 12 p.m. EST. - Published: 2022-11-15 - Modified: 2023-01-13 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/11/15/oxd-hosts-webinar-on-design-systems/ - Categories: Events Join us as we dive into the fundamentals of a design system. Join us for our Design Systems 101 webinar on Thursday, November 24th at 9 a. m. PST / 12 p. m. EST where James Byun, Lead Designer at OXD will take us through what a design system is and the benefits of using one. Over the course of this informative 45-minute session, you'll learn: an understanding of a design system and its various governance and maturity models how we created a design system with the Alberta DDI team, and how their various project teams use and maintain it how different design teams working with design systems can collaborate to ensure project success Who should attend this webinar? UX designers, UI designers, students, organizations with a nascent or basic design system or that want to build one, or anyone who wants to learn more about design systems in general. Access the webinar *Note, this webinar was held live and recorded on November 24, 2022. --- ### British Columbia’s vaccine submission tool becomes more robust > The vaccine submission tool means an expanded digital service that further improves health services for British Columbians. - Published: 2022-11-08 - Modified: 2022-11-11 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/11/08/british-columbias-vaccine-submission-tool-becomes-more-robust/ - Categories: News An expanded digital service that further improves health services for British Columbians. During the pandemic, the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) of BC launched an online service that allowed British Columbians to update their COVID-19 vaccination records, or to submit COVID-19 vaccines received outside of BC. This tool was an important ally in the Provincial immunization plan. And due to its success, it revealed the additional need for BC residents and health care workers to be able to upload and keep track of any vaccine they'd received. Working cross-functionally in an agile fashion with the PHSA team, we developed new user flows based on all possible scenarios vaccinated people might take. We worked closely with their data specialists and business analysts to simplify and align the form fields to what people using the tool needed. In collaboration with the Government Digital Experience (GDX) Content Design Team, we ensured the updated tool matched content and design across government websites. Using this information, we created design resources to capture requirements for the high-fidelity wireframes we built. We developed clickable wireframes for us to use to facilitate remote usability testing with people who used the digital service. After we completed usability testing, we updated the wireframes to include the feedback and needs of the users. The updated wireframes were used by PHSA’s internal development team to build and launch the online tool based on our findings. Screen example of the high-fidelity wireframe of the BC vaccine submission tool People in BC can use Health Gateway to see their immunizations from the Provincial Immunization Registry. If... --- ### Gordon Ross on Insights Panel at Civic Design 2022 > Join Gordon Ross and other panelists at Civic Design 2022 as they reflect on insights emerging from the themes of the three-day conference.  - Published: 2022-11-04 - Modified: 2024-05-22 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/11/04/gordon-ross-joins-insights-panel-at-civic-design-2022/ - Categories: Events Join Gordon Ross and other panelists as they reflect on key insights emerging from the themes of the three-day conference. Join Gordon Ross and other panelists as they reflect on key insights from themes of the Civic Design 2022 three-day conference.   We’re pleased to announce that Gordon Ross joins the Insights Panel on day three of the Rosenfeld Media Civic Design 2022 conference. The virtual conference is November 16-18, 2022 and is for people who work in the intersection of design and the public sector. The event will explore one theme each day: Day one: The Decade Cycle: 10 Years Back, 10 Years Forward What have we learned from the last 10 years? And what do the next 10 look like? How do we continue to break down silos and institutionalize design? Day two—Power Structures: Shifting How and By Whom Design Gets Done How do civic designers navigate within their own organizations, communities, and field of practice to know when to employ the right methods? Where does design provide craft that is different from other types of expertise? Day three—Physical Environments: Interactions Beyond Screens We’ll examine the innovative strategies, tools, and technologies designers employ to pursue equitable, inclusive, and connected public spaces. Gord and fellow panelists Sarah Auslander and George Aye, will discuss these themes with the presenters at the conference, reflecting on key insights that have emerged while posing critical questions to carry forward into the future. Join Gord on November 18 for the virtual panel at Civic Design 2022. Use his discount code “ross-cd2022” for a $75 discount on a regular priced conference ticket. --- ### Wil Arndt presents at the 2022 Seattle Interactive conference > Creative Director Wil Arndt, explores the concept of branding in the age of UX at the 2022 Seattle Interactive conference. - Published: 2022-10-20 - Modified: 2022-11-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/10/20/wil-arndt-presents-at-the-2022-seattle-interactive-conference/ - Categories: Events Creative Director Wil Arndt, explores the concept of branding in the age of UX at the 2022 Seattle Interactive conference. Creative Director Wil Arndt, explores the concept of branding in the age of UX OXD’s Creative Director Wil Arndt will present “Converge—Branding in the age of UX” at the 2022 Seattle Interactive conference. Branding and identity can be frustratingly subjective. Wil shows how he and his team employed user experience methods—some established, some less traditional—to bring logic to a very emotional naming and rebranding process, whittle 3,839 potential names down to 1, and get everyone to agree and even love the result. Anyone who works in strategy, branding, marketing, graphic design, research, user experience and all the possible overlaps of each will walk away with a tool kit of methods and approaches they can use to uncover insights, improve consensus, and harvest creative ideas from disparate groups. Join Wil on Tuesday, October 25th as he explores branding in the age of UX. The 2022 Seattle Interactive Conference (SIC) is for all creatives and marketers to come together to celebrate “diverse ideas at the intersection of creativity, commerce and culture”. Learn more about the Seattle Interactive Conference. --- ### BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food improves weather monitoring tools for farmers > OXD worked with the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food to improve digital weather monitoring services for BC farmers. - Published: 2022-10-13 - Modified: 2022-11-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/10/13/bc-ministry-of-agriculture-and-food-improves-weather-monitoring-tools-for-farmers/ - Categories: News OXD worked with the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food to improve digital weather monitoring services for BC farmers. OXD worked with the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food to improve digital weather monitoring services for BC farmers. The existing online Agricultural Irrigation Scheduling Calculator helps farmers plan when, how long, and how much to irrigate their crops. Many farmers find this desktop tool hard to use. Since the launch of the calculator, the Ministry has learned that farmers have varying and evolving needs for weathering monitoring tools. Using service design methods, our User Experience team worked together with the Ministry to uncover opportunities to better serve the needs of BC farmers. The information collected was used to build a mobile prototype that farmers could use during virtual usability testing. The interactive prototype incorporated feedback from the farmers, including simplified dashboards highlighting critical data, an easier-to-navigate layout, and more educational support resources. Building a digital prototype informed by user-research gave the Ministry of Agriculture and Food a more accurate picture of farmers’ needs. In the future, an improved digital weather monitoring tool will make farming decisions easier for all BC farmers. --- ### OXD hosts mapping webinar > Deb MacKenzie, Senior UX Designer/Service Designer at OXD presents "Solving complex problems with mapping" webinar. - Published: 2022-09-28 - Modified: 2023-01-13 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/09/28/oxd-hosts-mapping-webinar/ - Categories: Events - Tags: mapping, webinar Join us as we dive into the many journeys mapped throughout our work with the BC COVID-19 immunization project. Join presenter Deborah MacKenzie, Senior UX Designer/Service Designer at OXD, and host Wil Arndt, Creative Director at OXD on Thursday, October 20 at 9 a. m. PST for our "Solving complex problems with mapping" webinar. Deb will walk us through solving the complex problem of creating a COVID-19 immunization plan for BC. Over the course of this informative 45 minute session, you'll learn how we: Achieved coherence and consensus across teams, and identified issues that required leadership decisions Connected the journeys and needs of users to the functionality of an existing product Identified gaps in the current service, and prioritized opportunities within an extremely limited timeframe Who should attend our mapping webinar? People involved in program or product delivery who want to identify gaps in their delivery process and validate requirements through a more user-centred process. Access the webinar *Note, this webinar was held live and recorded on October 20, 2022. --- ### Wil Arndt hosts intranet redesign webinar for IntraTeam > OXD Creative Director Wil Arndt to deliver webinar on intranet redesign as part of the IntraTeam networking group membership. Register now. - Published: 2022-09-25 - Modified: 2022-09-28 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/09/25/wil-arndt-hosts-intranet-redesign-webinar-for-intrateam/ - Categories: Events - Tags: design, intranet, redesign, webinar Creative Director Wil Arndt, shares the story of redesigning the OXD and ThoughtFarmer shared intranet, step-by-step. Our Creative Director Wil Arndt has been invited to deliver “Extreme Makeover: Intranet Edition”, where he breaks down our intranet redesign process, as part of the IntraTeam series of networking webinars. An internal design project can be a challenging task—particularly when you have an entire company of stakeholders to consider. Who needs to be consulted? How do you collect the right feedback? And—most challenging of all—how do you transform that feedback into tangible action? Join Wil October 3, 2022 at 2:30 p. m. PST as he breaks down the redesign journey of the OXD and ThoughtFarmer shared intranet. Key takeaways: Simple design tips for internal landing pagesWhy and how to use survey dataHow to get employee input and feedback in the redesign processHow to get strategic with layout choices Based in Denmark, IntraTeam supports the developing and optimizing of intranets, and the digitization of internal and external platforms. Learn more about IntraTeam and to register for the webinar. --- ### OXD collaborates with OPEN Technologies to enable the construction of more affordable housing across Canada > The Affordable Housing Navigator streamlines energy modeling, decision-making, and funding for non-profit affordable housing developers. - Published: 2022-09-22 - Modified: 2024-05-22 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/09/22/oxd-collaborates-with-open-technologies-to-enable-the-construction-of-more-affordable-housing-across-canada/ - Categories: News The Affordable Housing Navigator streamlines energy modelling, decision-making, and funding for non-profit affordable housing developers. In a pivotal step towards modernizing affordable housing, OPEN Technologies and OXD partnered to design the Affordable Housing Navigator tool, offering better functionality to meet the project planning needs of housing developers. The digital tool helps non-profit developers make informed choices for comfortable, high-performance, aand affordable homes by guiding them through sustainable and practical design options. OPEN Technologies initially focused on adapting the tool for British Columbia and Ontario during its Proof of Concept phase. OXD later partnered with them to expand the tool's reach to developers across all of Canada. Our expertise in user experience helped define a clear minimum viable product (MVP) by refining the application's scope and identifying essential features and functionalities. Through mapping workshops, the OXD team outlined user journeys and key features necessary for both the MVP and future iterations of the application. This collaborative process led to the development of the MVP and the formulation of a user story backlog for ongoing and future enhancements. The Affordable Housing Navigator tool empowers non-profit housing developers to identify cost-effective design strategies that meet the rigorous performance standards set by regulators and funders. The user-centered research conducted by the OXD and OPEN Technologies team of experts equips non-profit housing developers with the knowledge and tools needed to better understand and achieve their affordability goals, ultimately leading to the approval and construction of more affordable housing in our communities. --- ### Honouring Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2022 > We've put together resources on how our staff and community can honour Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2022. - Published: 2022-09-13 - Modified: 2025-02-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/09/13/honouring-canadas-national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation-2022/ - Categories: News We’re encouraging our staff and community to take time to recognize the tragedies incurred from residential schools, the missing children, and the survivors. In observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 30th, 2022 is a statutory holiday at OXD. This date coincides with Orange Shirt Day, commemorating Indigenous children forced to leave their families to attend residential schools. We’re encouraging our staff and community to take time to recognize the tragedies incurred from residential schools, the missing children, and the survivors. Ways to honour National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in 2022 Take some time to read or listen. Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action Report. Read our article on understanding society’s role in reconciliation. Read a book about Indigenous history or by an Indigenous author. There are many fantastic books, here are just a few we recommend:  21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act, by Bob Joseph Our Story, by various authors A Mind Spread Out on the Ground, Alicia Elliott Or, check out the lists from Massey Books Listen to The road to reconciliation on CBC’s The Sunday Magazine with Piya Chattopadhyay. Listen to The Truth Sharing Podcasts. A project inspired by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, that gives life to the truth and creates a living legacy of commemoration. Enrol in an educational course. The Indigenous Relations Society offers self-guided online courses. The University of British Columbia (UBC) is offering Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education, a 6-Week Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). The University of Alberta has a free online and self-guided 12-week Indigenous... --- ### Get peace of mind with these cloud migration strategies from OXD > Get access to OXD's free Cloud Migration Checklist that shares guidelines to use as a foundation for planning a cloud migration. - Published: 2022-08-26 - Modified: 2023-01-26 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/08/26/get-peace-of-mind-with-these-cloud-migration-strategies-from-oxd/ - Categories: News If you're not sure where to start, use our set of guidelines as a foundation for planning a cloud migration. OXD helps clients determine the best cloud migration strategies, then tailors the approach based on their needs. Though we do use a general set of guidelines as a foundation for planning a cloud migration, which we've included in our free checklist. This checklist is for project managers, product owners, or IT departments who have some understanding of cloud computing basics and are starting to think about migrating their existing applications to the cloud. Download our free checklist Get peace of mind with these cloud migration strategies from OXD. --- ### OXD shares website planning process in downloadable guide > Learn the steps we use in planning and executing a successful website project with our clients. Download our free website planning guide. - Published: 2022-07-13 - Modified: 2023-02-17 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/07/13/oxd-shares-website-planning-process-in-downloadable-guide/ - Categories: News Learn the steps involved in planning and executing a successful website project. At OXD, we often get questions from clients around pricing, timelines, and technologies. “How much would this new website cost? ” “Can you get it built by a certain date? ” “Which CMS should we use? ” As with most critical business investments, the answer is “It depends... ” The more information you have about the factors that impact the type of website project you have, the better equipped you—and your website design partner—will be to answer those important questions early on. That’s why we created the Website Planning Guide. It’s helped potential clients understand the nature of their website project—from Simple to Complex—and it can help you too. In it, you’ll learn the different project approaches and the various methods OXD uses to ensure that your website is built with performance and business value in mind. Planning your next website project doesn’t have to be frustrating. Download our free Website Planning Guide. --- ### Our “aha!” moments from the DesignThinkers 2022 conference > Caitlin, James, Lisa, and Wil Arndt share what made us go “aha!”, “hmm”, or “yes!” from the lineup of amazing presenters at DesignThinkers. - Published: 2022-06-13 - Modified: 2023-02-17 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/06/13/our-aha-moments-from-the-designthinkers-2022-conference/ - Categories: News OXD colleagues share their personal takeaways from RGD’s DesignThinkers VAN 2022. Caitlin Aboud, James Byun, Lisa Farmer, and Wil Arndt were at this year’s DesignThinkers VAN conference, and we’re ready to share what made us go “aha! ”, “hmm”, or “yes! ” from the lineup of amazing presenters. Caitlin AboudDesigner Diversity and inclusivity are not interchangeable I had an “aha! ” moment when speaker Tammy Tsang reminded us that “Diversity does not mean inclusivity” in her “Developing a Critical Lens for Inclusive Design” talk. Often, the two words are used interchangeably, but they shouldn’t be. For example, if a marketing campaign includes a diverse group of people, it does not mean that it is inherently inclusive. If we only consider diversity but not inclusivity, then it can easily become tokenism. For example, when organizations hire specific groups of people in order to appear more “inclusive” to avoid criticism. I found this incredibly eye-opening because sometimes we think we are doing enough to be inclusive when in reality, our actions could be producing the opposite effect. Being inclusive means having accurate representations of your demographic, consulting with minority groups through research and exploration, and not treating it as a trend. James ByunLead Designer Flexing all the senses I was doing a lot of “hmm-ing” at this event—I like to attend conferences with the intent of answering two main questions.   1. What can I adopt into my own processes? I walked away with a feeling that being physically present in a room with many other talented people creates an intangible benefit. This may... --- ### OXD Creative Director Wil Arndt a judge for GDC/BC’s Salazar Awards > OXD Creative Director Wil Arndt helps choose winner for The Salazar Award, presented by Graphic Designers of Canada’s (GDC). - Published: 2022-05-27 - Modified: 2023-01-23 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/05/27/oxd-creative-director-wil-arndt-a-judge-for-gdc-bcs-salazar-award/ - Categories: News Wil Arndt, OXD Creative Director joins a prestigious panel of judges for the BC Chapter of The Society of Graphic Designers of Canada student award show. The Salazar Award OXD Creative Director Wil Arndt has been invited to judge the student submissions for The Salazar Award, presented by Design Professionals of Canada (DesCan), formerly Graphic Designers of Canada. The Salazar Award is presented annually by GDC/BC and founding sponsor Metropolitan Fine Printers. All GDC/BC design students are invited to submit work in branding, interactive, motion, and print categories. The judging committee is composed of GDC professionals who will select the talented winning student designs based on the overall quality and clarity of the work. It’s a huge honour to support this awards event as a judge. The calibre of work that this talented next generation of designers has demonstrated leaves me humbled and inspired, and I can’t wait for the world to see what BC designers are capable of! ” Wil Arndt, Creative Director, OXD The Design Professionals of Canada states they are committed to leading, supporting, and advancing professional design communications in Canada. They are a membership-based community throughout Canada who have been establishing standards for design professionals since 1956. Visit the Design Professionals of Canada website to learn more. --- ### We’re celebrating Asian Heritage Month 2022 in Vancouver! > Read the story of S.U.C.C.E.S.S., find ways to celebrate Asian Heritage Month 2022, and check out our staff's favourite Asian foods. - Published: 2022-05-13 - Modified: 2023-02-17 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/05/13/asian-heritage-month-2022/ - Categories: News Read the story of S.U.C.C.E.S.S., find ways to celebrate around Vancouver, and find out what some of our staff's favourite Asian foods are! In honour of Asian Heritage Month 2022, we’re pleased to share the story of our Gastown neighbour S. U. C. C. E. S. S. , a social services organization supporting those embarking on their Canadian journey. Based in Chinatown, they are one of British Columbia's largest nonprofits. We've also updated our ever-popular list of festivities and delicious Asian food favourites shared by our staff. The power of coming together S. U. C. C. E. S. S. The mission of S. U. C. C. E. S. S. is to empower people of different diversities to realize and achieve their goals. Their programs support the human need—and right—for a sense of belonging, wellness, and independence. Given the unfortunate rise in anti-Asian crimes across BC, it’s a priority more than ever for S. U. C. C. E. S. S. to bring awareness to the many ways in which Asians have enriched Vancouver. The organization has been integral in advancing anti-racism solutions with governments. Source: S. U. C. C. E. S. S. 2020/2021 Annual Report Our organization is proud to stand against racism and hate crimes in our communities, and across Canada. If we don’t take a stand, and hold our heads high, these events will spiral downward. We must learn to live harmoniously while respecting and sharing the values of one another. ” Queenie Choo, CEO at S. U. C. C. E. S. S. When COVID-19 hit, the organization pivoted their services to address emerging and evolving needs. Through more funding, they have... --- ### OXD staff donate their time and skills for Design Day for GOOD > Volunteers from OXD support Okanagan-based non-profits with new and revamped design and marketing materials. - Published: 2022-05-11 - Modified: 2024-09-30 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/05/11/design-day-for-good-gets-support-from-oxd-staff/ - Categories: News OXD team members support Okanagan-based non-profits with new and revamped design and marketing materials. Caitlin Aboud, Lilian Leung, Lisa Farmer, and Tyrel Narciso volunteered at Design Day for GOOD 2022. This one-day event is a collaborative initiative composed of design, marketing, and digital professionals organized by Cyan Bold Design and hosted by Staples Studio Kelowna, in partnership with the Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC) BC Chapter, now Design Professionals of Canada (DesCan). Volunteer teams get partnered with a local non-profit organization and work together to create multiple pieces to support their cause. The OXD team of volunteers partnered with Ethos Society for Sustainable Living, a non-profit that helps people in Kelowna who have disadvantages find a forever home, while promoting creativity, self-growth, and acceptance. Together, we redesigned and rewrote their existing brochure, refreshed their logo and typography, got them set up on Instagram, and drafted a letter for fundraising opportunities. Check out some of the final assets. Brochure created by OXD volunteers for Ethos Society for Sustainable Living As first-time participants, the OXD team was able to engage Ethos in the design process through creative presentation approaches not seen in previous Design Day for GOOD events. OXD’s commitment to the cause shone through with their meticulous process for content creation. You showed the value of having a seasoned team of design-thinkers to create impactful content that exceeds expectations. Thank you, Lisa, Lilian, Caitlin, and Tyrel, for taking a chance on the initiative. You rocked it! —Chris Bingham, Owner and event organizer, Cyan Bold Design Social media assets/concepts created by OXD volunteers for Ethos Society... --- ### Talking Energy website gets a redesign > We’re happy to support the redesign and launch of FortisBC's Talking Energy website. Learn more about the project. - Published: 2022-05-10 - Modified: 2022-06-29 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/05/10/talking-energy-website-gets-a-redesign/ - Categories: News We’re happy to help FortisBC launch another successful web project. OXD worked with FortisBC to redesign their Talking Energy website. The modernized site allows for better community engagement, with more tools to improve the exchange of ideas and information on energy projects and topics that matter to British Columbians. The site provides information on current energy projects, stories surrounding the people affected by community initiatives, and resources for regulatory processes and safety awareness. The redesigned website now lives on a robust content management system, based on a microsite strategy developed by OXD. This new site is more sustainable for their current and future needs by including variable layouts and content types that can be customized on each page. The improved website design better aligns with the FortisBC brand and better supports the website’s engagement tools. Take a look at FortisBC’s new Talking Energy website. --- ### OXD creatives attend DesignThinkers VAN 2022 conference > OXD creative professionals are ready to Defy. The expected. at RGD's DesignThinkers VAN 2022 conference. Join us! - Published: 2022-05-09 - Modified: 2022-09-11 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/05/09/oxd-attends-design-thinkers-van-2022-conference/ - Categories: Events - Tags: creative OXD designers are ready to Defy. The expected. OXD design professionals, Caitlin Aboud, Lisa Farmer, and Wil Arndt are ready to join hundreds of creative professionals at the 23rd DesignThinkers VAN conference. This year’s theme is Defy, and questions attendees to Defy the expected, Defy the mediocre, and discover their creative power. RGD DesignThinkers brings together a broad range of people to explore creativity, design thinking, and the future of design. DesignThinkers VAN is May 31 to June 1 and offers both in-person and virtual options. Keep an eye out for updates on event highlights and what we learned after the event! --- ### OXD User Experience Designers share their thoughts on top UX trends of the year (so far) > Jane, Lilian, Sarah, and Astrid talk UX trends of the year: inclusive design, collaboration tools, and the metaverse. - Published: 2022-05-02 - Modified: 2023-01-23 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/05/02/oxd-user-experience-designers-share-their-thoughts-on-top-ux-trends-of-the-year-so-far/ - Categories: News Jane, Lilian, Sarah, and Astrid talk inclusive design, collaboration tools, and the metaverse. We asked a few of our talented User Experience Designers what some of their most (and least) favourite UX trends are for 2022.   Most favourite trends Inclusive, accessible design “While these aren't new topics, people are talking more about inclusive design and accessibility. Stakeholders are learning more about these topics and integrating user experience strategies into their business goals. To stay up-to-date, I love the resources provided on the UX Trends website. ” —Astrid Simões Tremper, Senior User Experience Designer “Designers are really leaning into making the digital world a place that everyone can be a part of. Inclusive design makes digital products better for everyone. ” —Jane Mountain, Senior User Experience Designer Collaborative tools and accessible research “I think collaborative tools for continued remote work like Figma and Miro are helping companies with developing their own design systems and adopting collaborative work methods. I’m happy to see more interest and participation in using flexible, adaptive, and accessible research methodologies and frameworks. ” —Lilian Leung, User Experience Designer Cursor interactions “I really like how some organizations are starting to play with cursor interactions. Now, instead of the typical cursor arrow hovering and clicking a button as we expect, we’re seeing small differences in the cursor itself, the animation of the cursor and the feedback when the cursor is in different states. I've seen it done well, and not so well, but the cool thing is that people are being innovative and trying to to make the user experience a... --- ### Make a date with Mother Nature for Earth Day 2022 > Here’s how you can participate in Earth Day 2022 in and around Vancouver. We've included in-person and virtual events. - Published: 2022-04-14 - Modified: 2023-01-17 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/04/14/earth-day-2022/ - Categories: News We've provided a few ways to participate in Earth Day 2022 activities around the Vancouver area. Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, aligning with the birth of environmental movements helping people and organizations reduce their environmental impact. It is now the largest participatory environmental movement in the world. For those of us in the Vancouver area, it’s also a great reason to also get outside and take advantage of the warmer temperatures and brighter days. Here’s how you can participate in Earth Day this year Spend time enjoying the beauty Mother Nature has to offer in the location of your choice by running a 5K, 10K, or half marathon anytime, anywhere on April 22. For every registration, Race Roster will plant a tree on your behalf through One Tree Planted! Support 20+ green vendors providing products, goods, and services that are locally sourced and focused on sustainable practices at the Earth Day Sustainability Market at Lulu Estates Winery on April 23. Food trucks, live music, and pet friendly. The Celebrate Earth Day Festival is April 23 from 10:00 a. m to 2:00 p. m. at Memorial Peace Park in Maple Ridge. Celebrate Earth Day is hosted by Ridge Meadows Recycling Society and is one of the community’s largest festivals. Visit the website to learn more about attending the festival or their volunteer opportunities. Check out the resources available through the EarthDay. org website. This year’s theme is “Invest In Our Planet”. Here, you can find information about ongoing projects like The Canopy Project which improves shared environments by planting trees across the world.... --- ### How we've used our intranet to improve diversity and inclusion over the past two years > OXD shares tips on how we use our intranet to support our workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals. - Published: 2022-03-24 - Modified: 2022-10-14 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/03/24/how-weve-used-our-intranet-to-improve-diversity-and-inclusion-over-the-past-two-years/ - Categories: News OXD shares tips on how we've used our intranet to support diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is hard work and requires total commitment, a solid strategy, and a lot of cooperation. For some organizations, it can often feel like their actions towards DEI work are never enough. We understand these challenges, and have worked hard to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture at OXD. We wanted to share how we use our sister company ThoughtFarmer’s Intranet product, which we named “Sparky”, to support our DEI efforts. OXD has long valued DEI, and in 2020 we announced our actions towards continuing and improving our efforts. Volunteers across our practices formed a project team, “DANDI” (diversity and inclusion), to support ongoing DEI initiatives. As part of these initiatives, we created a section on diversity and inclusion on Sparky. This way, helpful links and company information for our DEI work and initiatives are accessible to all employees. Some of the content in this section includes our internal initiatives, issues of our Diversity and Inclusion newsletter, Truth and Reconciliation resources, DEI workshop materials, and other reading and resource links. OXD also takes advantage of ThoughtFarmer’s name pronunciation feature. This feature enables users to record an audio segment of themselves correctly pronouncing their name. The audio clip is then added to an employee’s profile page. The addition of a pronoun field allows staff to add their identity—another important step in demonstrating respect and inclusion for all. This optional field is displayed prominently beside the user's name on their profile. We use the intranet to share... --- ### Lotteries Yukon launches their redesigned website > OXD builds Lotteries Yukon website on a robust, scalable CMS—ensuring the information was now easy to manage, find, and navigate. - Published: 2022-02-22 - Modified: 2022-03-25 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/02/22/lotteries-yukon-launches-their-redesigned-website/ - Categories: News The Lotteries Yukon website, designed and built by OXD, moves to a robust and scalable CMS. Each year, sporting organizations, communities, and not-for-profits from across the Yukon territory benefit from program funding made possible by Lotteries Yukon. The primary resource for accessing this funding is through the Lotteries Yukon website. Lotteries Yukon has a mandate to give back to the Yukon community through art, sports, and recreation. But this mandate wasn't well known to the groups they are meant to serve. A key goal of the new website was to improve both awareness of and access to these benefits. Since internet speeds in the Yukon tend to be much slower than other areas of Canada, it was important that we designed a modern, mobile-friendly website with quickly-loading pages. OXD worked with Lotteries Yukon to ensure that the information on their new website was easy to find, easy to understand, and easy to navigate. Beginning with competitive and comparative research, we developed a modern visual style that improved the user experience for site visitors. The new site now meets Government of Yukon service delivery standards, including French localization. A well-established content management system (CMS) like Drupal offered increased security, mobile accessibility, and faster loading pages, while making it easier for internal staff to maintain the site. Take a look at the redesigned Lotteries Yukon website. If you're thinking about a website redesign, our free Website Planning Guide can help you get started with your planning. --- ### Jacqueline Antalik and Winnie Ho to deliver keynote at Royal Roads Design Thinking Conference > Jacqueline Antalik and Winnie Ho will facilitate a workshop on Frame Innovation at the Royal Roads Design Thinking Conference. - Published: 2022-02-08 - Modified: 2022-02-10 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/02/08/oxd-service-designers-deliver-keynote-at-royal-roads-design-thinking-conference/ - Categories: News Jacqueline Antalik and Winnie Ho will facilitate a workshop on Frame Innovation at the Royal Roads Design Thinking Conference. OXD Service Designers will share how to uncover meaningful ideas and design solutions in a post-secondary educational context. Jacqueline Antalik and Winnie Ho will facilitate a workshop on Frame Innovation at the Royal Roads Design Thinking Conference. Frame Creation is a technique where changing the approach to problems provides a breakthrough when developing solutions. The workshop introduces participants to Frame Creation and Exploration, a method that discovers new approaches for complex “wicked" problems. Derived from Kees Dorst and his work on Frame Innovation, this method explores paradoxes in design through reframing.   "The conference welcomes all who are grappling with how to best foster design thinking—post-secondary educators, consultants, organizational employees, and researchers—to come together in a spirit of collective learning and cross-fertilization. "—Royal Roads University Image provided by Royal Roads Design Thinking Conference The Royal Roads Design Thinking Conference, “Leading Design Thinking in the Classroom and the Workplace: A Conference for Postsecondary Educators and Organizational Practitioners” is a virtual event that will be held on March 6, 2022, with pre-conference events scheduled on March 5. The event will feature keynote addresses, networking opportunities, and participant-led sessions. Participants will learn practical skills to help lead Design Thinking in the workplace or in the classroom. To learn more, and to register, visit the Royal Roads conference website. --- ### Celebrating Lunar New Year with our local Vancouver community > To help celebrate the Lunar New Year in Vancouver, we’ve put together a few ways to enjoy local festivities, learn about traditions, and eat! - Published: 2022-01-25 - Modified: 2023-05-09 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/01/25/lunar-new-year-2022/ - Categories: News To help celebrate the Lunar New Year, we’ve put together a few ways to enjoy local festivities, learn about traditions, and of course, eat. It’s time to get festive! It’s the year of the Tiger (虎), one of the 12 signs in the Chinese zodiac. According to some, the Year of the Tiger will mean big changes, risk-taking, and adventure. Social progress, enthusiasm towards others, and generosity will be at an all-time high. “No matter what your sign is, the year of the Tiger (Water Tiger), will bring a changing travel landscape”. Edgar Lok Tin Yung, Feng Shui Master and consultant Good news? We hope so! To help celebrate the Lunar New Year (also Chinese New Year) that starts February 1, we’ve put together a few ways for Vancouver area residents to enjoy local festivities, learn about traditions, and of course, eat their way into 2022. An intricate part of our local history The Lunar New Year is a big part of Vancouver’s culture and history. The first Chinese New Year Parade in Vancouver was held in Chinatown in 1973, and it’s now an annual tradition organized by the Chinese Cultural Centre. Visit the Chinese Cultural Centre website to learn more about 2022 events. Where to celebrate Lunar New Year  Lunarfest Vancouver is February 5 and 6 from 11 a. m. to 6 p. m at šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square, North of the Vancouver Art Gallery, and offers activities including Lunar Tea and fortune telling. The Asian Canadian Special Events Association, with Granville Island’s support, has partnered with local artists to curate six large-scale lanterns, now installed in the outdoor courtyard of the Ocean Art... --- ### OXD Designers share their thoughts on 2022 Design Trends > 2022 design trends are one of the conversations our talented Designers on our Creative team are talking about. Find out what they had to say! - Published: 2022-01-14 - Modified: 2023-01-17 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/01/14/oxd-designers-share-their-thoughts-on-2022-design-trends/ - Categories: News - Tags: design, designers, trends, typefaces Caitlin Aboud and Shirley Zhou talk inktrap, TikTok, and other design trends for this year. The talented Designers on the OXD Creative team love to talk trends almost as much as they love to talk design. Putting these two topics together, we asked Caitlin and Shirley to share their thoughts on design trends to watch out for in 2022. Caitlin Aboud Caitlin dives into where she thinks design, fashion, and culture will be going in 2022 in this short video. https://vimeo. com/666087602 Shirley Zhou Here’s what’s in and what’s out in 2022, in Shirley’s own words. In for 2022: inktrap typefaces for web I’ve been seeing inktrap typefaces used a lot on Swiss inspired sites in place of more traditional Grotesque typefaces. Inktrap typefaces remain quite legible at smaller sizes. At large sizes, they shine even more. Typefaces like Neue Machina have a similar quality to monospace that makes it a great choice for futuristic visuals.   “Inktrap typefaces are really unique and feel futuristic, yet somehow nostalgic. ”—Shirley Zhou, Designer at OXD I think it will continue to grow as a trend because people who love minimalism but want a bit more visual interest can easily adopt inktrap typefaces. With the re-emergence of maximalism—which in the arts means an aesthetic of excess (see Caitlin’s video! )—and brutalist web design styles, I think inktrap typefaces will play a big part. “In its ruggedness and lack of concern to look comfortable or easy, Brutalism can be seen as a reaction by a younger generation to the lightness, optimism, and frivolity of today's web design. ” Brutalist... --- ### Gordon Ross presents to University of Victoria law students on designing for justice > Gordon Ross shares our experiences in designing for justice with projects like the BC Online Divorce Assistant​ to UVic law students. - Published: 2022-01-11 - Modified: 2023-01-23 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/01/11/gordon-ross-presents-to-university-of-victoria-law-students-on-designing-for-justice-2/ - Categories: News Gordon shares insights into our 20-plus years of practice in human-centred legal design through work done on BC's Online Divorce Assistant. The UVic Law 325, ‘Access to Justice: Designing Change in the Legal Sector’ course confronts the fact of diminishing access to justice and responds with proactive, problem-solving, and human-centred approaches. The aim is to provide both theoretical and practical frameworks and methods to help students recognize, understand, and respond to access to justice issues. The course is taught by Professor Robert Lapper, QC who is the Lam Chair in Law and Public Policy at University of Victoria. Gord will present to students on January 13, 2022. Sharing our experiences in designing for justice with projects like the BC Online Divorce Assistant is one of the ways OXD supports access to justice initiatives. Our work with the Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia on this project helped provide fair and equitable access to justice through Agile development and citizen-centred design.   We’d be happy to speak about our experience at your next event or initiative. Please contact us to learn more. --- ### OXD shares how we guide our clients through content migration in downloadable guide > Download our guide and learn the steps OXD uses to ensure clients have a successful content migration in their new website project. - Published: 2022-01-05 - Modified: 2025-04-02 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2022/01/05/oxd-shares-how-we-guide-our-clients-through-content-migration-in-downloadable-guide/ - Categories: News Learn the steps OXD uses to ensure clients have a successful content migration in their new website project. Planning a new website can be exciting, but have you thought about how you're going to take your old website content and move it to your new website? We’ve often seen clients leave content migration to the last minute, thinking it’s just a matter of copy-and-pasting or pushing a button. Surely the hardest part of the project is actually designing and building the new website, right? Well, not really... In our guide Ready, Set, Migrate, we show how migration isn’t just about moving stuff—it’s a chance at a new beginning. Use this guide to learn the steps, in detail, that will give you a better understanding of how to plan and manage your project’s content migration process. We’ve used these same steps with many of our clients. Get the tools you need to walk your team through the planning and management of your project’s content migration process. Download our free content migration guide. --- ### OXD helps emerging designers at GDC/BC Launch 2021 > Students got a virtual sneak peek into OXD's design team, how we collaborate, and tips for successful job applications at GDC/BC Launch 2021. - Published: 2021-12-16 - Modified: 2023-01-17 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/12/16/oxd-helps-emerging-designers-at-gdcbc-launch-2021/ - Categories: News Caitlin Aboud represents OXD in the agency showcase at Launch 2021. OXD Designer Caitlin Aboud gave a virtual tour of OXD to the students attending the GDC/BC Launch 2021 conference on November 26. Student attendees got a sneak peek into our design team, how we collaborate, and tips for successful job applications. The presentation was followed by a Q&A session, where Caitlin answered questions that helped demystify the job hunting process. Launch is the annual GDC/BC event focused on helping new and emerging designers launch toward a successful design career. —GDC/BC (now Design Professionals of Canada) --- ### Gordon Ross to present on COVID-19 response in government at Civic Design 2021 > Join Gordon Ross as he reflects on his time spent with the BC Government digital delivery network, working on the COVID-19 response. - Published: 2021-11-10 - Modified: 2023-01-17 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/11/10/gordon-ross-to-present-on-covid-19-response-in-government-at-civic-design-2021/ - Categories: Events - Tags: digital transformation, government Join Gordon Ross as he reflects on his time spent with the British Columbia Government digital delivery network, working on the COVID-19 response over the first 12 months of the pandemic. Join Gordon Ross as he reflects on his time spent with the British Columbia Government digital delivery network, working on the COVID-19 response over the first 12 months of the pandemic.   We’re pleased to announce that Gordon Ross is presenting “12 months of COVID-19 Design a Digital Response with the British Columbia Government” at the inaugural Rosenfeld Civic Design 2021 Conference.   COVID-19 arrived slowly and then quickly for governments across the world. By the end of March 2020, lockdowns and states of emergency had been declared. Learn how the government mobilized digital and design talent, how decision-making and situational awareness was achieved, and whether the innovations prompted by COVID-19 led to lasting organizational change or costly chaos. The virtual Civic Design 2021 Conference, organized by Rosenfeld Media, is December 8-10, 2021. Dive deep into the tools and mindsets for creating lasting change, designing accessible and equitable services, and buying and hiring for the needed skills. Look beyond today’s challenges, exploring how civic design can be a force for justice, equity, and resiliency in the face of the challenges ahead. –Rosenfeld Media Learn more about registration and join Gord on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 10:25 am PST for his virtual presentation. Use the discount code ROSS-CD2021 for a $150 USD discount on a regular priced conference ticket.   --- ### OXD’s UX team to host workshop at Magnify Conference > We're hosting a workshop, “Exploring the past and potential futures of inclusive design” at the virtual Magnify 2021 Conference. - Published: 2021-10-06 - Modified: 2023-01-17 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/10/06/oxds-ux-team-to-host-workshop-at-magnify-conference/ - Categories: Events Members of the OXD User Experience team will be hosting a virtual strategic planning workshop. User experience team members Jacqueline Antalik, Deborah MacKenzie, Winnie Ho, and Gordon Ross are hosting a workshop, “Exploring the past and potential futures of inclusive design”, at the inaugural Magnify—the Inclusive Design and Research Conference. On October 13, 2021 they'll work collaboratively with participants to explore their collective understanding of the past and envision possible futures of inclusive design. Through inclusive design & research we can work towards equity, elevate voices, challenge power, and enable social justice. —Magnify Conference One of the most difficult challenges in moving towards more inclusivity in design is understanding the future state that we’re trying to achieve and how our past experiences influence that future vision. What are we aiming for? What should the world look like as a result of our efforts? What unintentional consequences do we want to stay away from? The answer is different for everyone and there’s much that can be gained from sharing our different visions, hopes, and fears for the future.   This strategic planning workshop using the Future Backwards methods, developed by Cognitive Edge, will help to highlight and compare the range of perspectives a group of people can take in understanding their past, and the possibilities of their future in inclusive design. During the workshop, participants will work in groups led by our experienced OXD team to: Describe the current state of inclusive design Identify significant past events that have led us to our current state Describe “impossibly good” and “impossibly bad” futures Connect these futures to... --- ### OXD observes the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation > National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Sep 30, is now a statutory holiday at OXD. We've included helpful resources to learn more. - Published: 2021-09-22 - Modified: 2025-05-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/09/22/national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation/ - Categories: News We’re encouraging our staff and community members to make the most of this holiday. It’s an opportunity to learn, attend an event, and support local Indigenous businesses. Mural artwork on Granville Island by Debra Sparrow, @qwasen, a self-taught Musqueam artist and designer. Photo by Noel Forst. In observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 30th is now a statutory holiday at OXD. This date coincides with Orange Shirt Day, commemorating Indigenous children forced to leave their families to attend residential schools. We’re encouraging our staff and community members to make the most of this holiday. It’s an opportunity to learn, attend an event, and support local Indigenous businesses. Ways to learn, understand, and participate on this day. Wear an orange shirt. Wearing an orange shirt (or hat, scarf, or any orange item) shows solidarity, honouring and remembering residential school survivors and those who did not survive. It’s a visual reminder that we still have much work to do towards reconciliation. Learn more about Orange Shirt Day and Phyllis Webstad by watching this short video. Take some time to read or listen. Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action Report. Read our article on understanding society’s role in reconciliation. Read a book about Indigenous history or by an Indigenous author. There are many fantastic books, here are just a few we recommend:  21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act, by Bob Joseph Our Story, by various authors A Mind Spread Out on the Ground, Alicia Elliott Listen to The road to reconciliation on CBC’s The Sunday Magazine with Piya Chattopadhyay. Listen to The Truth Sharing Podcasts. A project... --- ### BC government launches divorce e-filing > The new BC divorce e-filing service improves accessibility and efficiency for citizens to file, while reducing processing time. - Published: 2021-08-05 - Modified: 2023-01-17 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/08/05/bc-government-launches-divorce-e-filing/ - Categories: News New divorce e-filing service continues to improve access to justice for British Columbians. OXD worked with the Ministry of Attorney General to improve citizen access to justice with a new e-filing process for uncontested divorce. The digital Online Divorce Assistant Application was originally launched in 2017. This service helped citizens choose the right forms to fill out and reduce errors when they arrived at the Registry office. However, they still had to submit their paperwork in person. For many people, this was complicated due to accessibility—an ongoing issue with justice services. There are 43 registries in the province, and they are only open Monday through Friday from 9 a. m. to 4 p. m. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the issue further, making it even harder for people to access. To help minimize accessibility issues, the next natural phase was to work with the British Columbia government to add an uncontested divorce e-filing service to their website. This comes as part of a continued strategy to digitize Supreme Court services, improving access to justice for British Columbians. Reaching more citizens with remote usability testing Restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown meant we couldn't conduct in-person user testing. But ultimately this constraint was an opportunity for innovation. Thanks to remote usability testing sessions, we were able to reach a broader, more representative pool of citizens than ever before.   We’re still learning During the course of testing, some of our assumptions about citizens' capabilities—where they did and didn’t struggle—during the proposed e-filing process were challenged. For example, we were expecting people to ask... --- ### Collaborative design research results in a better experience for FortisBC customers > Using design research, FortisBC commercial customers now get access to more tools that help them find equipment suppliers rebates. - Published: 2021-08-03 - Modified: 2023-06-07 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/08/03/collaborative-design-research-results-in-a-better-experience-for-fortisbc-customers/ - Categories: News Commercial customers get access to more tools that help them find equipment suppliers and access rebates at the point of sale Home page of the "Find a Contractor" tool We partnered with FortisBC to conduct design research related to integrating new vendors, distributors, and point of sale partners into OXD worked with FortisBC to conduct design research related to integrating commercial equipment suppliers—vendors, distributors, wholesalers, and point of sale partners—into their Find a Contractor application. The application is a directory that helps residential and commercial customers find natural gas and electrical contractors. FortisBC wanted to expand the “Find a Contractor” application to allow commercial customers to find commercial natural gas and equipment suppliers, including those that offer rebates at the point of sale, in the most user-friendly way. Through a collaborative design session OXD UX Designers helped uncover the needs of FortisBC stakeholders, including commercial equipment suppliers, point of sale partners, and both residential and commercial customers. The analysis findings shaped a user-centred strategy for offering the new content to commercial customers. Our research-driven wireframes helped FortisBC validate the enhancements with commercial customers, giving them confidence in their business decisions. Are you looking to improve your company’s customer experience through collaborative discovery? Get in touch with us today. --- ### New community engagement tools coming for FortisBC energy projects > OXD has been working with FortisBC to investigate, design, and develop new public engagement tools for their existing Talking Energy website. - Published: 2021-07-31 - Modified: 2022-02-16 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/07/31/new-community-engagement-tools-coming-for-fortisbc-energy-projects/ - Categories: News British Columbians will have a new way to learn about ongoing projects in their communities, thanks to the Talking Energy website. OXD has been working with FortisBC to investigate, design, and develop new public engagement tools for their existing Talking Energy website. The website is a forum to exchange ideas, opinions, and information about FortisBC energy projects and topics that matter to British Columbians. The site currently broadcasts project information to people to help them understand what was happening in their community. But FortisBC wants to take things further by improving two-way communication, engaging with users and allowing them to sound off with feedback. Planned improvements include: Questions and answersUpcoming EventsLive chatsLive streamsSurveysPollsProject timelines The end-to-end strategy includes building wireframes, design mockups, implementation, and testing. The OXD team will also train FortisBC staff on the new tools, equipping them to manage content updates on their own. With these new options, the website will be more interactive and engaging. Questions from the community that were previously gathered, will be shared in a way that better informs users about the projects.   While changes to the existing website are underway, there is a plan to rebuild the site. Knowing this, we can consider how the Talking Energy website could become more sustainable to support the new engagement strategy. While some of the new engagement tools are being rolled out onto the existing website, others will go live with the redesign launch. This iterative approach means FortisBC can launch new features onto their website much earlier, while still working on the rebuild. With these new tools, both FortisBC and the communities affected by ongoing... --- ### How is the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic affecting digital directions for governments across the globe? > Gordon Ross explored the direction of Digital Transformation in different regions across the globe in the government sector at the WebSci'21. - Published: 2021-07-16 - Modified: 2025-05-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/07/16/how-is-the-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-affecting-digital-directions-for-governments/ - Categories: News Gordon Ross sits on panel exploring this topic at the 13th Annual ACM WebSci’21 Conference. We’re excited to share that Gordon Ross was a panelist at the 13th ACM Web Science Conference. The panelists explored the direction of Digital Transformation in different regions across the globe in the government sector. Chaired by Silas Hooper (formerly Clare Hooper), panelists Gordon Ross, Honey Dacanay, Cyd Harrell, and Sir Nigel Shadbolt covered topics including best and worst practices, what the web enables for the government, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch now. https://youtu. be/KqwIpJe7JVs The virtual ACM Web Science 2021 Conference, organized by the University of South Hampton, took place June 21-25th. The theme for WebSci 2021 was Globalisation, Inclusion and the Web in the Context of COVID-19. The program and speakers covered topics surrounding these challenges in light of the ongoing global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Web Science is an interdisciplinary field dedicated to understanding the complex and multiple impacts of the Web on society, and vice versa. As such, the field of Web Science is particularly well situated to address these pressing issues. websci21. webscience. org Interested in learning more about Digital Transformation in government? Download our free research brief. --- ### Gordon Ross delves into the future of the energized workforce with PPEARL > Gordon Ross shares insights on re-humanizing the workforce with the 2021 PPEARL Re-Now webinar series. Listen to a recording of the webinar. - Published: 2021-07-01 - Modified: 2023-01-06 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/07/01/gordon-ross-delves-into-the-future-of-the-energized-workforce-ppearl-webinar/ - Categories: News Gordon Ross shares insights on re-humanizing the workforce with the 2021 PPEARL Re-Now webinar series. Listen to a recording of the webinar. Gordon Ross shares insights on re-humanizing the workforce with the 2021 PPEARL Re-Now webinar series. We’re pleased to announce that Gordon Ross will be sharing insights on "Re-energizing and re-humanizing the workforce", with the PPEARL Re-Now webinar series. Research is showing that fatigue from the COVID-19 pandemic is a real problem for organizations. With this comes an opportunity to plan ways to re-energize workforces. Leaders need to consider that growth on the digital front needs to be in tandem with creating “more human” work environments. But how do we do so in a remote or hybrid environment and within virtual teams?   Gord, along with other international thought leaders, Charlotta Patrickson, Lauren Huntington, Michael Jenkins, and Mukta Arya will discuss this, and other ideas like leveraging technology to build a more human work environment while recovering from this crisis. This event has past, but you can listen to the webinar recording through the PPEARL Re-Now website. --- ### National Indigenous History Month: understanding our role in reconciliation > We're learning about reconciliation for National Indigenous History Month and how it's affecting Indigenous peoples across Canada. - Published: 2021-06-09 - Modified: 2025-02-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/06/09/reconciliation-what-is-it-and-why-does-it-matter/ - Categories: News June is National Indigenous History Month, and we're inviting you to learn more about reconciliation, and ways to honour the history, heritage, and diversity of Indigenous peoples across Canada. Art mural by Indigenous artist Debra Sparrow. Photo by Noel Forst. June is National Indigenous History Month, and we're inviting you to learn more about reconciliation, and ways to honour the history, heritage, and diversity of Indigenous peoples across Canada.   It is also a time to reflect and remember Canada’s dark history, and an opportunity to commit to reconciliation. But for many Canadians, the topic of reconciliation is still a bit of a mystery.   We hear the term, and we know some horrific things happened in the past. However, many of us are still confused at what reconciliation really means, what exactly needs reconciling, and what role we can play in reconciliation.   What is reconciliation? The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) defines reconciliation as:  Reconciliation is about establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in this country. In order for that to happen, there has to be awareness of the past, an acknowledgement of the harm that has been inflicted, atonement for the causes, and action to change behaviour. Reconciliation is critical, complex, and continuous. It involves honouring treaties, acknowledging and respecting Indigenous rights and title, acknowledging the past, learning about Indigenous history, recognizing the inter-generational impacts of colonization, attempts at assimilation, and cultural genocide, It is the responsibility of every Canadian. Reconciliation is not a trend, a single gesture, nor is it about blame or guilt.   What happened in Canada’s past?   It’s not surprising that many people are unaware... --- ### Legal Aid BC partners with OXD to improve access to justice for family law applicants > We’re proud to have helped LABC reimagine their service model and client portal to ensure equal access to justice for family law applicants. - Published: 2021-05-17 - Modified: 2023-01-17 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/05/17/legal-aid-bc-partners-with-oxd-to-improve-access-to-justice-for-family-law-applicants/ - Categories: News This project aims to increase accessibility for diverse communities and provide flexible options in the applicant intake process for legal aid. Legal Aid BC (LABC) provides a range of services that help low income families resolve their legal problems. These services include serious family, child protection, criminal law, and immigration matters. Previously, LABC partnered with OXD to support projects to improve the delivery of public legal education and information. So, we were thrilled to partner with them again to help identify opportunities to better support the needs of their clients. The project aims to increase accessibility for diverse communities and provide flexible options in the applicant intake process for legal aid. Developing a deep understanding of Legal Aid BC users and stakeholders required multidisciplinary thinking. This discovery project sought to understand all of LABC’s users and stakeholders, with the goal of modernizing the legal aid intake process. We were able to uncover critical insights based on users’ expressed needs and interests—framed around their input through workshops and testing at every stage of the development process. The broad and diverse range of feedback came from participants across BC and included LABC clients, Frontline workers, Indigenous People, Native Courtworkers, lawyers, and other stakeholders and partner organizations. We also reached out to other similar service providers across the globe for insight into their intake processes and technologies. We assembled dozens of user-centred design recommendations to make online intake a reality. Our research generated 1,131 insights that highlighted gaps in the intake process, could improve feelings of safety and wellbeing, shaped the design of a prototype for the online client intake form, and improved the... --- ### Ways you can recognize Asian Heritage Month in Vancouver > In honour of Asian Heritage Month, we invite you to learn more about the history of Asian Canadians and celebrate their contributions. - Published: 2021-05-14 - Modified: 2024-05-22 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/05/14/ways-you-can-recognize-asian-heritage-month-in-vancouver/ - Categories: News In honour of Asian Heritage Month, we are learning about—and celebrating—the contributions made to our communities by Asian Canadians. "Raise Your Words, Not Your Voice" mural by local South Asian artist Sandeep Johal. In honour of Asian Heritage Month this May, we invite you to learn more about the history of Asian Canadians and celebrate their contributions to the prosperity of our communities. This post highlights only a few key events and people from the vast history of Asian immigrants in Vancouver, but we've introduced some ways to learn more, along with organizations to support this month and year-round. It's especially important to continue to recognize and stand with the Asian community given the reported rise in racism and xenophobia in BC, and around the world. A brief history of Chinese and Japanese populations in our area 1885 Many Chinese people immigrated to Canada to help work on the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). Some also came to work on farms, open stores, and take part in logging operations in BC and throughout Canada. Upon completion of the CPR in 1885, the federal government immediately passed the Chinese Immigration Act. This stated that every person of Chinese origin immigrating to Canada had to pay a "head tax" fee of $50. In 1900, the head tax increased to $100, then in 1903 it went up to $500 per person. Approximately 81,000 Chinese immigrants paid the head tax to the government between 1885 and 1923. In the carriage: Li Hung Chang, H. H. Abott, Mayor Collins and Chief Constable Ward. Photo by City of Vancouver Archives. The above image shows the welcoming... --- ### 25 years later, we're still shaping design by putting humans at the centre of it > Celebrating 25 years of human-centred design. Thank you to our staff, clients, friends and family who've supported us. Here’s to the future! - Published: 2021-03-24 - Modified: 2023-09-11 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/03/24/celebrating-25-years-of-human-centred-design/ - Categories: News We're celebrating 25 years of human-centred design work. We’re grateful for our clients, friends, and family who've supported us along our journey. Here’s to the future! When we came together in 1996, we would have never thought that a computer-savvy physicist and a book-loving researcher could have started something that lasted this long. At the time we were still in university—eating Mr. Noodles and living in basement suites. Our skills and experience were low, but so was the risk. Our motto in the early days was always “if this doesn’t work out, we can always get ‘real’ jobs”.   And it did work out. What began as an idea, triggered by the capabilities of the nascent internet industry has grown into an internationally recognized, award-winning digital services agency.   The understanding of human behaviour and how it relates to technology was the foundation for the birth of OpenRoad in 1996. Our passion for human-centred design made us one of the first agencies to use these methodologies to solve complex business problems. We've worked with hundreds of organizations in 25 years, written millions of lines of code, and interviewed thousands of people as part of our human-centred design process. Our work has been used by and (hopefully) impacted the lives of millions of people. We're grateful to have made it to 25 years and reflect on what it's all meant. Here’s a few of the things that have brought us joy, laughter, tears, and pride over the last 25 years. We helped build a diverse practitioner community. We quickly recognized there was a vibrant community of professionals with a passion for user experience in the Vancouver area.... --- ### Innovating Metropolitan Transportation Commission's transit fare policies during a global crisis > OXD was contracted to apply design and qualitative research methods—uncovering key business insights about the Bay Area’s public transit fare policies. - Published: 2021-03-10 - Modified: 2021-05-14 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/03/10/oxd-brings-qualitative-research-methods-to-san-francisco-municipal-transportation-authoritys-transit-modernization-project/ - Categories: News OXD uncovers fare policy barriers for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission using qualitative research methods. OXD has been contracted to apply design and qualitative research methods to uncover key business insights about the San Francisco Bay Area’s public transit fare policies across the region’s 27 transit operators, including BART, SFMTA, and AC Transit. The San Francisco Bay Area is home to nearly eight million people and before the COVID-19 pandemic over 1. 7 million trips were taken on public transit each weekday. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic that began in early 2020, we transitioned seamlessly from in-person interviews to an entirely remote approach. Our team has supported projects with a remote research approach for clients including Government of Alberta, Legal Aid BC, Canadian Digital Services, Parks Canada, and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI). The pandemic has not stopped us from delivering quality on important research work. Photo of BART transit by Corey Agopian on Unsplash OXD has been hired to help better understand barriers related to fares and the user experience of transit in the Bay Area. Our research work is supporting: developing goals for the regional fare system that will support an improved user experience, increased transit ridership, and build on robust public outreach;identifying barriers related to fares and the user experience—especially those that are impeding increased ridership;identifying opportunities to increase transit ridership by improving the regional fare system through regional fare coordination and integration strategies; anddeveloping a detailed implementation plan, including funding plan, for recommended improvements. By uncovering these barriers, we can design and implement a better, and more fair and equitable fare policy... --- ### OXD pays tribute to women who have inspired our design culture > We're commemorating International Women’s Day 2021 and Women’s History month, by paying tribute to women in design who've helped shape design. - Published: 2021-03-05 - Modified: 2023-08-29 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/03/05/oxd-pays-tribute-to-women-in-design/ - Categories: News Commemorating International Women’s Day 2021 and Women’s History month during March, by recognizing women who have helped shape design. Some of you may recognize the five famous international women featured in our illustration who have helped change history. These women are, from left to right: Frida Khalo, a painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Marie Curie, a physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. Harriet Tubman, an abolitionist and political activist who escaped slavery and helped rescue enslaved people via the Underground Railroad. Ruth Ginsburg, a lawyer, jurist, and feminist icon who served as an associate justice of the US Supreme Court for over 25 years. Malala Yousafzai (Malala), a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. And in honour of International Women’s Day 2021 and Women’s History month during March, we’d also like to recognize some of the women—maybe lesser known but no less inspiring—who’ve helped shape and form the fields of design. Our history predominantly favours recognizing male-dominated designers, but the facts show that women have—and continue to—make up half of the design industry. That being said, there are troubling statistics that only 11% of design leadership positions are held by women—even today—according to the 2019 Design Census. By bringing light to these women and their experiences, we hope to inspire you to take a closer look at, and recognize the achievements of, the creative women who’ve come before us and work alongside us. Our featured women in design Dorothy Hayes “You can’t get around being a woman. They’re going... --- ### OXD honours Black History Month with tribute to Hogan’s Alley > In honour of Black History Month, and in continuation of our DEI work initiatives, we’d like to acknowledge Vancouver's Hogan’s Alley Society. - Published: 2021-02-09 - Modified: 2021-02-09 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/02/09/oxd-honours-black-history-month-with-tribute-to-hogans-alley/ - Categories: News In honour of Black History Month, and in continuation of our anti-racist, diversity, and inclusion workplace initiatives, we’d like to acknowledge a local Vancouver organization, the Hogan’s Alley Society. In honour of Black History Month, and in continuation of our anti-racist, diversity, and inclusion workplace initiatives, we’d like to acknowledge a local Vancouver organization, the Hogan’s Alley Society.   Hogan’s Alley was a popular neighbourhood for Black Canadians in the first half of the 20th century. It’s steps away from the OXD Gastown office in Vancouver, and has a unique—and fairly unknown—history. The alley ran between Union and Prior Streets from approximately Main Street to Jackson Avenue. Many of its residents worked as porters at the nearby Great Northern Railway Station at Terminal and Main. Artwork by Ejiwa "Edge" Ebenebe, ArtOfEdge. comMural Site is located at 258 Union St, Vancouver, BC V6A 3A1, CanadaPhoto courtesy of UnoDigital. com At its height in the 1940s, the Black population in the Strathcona region (where Hogan’s Alley was located) was approximately 800 people and it was a popular destination for food and jazz. It was also one of the few places Black people could go in Vancouver to escape the racial segregation that was common in some of the surrounding areas. The neighborhood was home to several speakeasies and restaurants such as Vie’s Chicken and Steak House, which was visited by the likes of Jimi Hendrix (whose mother was a cook there), Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr. , and Louis Armstrong. Vie herself was born on Saltspring Island, from a BC family who were descendants of free Blacks from California. By the 1960s urban renewal took over and most of the Hogan’s... --- ### Gordon Ross explores digital transformation in government after a pandemic year > VP and Partner, Gord Ross, explores what digital transformation means through interviews with Canadian public service digital practitioners. - Published: 2021-01-28 - Modified: 2022-03-07 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/01/28/gordon-ross-explores-digital-transformation-in-government-after-a-pandemic-year/ - Categories: News - Tags: digital transformation, government Where are we one-year later from our first shared gathering of insights from public servants on digital transformation. A year ago, OXD’s Vice President and Partner, Gordon Ross, explored what digital transformation in the public sector meant, through interviews with Canadian public service digital practitioners. The result was our research brief Images of Digital Transformation. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need for effective digital services and the speed at which they are designed, developed and launched. OXD has been on the frontlines of this work in Canada, supporting our provincial and federal partners. We watched first hand as digital service units adapted their practices to support emerging requests and political priorities in a dynamic and uncertain time.   Our 2020 research brief, written a few months before COVID-19, acknowledged that the noise and confusion of what digital transformation means can impair our collective ability to do important work. Something was, and still is clearly happening; digital transformation is more than a buzzword, but the impressions are fleeting and our understanding of the phenomena is incomplete.   We set out to better understand the lived experience of digital transformation in government, from the point of view of our partners in government, the people living the change. Our research brief synthesized the common themes that public servants shared when describing their experience of the large-scale systemic change—frequently known as “digital transformation”—underway in government.   The research resonated with those we work with, but the project was unfinished thanks to the rapid response and pressing needs placed on the public service by the pandemic. And so now, one year later,... --- ### Gordon Ross presents to University of Victoria law students on designing for justice > Gordon Ross shares our experiences in designing for justice with projects like the BC Online Divorce Assistant​ to UVic law students. - Published: 2021-01-18 - Modified: 2023-01-23 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/01/18/gordon-ross-presents-to-university-of-victoria-law-students-on-designing-for-justice/ - Categories: News Gordon shares insights into our 20-plus years of practice in human-centred legal design through work done on BC's Online Divorce Assistant. The UVic Law 325, ‘Access to Justice: Designing Change in the Legal Sector’ course confronts the fact of diminishing access to justice and responds with proactive, problem-solving, and human-centred approaches. The aim is to provide both theoretical and practical frameworks and methods to help students recognize, understand, and respond to access to justice issues. The course is taught by Professor Robert Lapper, QC who is the Lam Chair in Law and Public Policy at University of Victoria. Sharing our experiences in designing for justice with projects like the BC Online Divorce Assistant is one of the ways OXD supports access to justice initiatives. Our work with the Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia on this project helped provide fair and equitable access to justice through Agile development and citizen-centred design.   We’d be happy to speak about our experience at your next event or initiative. Please contact us to learn more. --- ### Jacqueline Antalik to discuss using Agile for Good at Boston University’s 2021 Agile Conference > OXD is using an Agile approach to design for good—lessons learned and how we plan to go forward at the BU Innovation Lab Agile Conference. - Published: 2021-01-06 - Modified: 2023-06-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2021/01/06/jacqueline-antalik-to-discuss-using-agile-for-good-at-boston-universitys-2021-agile-conference/ - Categories: Events How OXD is using an Agile approach to design for good—our lessons learned and how we plan to move forward. How OXD is using an Agile approach to design for good—our lessons learned and how we plan to move forward. We are honoured to speak at the BU Agile Innovation Lab 2021 Agile Conference: Leading in a VUCA World. Our Director of UX, Jacqueline Antalik, will share how an Agile mindset and practices pulled from Scrum, Kanban, and Lean helped us move from talk to action. The killing of George Floyd last May—along with the subsequent protests against racial and social injustice around the world—deeply challenged OXD as an organization. We were already taking steps to support anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work and workplace practices, but knew there was much more we needed to do. We agreed that real, genuine action was required, and yet we were fearful of not getting it right. How do we understand and meaningfully address our part in perpetuating systemic racism? What does it mean to create an inclusive and anti-racist workplace environment? We realized this was a real opportunity for further change and action in our workplace. To strategize and develop solutions, we implemented methods that we’ve always employed to tackle tough, complex problems: co-creation, experimentation, and Agile development. But while Agile helped us get started, we realized it may not be enough moving forward. Jacqueline will share some of the reflections and ideas we have around the gaps and how to address them.   The Boston University Agile Innovation Lab is a resource for the Agile project management community. This... --- ### Canadian Digital Service launches COVID Alert contact tracing app > OXD, in part with a larger tester team, is helping the government with robust and timely quality assurance services for the COVID-Alert app. - Published: 2020-07-27 - Modified: 2021-06-04 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2020/07/27/canadian-digital-services-launches-covid-alert-contact-tracing-app/ - Categories: News - Tags: application design, mobile app, news, qaulity assurance, service design OXD supports CDS to perform quality assurance testing on COVID Alert mobile application The federal government of Canada, in partnership with Canadian Digital Service (CDS), rolled out COVID Alert, a mobile application developed to help notify Canadians of possible COVID-19 exposures before any symptoms appear. The role of OXD’s team, in part with a larger team, was helping the government confront the COVID crisis with automated testing and robust and timely quality assurance for a mission critical citizen application. As part of the OXD team’s inclusive end-to-end testing process, they started with manual testing on virtual devices. This was crucial to testing in the early stages due to having to follow strict mobile app and security testing guidelines imposed by both Google and Apple stores. Some of these included: Functional testingCompatibility testingPerformance testingAutomation strategy (framework selection and platform considerations) The broader testing team also performed user experience (UX), accessibility, and security testing. The app was tested on both personal and purchased mobile phones with various operating systems. Performance testing was especially important to ensure the app was able to handle the potential volume of users. Testing was based on a simultaneous volume of approximately 500 people all using the mobile app at once—an estimated projection from the app development team. Over 20,000 scenarios were run over a 15 minute timeframe by the OXD QA team. The OXD team was proud to be part of this national initiative. To help support COVID-19 transmission awareness, visit the Government of Canada website to learn more about how the app works, or to download the COVID Alert... --- ### Gordon Ross to speak at Service Design Canada’s Virtual Dialogue event > Join Gordon Ross, Marika Escaravarge, and invited guests on for a conversation about resilience through design at Service Design Canada. - Published: 2020-05-22 - Modified: 2022-02-09 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2020/05/22/gordon-ross-to-speak-at-service-design-canadas-virtual-dialogue-event/ - Categories: News Join Gordon Ross, Marika Escaravarge, and invited guests for a conversation about achieving resilience through design. Join Gordon Ross, Marika Escaravarge, and invited guests for a conversation about achieving resilience through design at Service Design Canada. We’re excited to share that OXD Vice President Gordon Ross will be in conversation with Marika Escaravarge of Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation on Thursday May 28, as part of Service Design Canada’s (SDN) Dialogue series. They'll discuss balancing good with fast, responding to COVID-19, and achieving resilience through design. Dialogue is a three part series that will explore how design leaders in Canada are achieving resilience through design. SDN is a national not-for-profit committed to building, connecting, and promoting service design in Canada. They host annual and semi-annual events for practitioners, publish articles and research about the profession, provide mentorship, and engage practitioners in community-based research. Tickets to the May 28 event are free but an RSVP is required. Get your tickets on Eventbrite. --- ### Alberta’s child care certification process gets digitized > OXD helped digitize the Early Childhood Educator Certification app for the Alberta government, continuing digital modernization efforts. - Published: 2020-03-20 - Modified: 2024-07-29 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2020/03/20/albertas-child-care-certification-process-gets-digitized/ - Categories: News - Tags: application design, design, digital transformation, form design, government, responsive, service design The Alberta government partnered with OXD to modernize the Early Childhood Educator Certification process In continuation of digital modernization efforts with the Alberta government, OXD helped take the Early Childhood Educator Certification application process from paper to digital. The new digital application form allows applicants to seamlessly move through the process while being able to upload any supporting documentation. They get instant confirmation that their form was submitted and instructions on what to expect next. Previously, applicants who were hoping to become certified childhood educators had to find PDF forms online, print and fill them out, mail them back to the government office, and then wait to find out if their application was received. Once the certifications project staff received the paperwork, they would have to scan and upload all the supporting documents—which were stored in a different system from the applicant data—and then manually enter in all the applicant’s data to their legacy system. With the new online process, data entry is greatly reduced and all the applicant data and supporting documents are stored in one place.   Bringing the form into the modern age gives applicants peace-of-mind that their application was received (and not potentially lost in the mail). It also saves them, and the application processors, valuable time. Project staff get the added benefit of error reduction by not having to manually add data and locate scanned files. Learn more about how we work with governments around the world to modernize and innovate their digital services. --- ### Wil Arndt to deliver keynote at Graphic Designers of Canada AGM > Wil Arndt shares the inside story of how we—after 23 years as OpenRoad Communications—renamed, rebranded, and relaunched our company as OXD. - Published: 2020-03-06 - Modified: 2022-05-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2020/03/06/wil-arndt-to-deliver-keynote-at-graphic-designers-of-canada-agm/ - Categories: News OXD’s Creative Director will be presenting on our rebranding process. OXD’s Creative Director will be presenting on our rebranding process. Our Creative Director Wil Arndt has been invited to deliver the keynote address at the Graphic Designers of Canada’s (GDC) annual general meeting for the BC chapter. On Thursday March 12 he’ll share the inside story of how we—after 23 years as OpenRoad Communications—renamed, rebranded, and relaunched our company as OXD. One year after the launch, Wil reflects on the process, the amazing team, and his personal experience of how it all went down. Graphic Designers of Canada is Canada’s National Certification Body for Graphic and Communication Designers. They are a member-based organization of design professionals, educators, administrators, students and affiliates in communications, marketing, media and design-related fields. The event is open to non-members of the GDC. Purchase your tickets on Eventbrite. --- ### An end-to-end modern digital approach to BCI's new client-focused portal > BCI and OXD developed a new, modern client portal. The client-focused portal provides BCI clients with a more efficient and interactive experience. - Published: 2020-03-05 - Modified: 2022-07-21 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2020/03/05/an-end-to-end-modern-digital-approach-to-bcis-client-focused-portal/ - Categories: News An end-to-end modern digital approach to BCI's new client-focused portal. British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) worked with OXD to develop a new client portal. Our end-to-end modern digital approach used practices like user experience design, Agile, continuous integration, and continuous delivery. The modernized and client-focused portal provides BCI clients with a more efficient, engaging, and interactive experience.   The new portal creates internal benefits for BCI as it supports improved efficiencies in workflows, material distribution, and communication with their clients. It also provides a feedback loop for continuous improvement of the portal via user analytics.   Working this way, BCI has had the opportunity to introduce modern design and development methods into their organization. In particular, this project demonstrated how they could both increase the speed of product delivery and business value by building new technical capabilities. Before we began building the working portal, we conducted interviews and workshops with BCI stakeholders and clients to understand user needs, behaviours, attitudes, key tasks, timelines, and triggers for interacting with a new and improved client portal. By using the insight gained from our research, we created a new client-centric Information Architecture for the portal and clickable prototypes that demonstrated an improvement to the flow and availability of information.   Our development team built a working, accessible version of the digital service using standards-compliant code, continuous deployment, and Agile methods. Working with their internal IT and Security teams, we developed a technical architecture suitable for their internal hosting infrastructure and high security requirements, while still being flexible enough to migrate onto their... --- ### UBC launches a redesigned Campus and Community Planning website > The University of British Columbia works with OXD to launch a redesigned Campus and Community Planning website that's easier to navigate. - Published: 2020-02-12 - Modified: 2021-06-04 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2020/02/12/ubc-launches-a-redesigned-campus-and-community-planning-website/ - Categories: News We’re thrilled to help UBC launch another successful web project. We’re thrilled to help UBC launch another successful web project. OXD worked with the University of British Columbia (UBC) to redesign their Campus and Community Planning website. The Campus and Community Planning team brings experts in sustainability, planning, design, engagement, and community together to build a vibrant and sustainable community for everyone who studies, works, lives and creates on campus. Their website offers information on everything from land use regulations to campus and landscape design, sustainability engineering and operations, and access permits for buildings, filming, and business.   UBC wanted to help people find the information they needed and bring the site in line with their brand and Common Look and Feel. Like most UBC projects, we used hosted collaborative design sessions with the client to refine the focus and vision for this project. We incorporated visual ways of presenting content that will be engaging and accessible to a diverse range of audiences, improved the navigation, and created a user centred information architecture. Take a look at UBC’s new Campus and Community Planning website.   --- ### OXD partners with the Alberta Digital Innovation Office > The Alberta Government’s Digital Innovation Office (DIO) worked with OXD to launch the Online Child Care Subsidy Application. - Published: 2020-02-04 - Modified: 2023-04-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/blog/2020/02/04/oxd-partners-with-the-alberta-digital-innovation-office/ - Categories: News Last year the Alberta Government’s Digital Innovation Office worked with OXD to launch the Online Child Care Subsidy Application. The Alberta Government’s Digital Innovation Office (DIO) recently worked with OXD to launch the Online Child Care Subsidy Application. This application is used by Albertan families seeking financial assistance for child care. This Online Childcare Subsidy Application was the DIO’s exemplar project and the Province’s first beta. Together we worked to create a digital experience that would save parents time and make processing easier for staff. To improve upon the previous version, we gathered insight from real users and consulted them from the earliest phase of the project. We also prototyped with modern, open source technologies.   Having completed this first project, our teams are now working with Alberta’s Digital Innovation Office on the Child Care Staff Certification, which is used child care staff gain the certification required to work at licensed child care programs in the province.   The Digital Innovation Office exists to drive digital transformation and design more efficient products and services for Albertans accessing and administering government services. Take a look at the new Online Child Care Subsidy Application. --- --- ## People ### Leon Hui > As a Sr. Service and UX Designer, Leon Hui plays a key role in identifying systemic elements of services to understand and meet users' needs. - Published: 2024-10-07 - Modified: 2024-10-07 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/leon-hui/ As a Senior User Experience and Service Designer, Leon Hui plays a key role in identifying systemic elements of services to understand and design digital touchpoints that meet users' needs. Before joining OXD's User Experience team, Leon served as the digital customer experience lead at TransLink and conducted design strategy and service design for private and public sector clients through leading agencies in British Columbia. His previous experience includes website design at major Canadian companies such as Yahoo! , Indigo, and Hudson's Bay Company. Leon holds an Honours Bachelor of Design degree from the York University and Sheridan College Joint Program. With fifteen years of dedication to user-centred design and experience in both agency and in-house settings, he leverages modern technology, design, and research to create equitable and accessible services for clients and their users. Leon is a professional member of the Service Design Network and is a Certified SAFe 6 Agile Product Manager. Born in Hong Kong, Leon moved to Toronto as a child, but his love for the outdoors inspired his subsequent move to Vancouver. In his spare time, he enjoys cycling, hiking, skiing, and kayaking. Leon also practices martial arts and, in his own words, "embarrasses himself trying to learn to dance. " A language enthusiast, Leon speaks Cantonese and Korean and taught English in Korea for two years. He has also recently rekindled his passion for painting, setting a goal to create artwork his wife will want to keep! --- ### Mandy Leung > As a Service Designer, Mandy leads the creation of seamless, end-to-end journeys for complex services across digital and offline channels. - Published: 2024-09-19 - Modified: 2024-09-19 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/mandy-leung/ As a Service Designer, Mandy leads the creation of seamless, end-to-end journeys for complex services across both digital and offline channels. Her focus is on ensuring these solutions meet the needs of both clients and the public. Before joining OXD, Mandy served as a Data Strategist in Newmont’s talent intelligence team, a leading Canadian sustainable gold mining company. Her career also includes significant roles within Deloitte Digital's product and design team in Ireland, and experience across financial services, luxury retail, and not-for-profits. Mandy holds a Bachelor's degree in Business and Law and a Postgraduate Diploma in User Experience Design. Her academic background, combined with her data-driven mindset and expertise in scaled agile delivery, equips her to identify root problems and deliver tangible, human-centered design solutions. Mandy moved to Vancouver from Ireland in 2023 and is passionate about traveling the world. Her bucket list includes Hawaii, Japan, and Colombia. A foodie at heart, Mandy enjoys exploring new cuisines, hiking, running, or finding her inner warrior in her downtime. When she’s not adventuring, you might find her snuggled up with a good book. --- ### Ray Wang > Ray is a Sr Software Developer at OXD. He helps helps the software development team navigate technical decisions to craft custom solutions. - Published: 2023-07-11 - Modified: 2023-07-11 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/ray-wang/ Ray is a Senior Software Developer at OXD. Ray’s expertise helps the software development team navigate technical decisions to craft customized, elegant solutions for our clients. Ray completed his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science at the University of British Columbia. Before joining OXD, Ray led a team of developers who were instrumental in delivering engaging gaming and fantasy competition experiences by enhancing the user experience. His role focused on developing backend and cloud technologies for a fantasy sports platform, including Django, Python, and AWS. Outside of work, Ray has a passion for gaming and PC hardware. He enjoys playing, watching, and learning about games, and is always staying up-to-date with the latest trends in the gaming industry. Ray is an avid basketball fan, immersing himself in following the NBA playoffs. Ray loves food, and his culinary adventures may be bold, but they always come with a firm declaration: "No cilantro, please! " --- ### Jason Stewart > Jason is a Senior QA Engineer at OXD. He helps ensure the software we create meets the needs of our customers and is pleasant to use. - Published: 2023-05-25 - Modified: 2024-05-06 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/about-people-jason-stewart/ As a Senior QA Engineer at OXD, Jason collaborates with our project managers, designers, and developers to ensure the software we create meets the needs of our customers and is pleasant and productive to use. He tests software for functionality, accessibility, performance, and security issues. Jason also creates automated test cases. Before joining OXD, Jason worked on automating tests for warehousing software, testing gaming software for presentation and first-party compliance issues, and testing e-commerce software for well-known companies based in Vancouver. When Jason isn’t helping improve the quality of software products for our clients, he enjoys hiking and swimming. He’s also learning how to play the drums. --- ### Amanda Chan > An Intermediate UX Designer, Amanda uses a human-centred approach to create fluid experiences that have a positive impact on people. - Published: 2023-02-10 - Modified: 2024-02-23 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/amanda-chan/ As a User Experience (UX) Designer at OXD, Amanda uses a human-centred approach to create fluid experiences that have a positive impact on people. She enjoys connecting with people to gain an understanding of their diverse views to help inform design solutions. Amanda previously worked as a product designer for a healthcare technology company where she worked on all parts of the human-centred design process. Her design contributions helped people safely return to workplaces and schools during the COVID-19 pandemic and supported healthcare providers in empowering patients to be an active participant in their healthcare journey. Amanda studied a joint major in Marketing and Design at Simon Fraser University and later completed the UX Design program at RED Academy to gain more hands-on experience. When Amanda isn’t solving design challenges, she’s travelling the globe to explore different cultures—and their food. She enjoys trying new restaurants and attempting to cook new recipes inspired by her travels. --- ### Duncan MacKenzie > As a Senior Software Developer at OXD, Duncan uses best practices in development, UX, and budgeting to set the project team up for success. - Published: 2022-11-24 - Modified: 2023-12-11 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/duncan-mackenzie/ As a Senior Software Developer at OXD, Duncan uses best practices in development, user experience, and budgeting to set the project team up for success. His experience as a full stack developer—including skills in VueJS—helps our teams deliver user-centric and innovative results for our clients, including Alberta Courts. Duncan has been doing web development for over 15 years, and strives to keep current with an evolving industry. Prior to joining OXD, Duncan worked for several growing businesses on Vancouver Island, as either the sole developer or on a small team. His recent experience includes data visualization and web mapping. Duncan finds joy in discovering new things. He enjoys discussing and sharing notes with like-minded people in new areas of music, film, and food. He is also part of a weekly film club. --- ### Diego Ramirez > As a Software Developer at OXD, Diego aims to understand our clients’ needs while solving problems with high-quality software solutions. - Published: 2022-05-18 - Modified: 2022-05-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/diego-ramirez/ As a Software Developer at OXD, Diego aims to understand our clients’ needs and requirements while solving problems with high-quality software solutions. By working on both front-end and back-end development, he ensures the entire application meets high quality development standards and complies with best practices. Diego has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Thompson Rivers University. In university, he worked on a project that would replace a local company’s traditional authentication system for hands-free voice-based authentication and also implemented a geofencing feature on a mobile application that would detect when workers entered or exited the project area. Prior to joining OXD, Diego was a lead full-stack developer managing a small team that supported the design, implementation, and maintenance of a web and mobile app that helped construction companies manage their projects more efficiently. While there, he also created a second mobile app that connected trade workers with potential customers. Diego loves playing, watching, and talking about soccer—which he can do for hours. When he doesn’t have soccer on his mind, he’s playing guitar and learning how to play piano. --- ### Astrid Simões Tremper > As a Senior User Experience and Service Designer, Astrid helps uncover and resolve complex problems for clients through design for users. - Published: 2022-04-12 - Modified: 2022-05-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/astrid-simoes-tremper/ As a Senior User Experience and Service Designer, Astrid helps uncover and resolve complex problems for clients through design and intuitive digital interactions for users. She is passionate about her work and enjoys investigating challenges and turning her discoveries into user-friendly solutions. Before joining OXD, Astrid was the user experience and service design manager for a top Brazilian brand agency, working with clients across industries including health care, energy, and utilities. Astrid has a postgraduate certificate in Human-Computer Interaction, Ergonomic Design of Interfaces: Usability and Information Architecture. Her 12 years of combined experience spans across advertising and marketing, user experience and service design, and digital products. Astrid moved from Brazil to Vancouver with her husband and two adopted cats: Jalapeño and Chili. She loves discovering new vegan restaurants and trying out vegan recipes at home. --- ### Adrianne Tung > Adrianne collaborates with developers, designers, and project managers to understand project requirements throughout the lifecycle. - Published: 2021-12-09 - Modified: 2023-08-11 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/adrianne-tung/ As a QA Engineer at OXD, Adrianne collaborates with developers, designers, and project managers to understand project requirements throughout the project lifecycle. She helps ensure applications are free of defects and function in alignment with client requirements. Before joining OXD, Adrianne was the QA analyst at a casino game company where she led testing for their mobile and web-based game application. Adrianne has a degree in Cognitive Systems from the University of British Columbia. She first learned about quality assurance through software development courses she was enrolled in during her undergraduate years. These courses sparked her interest in QA’s interconnected role in the software development lifecycle. Adrianne enjoys a good latte, and when she’s not working you can find her in local coffee shops around Vancouver in search of the best one. She also loves experimenting in the kitchen with cooking and baking, and going for hikes in the summer months. --- ### Ayumi Tanaka > As a Software Developer at OXD, Ayumi uses modern frontend technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, UI) to make design innovation a reality. - Published: 2021-10-28 - Modified: 2023-05-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/ayumi-tanaka/ As a Software Developer at OXD, Ayumi uses modern frontend technologies to make design innovation a reality. Her areas of expertise are HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and user interface (UI) design. Ayumi completed an Art and Design degree at the Musashino Art University in Japan. While working as a graphic designer she also became interested in programming. She went on to study at Cornerstone International Community College of Canada to learn Web Development. From there, Ayumi made a career change to software development. She also volunteers doing web design for Project iRISE, a non-profit organization that helps empower human trafficking survivors. In her free time, Ayumi loves hiking and has a goal to complete the Grouse Grind in the near future. When she’s not enjoying the outdoors, she likes browsing through the many thrift shops in the area and watching stand-up comedy. --- ### James Byun > James works with the OXD design team to create meaningful design solutions in a variety of media including websites and web applications. - Published: 2021-10-18 - Modified: 2024-09-03 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/james-byun/ James Byun, Art Director at OXD, brings nearly two decades of design expertise to digital products and experiences. Specializing in websites, web applications, and product design, James crafts cutting-edge visual solutions that drive engagement and achieve business goals. His portfolio includes transformative projects for the Government of BC and other public sector clients, where he translates complex requirements into user-friendly designs. James’ understanding of both design principles and technical implementation ensures smooth project execution and optimal outcomes. Collaborating closely with UX specialists, he aligns designs with user needs and business objectives. Prior to OXD, James honed his skills as a senior product designer at Tyler Technologies and a designer at digital agency Mod7, working with notable clients like Electronic Arts. When not elevating digital experiences, James can be found exploring new culinary hotspots, sipping on a well-crafted scotch, cutting up the hockey rink, or taking off on global adventures. Just don’t ask him about his fantasy football team unless you’ve got time for a long chat! --- ### Meghan Yorston > As Office Administrator, Meghan is one of the first friendly people that employees, clients, and contractors talk to at OXD. - Published: 2021-06-09 - Modified: 2022-05-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/meghan-yorston/ As Office Administrator, Meghan is one of the first friendly people that employees, clients, and contractors talk to at OXD. She uses her talents in organization to keep the office running well while creating a welcoming environment where people can do their best work. Meghan takes pride in planning events that turn routine things into an occasion—helping colleagues and clients feel special. Meghan received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of British Columbia and enjoys using her writing skills when called for in her work. Before joining OXD, Meghan worked as the office manager for NLA, a fashion wholesale company representing brands like Levi’s, Native Shoes, and RVCA in East Vancouver. One of her favourite moments at NLA was building a birthday cake out of breakfast sandwiches for a colleague who hated sweets. This creative thinking has led Meghan to succeed at many things in her career, including planning and hosting a pop-up sample sale twice a year, attracting thousands of NLA customers. Meghan loves all aspects of music—listening to it, talking about it, and doing trivia. Though she jokes that memorizing the lyrics to so many songs are interfering with her brain’s ability to recall other important information! She also enjoys roller skating along the Vancouver Seawall, though in her words, “I don’t look cool doing it. ” --- ### Jane Mountain > As a Senior User Experience Designer at OXD, Jane helps take complex tasks and ideas and translates them into clear, precise designs. - Published: 2021-05-03 - Modified: 2022-05-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/jane-mountain/ As a Senior User Experience Designer at OXD, Jane helps take complex tasks and ideas and translates them into clear, precise designs. She brings over 10 years of experience to the User Experience (UX) team from her previous roles as a UX Designer in London and Los Angeles. Jane was the Lead UX Designer for the 2012 US Presidential election coverage at Yahoo! . She has worked on website redesign projects for Disney Cruise Line, YP. com, Movies. com, and ABC. com. Jane’s education is in English literature and journalism and she has worked for a wide variety of clients writing e-learning courses, website copy, marketing emails, and other digital projects. Immediately before joining the OXD team in Vancouver, Jane was travelling full-time as a professional travel blogger. In her free time, Jane takes advantage of the nature that BC has to offer by practicing her travel photography skills, snowshoeing, hiking, and cycling. Jane's favourite thing to do is explore other cultures and she is always planning her next adventure, whether local or international. --- ### Lisa Farmer > As Marketing Manager, Lisa crafts honest content to tell the story of the important work we do, and how we solve challenges for our clients. - Published: 2021-01-20 - Modified: 2022-05-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/lisa-farmer/ As Marketing Manager, Lisa crafts human, relevant, and honest content to tell the story of the important work we do and how we solve challenges for our clients. With her 20 years of experience in marketing, creative, and brand, Lisa strives to ensure holistic collaboration and communication strategies lead to successful experiences. Lisa began her design and marketing career with the United States Air Force, leading her to pursue a marketing and management degree at Lake Region State College. After relocating to Texas, Lisa continued her education by completing a graphic design degree at San Antonio College, where she received multiple student American Advertising Awards (ADDY® Awards) and scholarships for design. Over the last decade she has had the opportunity to lead creative, content, and brand strategy for Vista Consulting Group, the consulting partner to Vista Equity Partners—a market-leading enterprise software investment firm headquartered in Austin, Texas—and Florida-based DaVita Medical Group (now Optum)—a former subsidiary of DaVita Inc. , a Fortune 500 health care company. In her earlier career, she helped produce award-winning design for several Texas design and marketing agencies. Lisa is also a fine artist, certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist, avid hiker, and community volunteer. --- ### Dylan Rogowsky > Dylan collaborates with cross-functional teams to design and develop new features and releases, while translating technical requirements into elegant, scalable solutions. - Published: 2021-01-20 - Modified: 2025-04-11 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/dylan-rogowsky/ As a Senior Software Developer, Dylan collaborates with cross-functional teams to design and develop new features and releases, while translating technical requirements into elegant, scalable solutions. He has a background in digital media and enterprise application development, graduating with honours from a post-secondary institute specializing in technology and design. With over 15 years of experience, Dylan has contributed to major web modernization projects in the public and private sectors. One of his past projects received industry recognition for mobile user experience and was featured on a prominent web design podcast. His experience spans work with in-house teams, digital agencies, educational institutions, and retail organizations. He has also shared his expertise as a post-secondary instructor in interactive media design. Outside of work, Dylan enjoys cooking, home improvement projects, and exploring the world. He has a passion for music and has performed with several local bands. --- ### Carmen Chau > As a Senior Project Manager, Carmen helps lead a diverse team of multidisciplinary experts towards a common goal. - Published: 2021-01-20 - Modified: 2022-05-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/carmen-chau/ As a Senior Project Manager, Carmen helps lead a diverse team of multidisciplinary experts towards a common goal while balancing time, budgets, and resources. She believes customer relationships and communication throughout the project lifecycle are key to successful outcomes. Carmen has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Communications and a Postgraduate degree in Public Relations. She is also a Certified ScrumMaster with over 10 years of experience leading clients and cross-functional teams through marketing initiatives across multiple mediums. Before joining OXD, Carmen was the dedicated project manager for BC Women’s Health Foundation. While in this role, she led the Foundation’s rebrand, directed development of the website, and spearheaded the Foundation’s sponsorship fulfilment of Women Deliver, the world’s largest conference on gender equality. She has worked with MEC, implementing the execution of their brand strategy by leading the development of the Good Times Outside microsite—driving design, content, marketing, e-commerce, SEO, analytics, development, and partner agencies through concurrent timelines. Carmen has also managed projects for The Jim Pattison Group and the Overwaitea Food Group in her career. When she’s not managing projects for OXD, Carmen enjoys camping and learning Spanish. She is an avid reader and likes to set annual reading goals for herself. --- ### Manuji Samara > As a QA Engineer at OXD, Manuji takes ownership of product quality and works closely with our Development team. - Published: 2019-12-12 - Modified: 2023-08-11 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/manuji-samara/ As a QA Engineer at OXD, Manuji takes ownership of product quality and works closely with our Development team. She is involved throughout the project lifecycle, from design to release and maintenance. When she’s not designing and creating test cases, Manuji is documenting defects to ensure product quality. She collaborates with all of our teams to understand project requirements, then assesses their testability before performing exploratory, session, and risk-based tests. Manuji holds a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology from the University of Colombo. She is also certified by both ISTQB certifications for Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) and Certified Tester - Agile Tester (CTFL - AT). Before joining OXD, Manuji worked at Innovative-e where she created comprehensive test plans, identified and tracked defects, set up deploy releases to staging and production environments, and offered support services to clients across North America. When she’s not testing code, Manuji likes to cook, listen to music, and hike. --- ### Dominik Szopa > As a Project Manager, Dominik is responsible for keeping projects on time and within budget, while keeping clients engaged and informed. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2021-06-07 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/dominik-szopa/ As a Project Manager, Dominik is responsible for keeping projects on time and within budget, while keeping clients engaged and informed during the process. He believes that transparency and dialogue during development are the keys to creating successful outcomes. Before joining OXD, Dominik spent 12 years at Pointstreak Sports Technologies where he managed the technology team for customers such as NHL Central Scouting, The Sports Network, Little League Baseball, and the German Ice Hockey League. He has experience managing projects and products using Scrum Agile methodology, which provides frequent, reviewable releases to the client throughout development. Dominik has a Bachelors of Computing Science from Simon Fraser University. This helps him translate customer needs into sound technology solutions. In his free time, Dominik can likely be found swimming, biking, or running, and probably in that order. He prefers to travel on two wheels, regardless of whether it's with or without an engine. --- ### Deborah MacKenzie > As a Senior User Experience Designer at OXD, Deborah champions the interests of the end-user. Her primary goal is to make complex tasks easy. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2024-06-12 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/deborah-mackenzie/ As the Manager of UX and Service Design, Deborah champions the interests of the end-user. Her primary objective is to make complex tasks easily manageable for users of all skill levels. Deborah brings over 15 years of UX design experience, three of which were spent working in the United Kingdom (UK). Prior to joining OXD, she worked on feature products at Aviva, the largest insurance company in the UK. Deborah holds a Bachelor of Science in Computing Science from Simon Fraser University. She is also a recent graduate of the Masters program at The Centre for Digital Media, Canada’s first professional graduate degree program in Digital Media. Outside of work Deborah enjoys hiking, skiing, costuming and theatre, but most of all she loves travelling around the world. --- ### Chanel Lethbridge > As an Accountant Chanel plays an important role in managing our business operations and financial record-keeping. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2020-11-26 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/chanel-lethbridge/ As an Accountant, Chanel plays an important role in managing our business operations and financial record-keeping. Chanel also tracks our performance and efficiency, so that profit can be maximized. She works with clients, staff, vendors, and financial institutions on accounts receivable, invoicing, expense management, and financial reporting. Before joining OXD Chanel worked for the City of Edmonton as a Print Operator, gaining experience in data entry, the Microsoft Suite, and strategic analysis. Chanel has a diploma in Business Administration with a specialization in Accounting from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Outside of work Chanel can usually be found experimenting in the kitchen, exploring the sea wall, talking pop culture, and planning her next adventure. --- ### Charles Shin > As a SoftwareDeveloper at OXD, he contributes to developing large scale websites and helps solve complex development problems. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2020-11-26 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/charles-shin/ Charles is passionate about developing great things for our clients. As a Software Developer at OXD, he contributes to developing large scale websites and helps solve complex development problems. Fluent in Python, Django, HTML, CSS, and Javascript, Charles uses these skills to design thoughtful, useful new features using iterative, agile processes. Charles has Computer Science degree from Simon Fraser University (SFU), and brings strong web application development experience to the team. While studying at SFU, he created an application called SFU Swap. Characterized as a hybrid between Craigslist and eBay, the framework used to develop this app cemented his enthusiasm and helped him hone his craft. Outside of work you can find Charles chasing a soccer ball or cheering on the Whitecaps. He also likes travelling and trying new restaurants hoping to find a hidden gem. --- ### Winnie Ho > As a Senior User Experience Designer, Winnie is responsible for improving the usability, utility, and enjoyment of interactions for users. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2022-05-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/winnie-ho/ As a Senior User Experience Designer at OXD, Winnie is responsible for improving the usability, utility, and enjoyment of the interactions between end-users and services. She brings in-depth knowledge of user research methods. While working as a User Experience Designer and Researcher at TELUS, she facilitated usability testing and lead user interviews on multiple projects. Winnie is motivated by discovering users’ pain points and using them to create an experience that feels fluid and natural. She believes in taking a lean approach to design, working side-by-side with developers to ensure changes are being made as the design is implemented. Winnie graduated from the Computer Science program at the University of British Columbia. Outside of work you can find her running in the park, learning to play the piano, or competing in a friendly game of dodgeball. --- ### Wil Arndt, CGD > As Creative Director, Wil works to ensure that projects meet the highest standards of design and communications excellence. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2022-12-14 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/wil-arndt/ As Creative Director, Wil works to ensure that projects meet the highest standards of design and communications excellence. Wil works closely with clients to articulate a vision for great design and digital brand integration, while delighting the user and exceeding the project’s communication objectives. With over 20 years of design experience, Wil’s work has been honoured with some 150 industry and design awards and numerous accolades in the media. As Principal of Mod7—a leading digital agency in Vancouver acquired by OXD in 2013—Wil helped to push the boundaries of digital storytelling, mobile development, and interactive design. In addition to 4 years of architecture school training, Wil completed his degree in Communication Design at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, where he later taught Motion Graphics and Interactive Design in the mid-00’s. Though his schedule doesn’t allow room for teaching these days, Wil still likes to mentor students at the Vancouver Film School and speak at various area universities. When not spending time with his wife and two children or challenging his team to create great design at OXD, Wil dabbles in writing terrible science fiction and loves playing the drums. He has recently discovered a soft spot for whisky and puppies. --- ### Susan Gibbons, CPA, CGA > As Controller, Susan keeps OXD's financial house in order. Susan began her accounting career through the SFU Co-op program. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2022-05-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/susan-gibbons/ As Controller, Susan keeps OXD's financial house in order. Susan rejoined the accounting world recently after a break to start a family. Previously she was Assistant Controller at Playground, a real estate division of Intrawest. While earning her Bachelor of Business Administration, Susan got her start in accounting through the Simon Fraser University Co-op program with the KPMG Vancouver Audit department. --- ### Steve Ly > As Director of Software Development, Steve leads talented developers to solve complex problems using simple technological solutions. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2022-05-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/steve-ly/ As Director of Software Development, Steve leads a group of talented developers to solve complex problems using simple technological solutions. Steve is a natural problem solver and while a big part of his role is mentoring, he isn’t afraid to get into the trenches and code alongside his team. Steve is heavily involved in the development aspect of projects and played a supporting role in preparing the authentication system for the massive Pokémon GO launch. Steve has not one but two Bachelor degrees, the first in Medical Laboratory Sciences from the University of British Columbia, and the second in Computer Science from Simon Fraser University. He’s been with OXD since 2002 and has worked on projects for a variety of industries including real estate, government, entertainment, and healthcare. When he’s not mentoring or coding, Steve likes to spend time with his kids, read fantasy and science fiction books, indulge in the "occasional" Netflix binge, and cook a good steak on the BBQ in the summer. --- ### Sara Redpath > As Client Engagement Manager, Sara works with current and potential clients, managing new business, and supporting our project teams. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2020-06-01 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/sara-redpath/ As Director of Sales, Sara plays an important role in driving growth at OXD. She works with all of our clients to plan innovative solutions that support their business goals. Sara knows OXD can solve many of the complex challenges faced by businesses and organizations today, and works to demonstrate our value to leaders across industries. As a procurement expert, Sara works collaboratively with our subject matter experts to determine the scope of engagements, produce proposals, deliver pitches, and drive business development. Sara helps us win work in both the public and private sectors, focusing on projects that are profitable, rewarding, and aligned with strategic objectives. She spends her days managing cross-functional teams, forecasting and measuring performance, and ensuring successful long-term relationships with clients. Sara holds a degree in Political Science from Boston College where she also studied Faith, Peace, and Justice. She has a background in small business and was formerly a Chef and Chocolatier. When not working or cooking, Sara enjoys photography and spending time with her kids. --- ### Min Ji Choi > As a Front-End Developer, Min builds visual interfaces for site and app projects, acting as a bridge between our Designers and Programmers. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2023-04-26 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/min-ji-choi/ As a Frontend Developer, Min is the bridge between our Designers and Backend Programmers. By building the visual interface of website and app projects, she ensures the final design is consistent with the implemented version. After completing her Computer Science Degree at the University of British Columbia, Min went on to study Digital Design at Vancouver Film School. Before moving into development, she worked as an Interaction Designer and a UX/UI Designer. Her strong understanding of user experience design, interaction design, and development gives Min a more holistic understanding of our clients’ projects. Outside of work, Min can be found visiting craft markets in search of fun trinkets or trying different restaurants around the city. She also enjoys baking delicious homemade granola, which is always a hit at the office. --- ### Michael Olund > Michael is a Software Development Manager who specializes in business systems integration and database development. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2021-12-07 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/michael-olund/ Michael is a Software Development Manager who excels at business systems integration and database development. He has been developing web applications for OXD since 1997. Michael has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He has acted as a Business Analyst, Architect, and Lead Developer on several large projects for clients including Intrawest Playground, Transportation Investment Corporation (TReO), the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, and the Courts of British Columbia. --- ### Lawrence Chan > As Senior System Administrator, Lawrence manages all the computers, servers, networking, firewalls, backups, and software at OXD. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2021-04-07 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/lawrence-chan/ As Senior System Administrator, Lawrence makes sure our teams have the hardware they need by managing all the computers, servers, networking, firewalls, backups, and software in our office. Lawrence started with us as a Software Developer in 1999 and has managed the rebuild of the Pokémon website, made Content Management System recommendations for clients, and done analysis for the Ministry of the Attorney General. When he isn’t working, Lawrence loves spending time with his family. He has a knack for photoshopping people heads into other pictures and enjoys running, gardening, and drinking scotch. He is also undoubtedly the only Vancouverite who likes driving in the snow. --- ### Kallie Ashenden > As Design Director at OXD, Kallie is driven by a desire to create honest, intelligent and elegantly crafted works. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2021-04-07 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/kallie-ashenden/ Kallie is a Design Director driven by a desire to create honest, intelligent and elegantly crafted works. With 14 years of experience in strategic branding and communication design, Kallie works within the Design team and assists with art direction across a wide range of disciplines. She takes a pragmatic approach, providing considered and appropriate creative solutions to ensure clients reach their objectives. Originally from New Zealand, Kallie holds a Bachelor of Design from Auckland University of Technology. After graduation she gained four years’ experience in Auckland followed by eight years in London, UK. Kallie has worked on brands for The Crown Estate, Grosvenor, Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC, the University of Kent, Lend Lease, Sloane Street, East Village London, and more. Ever curious, Kallie loves to explore the world and seeks out the local food, art, history and culture in every place she visits. Since moving to Vancouver, she has enjoyed developing her yoga practice and hiking on weekends. --- ### Kaitie Bakker > As a Designer at OXD, Kaitie creates elegant, functional touchpoints along the user journey, bringing a keen eye for detail to her work. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2021-11-15 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/kaitie-bakker/ As a Senior Designer, Kaitie creates elegant, functional elements to support the user journey. Kaitie is a talented, multidisciplinary designer with a keen eye for detail and brings an empathetic approach to her work. She has broadened her experience at OXD by designing for large clients including the Province of British Columbia Ministry of Education, British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI), and the Government of Alberta. Kaitie studied Graphic Design at Langara College, held several in-house design positions, and later worked for Langara assisting the coordination of the Continuing Studies design programs. Her work has been featured in HOW Magazine. Before joining OXD, Kaitie worked with sister company ThoughtFarmer as a product designer. She was also a designer at Cedar Made Design where she worked with clients like Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, 6S Marketing, TransLink, the David Suzuki Foundation, and the University of British Columbia. In her down time, Kaitie can be found exploring the great outdoors with her family, or rewatching Friends (again). --- ### Justin Johnson > As Principal Software Developer at OXD, Justin spends much of his time writing code within the context of long-term projects. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2020-11-26 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/justin-johnson/ As Principal Software Developer, Justin spends much of his time writing code within the context of long-term projects. When there's heavy programming to be done in the back-end, he's our go-to. Over his 21 years in the tech industry, Justin has freelanced, worked for Fortune 100 companies, and was the Chief Technology Officer for a startup. Before joining OXD, he became adept at moving between companies and adapting to new environments, all while keeping a pulse on the latest tech trends. He may be a techie now, but Justin has degrees in both printmaking and philosophy. When he’s not in front of the computer he likes to paint and draw. --- ### Julie Robinson, CPHR > As People Operations Manager at OXD, Julie plays a critical role creating a seamless experience across the employee life cycle. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2022-03-09 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/julie-robinson/ Our clients get the best results because we hire the best people. As People Operations Manager, Julie plays a critical role in attracting and retaining top talent. From creating a seamless experience across the employee life cycle, to managing vendor relations, and strengthening our work culture—Julie is focused on putting the people at OXD first. Julie’s education at Capilano University and Simon Fraser University led her to various positions throughout the public and private sectors. With over a decade of HR and event management experience, Julie knows how to build relationships with people at all levels to support the achievement of our client’s goals. Outside of work, Julie can be found checking out the newest restaurants, maintaining a regular yoga practice, or hiking any one of the beautiful mountains in the Lower Mainland. --- ### Joey Bevacqua > As Director of Project Services, Joey is at the helm of strategic initiatives for clients, managing end-to-end, multi-discipline projects. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2022-05-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/joey-bevacqua/ As the Director of Project Services, Joey works with clients across industries to understand the scope of their needs and ensure our team delivers a final product that exceeds client expectations. He manages end-to-end, multi-discipline projects and is at the helm of strategic initiatives for our clients. With nearly 15 years of experience as a Project Manager, Joey has worked in financial services, the CRM space, and gaming. He has his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and manages Waterfall and Agile projects, but often uses a hybrid of the two. When he’s not juggling projects, Joey likes to talk sports and spend time with his family. --- ### Jacqueline Antalik > As Director of User Experience, Jacqueline leads our UX and Service Design teams. She is passionate about meaningful user experiences. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2024-06-12 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/jacqueline-antalik/ As Director of UX and Service Design, Jacqueline leads our User Experience and Service Design teams. Jacqueline brings over 15 years of experience in the Web/IT industry. She has extensive experience working on large mission-critical systems along with a strong background in human computer interaction, business and system analysis, information architecture, workplace learning and technology, writing, and consulting. Jacqueline is passionate about connecting with end-users, hearing their thoughts and pain points, and using that to design and deliver a positive and meaningful user experience. Jacqueline has worked with clients including TransLink, the BC Ministry of Children and Families, Public Guardian and Trustee, and the BC Ministry of the Attorney General. Prior to joining OXD, she spent ten years with TELUS as an Interaction Design and Usability Specialist. While there, Jacqueline worked on both internal and external client engagements, which included the Justice Institute of British Columbia, Prospera Credit Union, the BC Government, and the Vancouver Canucks. She also fulfilled the Business Analyst role on many of these projects. Jacqueline has a Communications degree with a Psychology minor from Simon Fraser University and is a member of the User Experience Professionals Association. When not working you will find Jacqueline enjoying time with her daughters, reading, jogging, and catching up on sleep. --- ### Gordon Ross > As VP and Partner of OXD, Gordon has been leading the design and delivery of high-impact websites, web apps, and intranets since 1996. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2024-03-29 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/gordon-ross/ As Vice President and Partner of OXD, Gordon has been leading the design and delivery of high-impact websites, web applications, and intranets since 1996. He has been instrumental in leading the development of our service design offering and has spoken internationally on service design in government. Gordon blends his interest in user-centred design and ethnography, with a passion for understanding the role technology plays inside organizations and in society at large. His value lies in bridging the gap between theory and practice in an accessible manner. Gordon has provided digital service strategy and leadership for clients like BC Hydro, the City of Vancouver, Hydro Ottawa, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of the Attorney General, Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), the Public Guardian & Trustee, TransLink, TELUS, Transportation Investment Corporation (TReO), and the Vancouver Public Library. Gordon has a degree in Communications from Simon Fraser University (SFU). He’s passionate about the ideas surrounding communications, complexity, ethnography, service design, social network analysis, theory of technology, urban planning, and how the collision of these ideas can help organizations thrive and make work better. He has spoken at conferences like Service Design in Government, Converge, InFlux, SXSW, Digital Strategy Vancouver, the Social Intranet Summit, LegalIT, Enterprise 2. 0, World IA Day, and has lectured locally at SFU, the University of British Columbia, and the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Gordon is a co-founder and organizer of the Vancouver User Experience Group. He is a certified Cognitive Edge practitioner, has served on the Board of... --- ### Foley Lynn > As a Software Development Manager, Foley sits at the intersection of design, strategy, and development, choosing the best tech for clients. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2022-05-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/foley-lynn/ As a Software Development Manager for OXD, Foley sits at the intersection of design, strategy, and development, ensuring the proper technologies are used to best serve end users and clients alike. Foley has more than 20 years of digital communications experience split between agency work and running his own web development firm. His areas of expertise are Design Systems, HTML, CSS, Javascript, Content Strategy, User-centric Design, and CMS development and customization. His current role allows him to continue to do critical development work, while also mentoring and assisting other team members with their skill development. At OXD, Foley has worked with a wide range of clients, most notably as the lead developer of a number of sites for the University of British Columbia and Fortis BC, including the redesign of FortisBC. com, their primary site. He has also contributed to building web sites and applications for the governments of BC and Alberta, BCI,, Legal Aid BC and many others. Away from work he enjoys spending time with his wife and son. Foley and his family are also avid travellers and have visited such remote locations as Thursday Island off the northern tip of Australia. But his travel heart is in the Caribbean, where he has explored 16 separate nations. Foley attended Carleton University in Ottawa. --- ### Dave Kachman > As a Senior User Experience Designer at OXD, Dave is responsible for creating user experiences that are intuitive and easy to use. - Published: 2019-03-29 - Modified: 2023-11-03 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/dave-kachman/ Dave Kachman is a Senior User Experience Designer at OXD. Over the past 10 years, he has been helping guide the design of solutions for our clients. Dave’s efforts include leading research initiatives to uncover exciting opportunities that improve the digital experience and designing innovative and compelling interaction designs. All of his efforts are in the service of making things easier, more accessible, and enticing for the humans who use them. Dave has worked with clients including the Government of Alberta’s Ministry of Children’s Services, the Government of BC’s Ministry of Advanced Education, FortisBC, the University of British Columbia, and Kernaghan Adjusters. When not working, you’ll find Dave riding his snowboard, hiking mountains, running around the city, rocking out at live music concerts, cheering on his favourite team—the Edmonton Oilers—or learning to shred on his guitar. --- ### Darren Gibbons > Darren Gibbons has led OXD since co-founding the company in 1996. He brings a unique blend of strategic thinking, tech, and people skills. - Published: 2019-03-29 - Modified: 2021-04-07 - URL: https://oxd.com/about/people/darren-gibbons/ Darren has led OXD since co-founding the company in 1996. Darren brings a unique blend of strategic thinking, technological know-how, and great people skills to many of OXD's projects. His hands-on approach has helped organizations like the BC Supreme Court, Electronic Arts, Intrawest, Pokémon, and WorksafeBC achieve success with innovative and powerful web applications. Darren majored in Applied Physics at Simon Fraser University. He has been a guest speaker on topics ranging from enterprise Java architecture to social software in the enterprise and has spoken at conferences including KM World, Connect, the Social Intranet Summit, and more. Darren is also the co-author of a book on JavaBeans 1. 1 published by McGraw-Hill. He's most at home talking to people, whether it's talking technology choices with developers or collaboration goals with clients. --- --- ## Job Postings ### Project Manager > We're hiring a FT Project Manager who is proactive and brings a strong mix of traditional PM and Agile delivery skills to lead multidisciplinary teams. - Published: 2025-04-10 - Modified: 2025-04-10 - URL: https://oxd.com/careers/project-manager/ Location: Remote or HybridType: Full-Time, PermanentReports to: Director, Project ServicesCompensation: $90,000 - $110,000 We're setting the baseline for awesome. OXD partners with public sector organizations across North America to improve how government services are delivered while making them more inclusive, efficient, and user-friendly. We combine thoughtful design, modern technology, and agile delivery to create real impact. We’re looking for a full-time Project Manager to join our team. Our PMs are highly organized, proactive, and thrive in complex, fast-paced environments. They bring a strong mix of traditional project management and Agile delivery skills to lead multidisciplinary teams and keep initiatives aligned, on track, and outcome-focused. Clear communicators and relationship builders, they navigate interest holder needs with tact and clarity. With a collaborative mindset and a sharp eye for detail, OXD Project Managers support healthy team dynamics and ensure the success of every project from kickoff to delivery. What you'll be doing Lead and manage website, web application, and business process improvement projects, ensuring successful project outcomes. Manage a variety of projects using both Waterfall and Agile methodologies, tailoring the approach to best meet project goals and client needs. Proactively manage project risks, while actively tracking and reporting on issues to maintain project progress. Provide regular status updates to internal teams and stakeholders, ensuring clear communication throughout the project lifecycle. Ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget, while effectively managing client expectations throughout. Contribute to company sales and resource planning processes, supporting business growth and efficiency. Lead teams in preparing... --- --- ## Insights ### Low-risk strategies for modernizing legacy systems > Learn how modernizing legacy systems in government is possible—without disrupting essential public services. - Published: 2025-05-20 - Modified: 2025-05-20 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/low-risk-strategies-for-modernizing-legacy-systems/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Health, Justice How can product owners update their outdated government digital service without disrupting essential public services? Imagine you're responsible for a 15-year-old government application that processes thousands of citizen benefit applications daily. The system runs on outdated technology, lacks proper documentation, and is increasingly difficult to maintain. You know it needs modernization, but a service interruption could mean citizens don't receive critical benefits on time. What's your next move? This scenario plays out across government agencies every day. Critical citizen services often run on decade-old software, creating vulnerability to security breaches, performance issues, and system failures. When these systems falter, real people face real consequences. The pitfall of the “Big Bang” rewrite If a vendor promises to rewrite your entire legacy software system for a fixed cost, it should prompt careful scrutiny. A Big Bang rewrite replaces an entire legacy system with a single big deployment. While the idea of starting brand new is tempting, a full system overhaul comes with significant risks. Many organizations underestimate the complexity of their legacy system, leading to unrealistic timelines, spiralling costs, and projects that fail before completion. Legacy systems are deeply woven into government operations, often connected to multiple agencies, regulations, and decades of historical data. Replacing these systems all at once demands extensive planning, rigorous testing, and a flawless transition which is an outcome rarely achieved in large-scale government projects. The reality is that unexpected interdependencies, missing documentation, and unanticipated stakeholder needs can derail even the most well-intentioned full rewrites. Beyond technical challenges, a “Big Bang” rewrite can disrupt critical services. Government systems support essential functions such as... --- ### Beyond components: How design principles transform design systems > Learn how design principles transform design systems from component collections into strategic assets driving successful digital transformation. - Published: 2025-04-25 - Modified: 2025-04-29 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/beyond-components-how-design-principles-transform-design-systems/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Human-Centred Design - Industry Tags: Agriculture, Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Cultural Industries, Education, Energy and utilities, Finance and insurance, Government and Public Sector, Health, Information and cultural industries, Justice, Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Professional Services, Real Estate, Retail, Software, Telecommunications, Transportation Our Creative Director Wil Arndt explores how design principles serve as navigational tools that transform design systems from collections of components into strategic assets that drive successful digital transformation. Recently, I worked with a higher education client to help their delivery team mature their design system capabilities. It wasn’t a surprise that passionate debates erupted over component prioritization. “We need to start with the most-ubiquitous stuff first: the accordion. Isn’t that obvious? It’s the one component shared by all our departmental subsites. ” “No,” another group countered, “we need to start with the foundational stuff, like heading, links, and block quotes. That’s critical for brand cohesion. ” And of course, leadership had their own opinions. “The most strategically important component is our video carousel. We need that to tell our story and keep all the departments competing for homepage real estate happy. ” Why design systems matter Design systems are meant to provide efficiency in design, using pre-assembled pieces instead of constantly reinventing elements. They offer tremendous benefits: users experience consistency and don’t struggle with endless learnability challenges; brands are reinforced through cohesive presentation; and development teams work faster with standardized components. When implemented well, design systems cost less, create better experiences for users, and maintain brand integrity across digital touchpoints. But when design systems struggle to achieve their full potential, it’s not because of technical shortcomings, but because organizations often focus on collections of components instead of what they actually need: frameworks for navigating competing priorities. The often overlooked benefit of design systems: principles Back to our component prioritization debate: different groups within the organization advocated for their own urgent needs, each with compelling justification. The breakthrough came... --- ### Performance engineering: The secret to faster, more reliable applications > Slow applications frustrate users and cost businesses millions in lost revenue. The solution? Shift left—a performance engineering concept. - Published: 2025-03-19 - Modified: 2025-03-27 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/performance-engineering-the-secret-to-faster-more-reliable-applications/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Agriculture, Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Cultural Industries, Education, Energy and utilities, Finance and insurance, Government and Public Sector, Health, Information and cultural industries, Justice, Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Professional Services, Real Estate, Retail, Software, Telecommunications, Transportation Slow applications don’t just frustrate users—they could cost businesses millions in lost revenue. Our Director of Software Development, Steve Ly, says the solution is to “Shift left”. Did you know “a site that loads in 1 second has a conversion rate 3 times higher than a site that loads in 5 seconds? ” We’ve all experienced the frustration of a slow-loading website or an unresponsive application. As the research above shows, users are quick to abandon an application if they have to wait more than a mere few seconds. In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, ensuring your application performs well isn’t just about slow load times—it’s about delivering a seamless user experience (UX) that keeps people engaged. That’s where performance engineering comes in. What is performance engineering? Performance engineering is a practice designed to make performance a priority from the very beginning—not something that’s tested as an afterthought. It gets woven into your entire development process, from the initial design phase through to post-launch monitoring. Performance engineering encompasses more than just testing for speed or load capacity. It’s an end-to-end, cross-functional approach that ensures performance considerations across all disciplines: UX, visual design, development, and quality assurance (QA). The concept (and practice) of moving performance engineering into the full design and development phase is referred to as “shifting left. ” By moving testing, quality, and performance evaluation into the earliest stages (even before coding begins), teams can make informed decisions about design, architecture, and infrastructure that reduce the risk of late-stage delays or costly reworks. It also ensures a smoother user experience.   How to approach performance engineering Tackling performance engineering effectively requires a well thought out, multi-disciplinary approach.... --- ### Exploring the relationship between service evaluation and admin burden > Our article explores how evaluating services and addressing admin burden in gov can improve service delivery for citizens. - Published: 2025-03-07 - Modified: 2025-03-07 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/exploring-the-relationship-between-service-evaluation-and-admin-burden/ After challenging Canadian governments to reduce administrative burden, OXD Vice President and Partner Gordon Ross spoke with public servants about how to measure and address these hidden costs. What emerged wasn’t just about service efficiency—it’s about understanding citizens’ complex relationships with government policy. Back in December, I wrote about the concept of administrative burden and how all three levels of government in Canada are overdue at addressing the learning, compliance, and psychological costs that citizens experience when they use public services.   The post kicked off some great conversations with provincial and federal colleagues (thank you all for the generosity of your time and thoughtfulness! ). We discussed how to assess burden to improve service delivery and achieve policy outcomes.   In the spirit of collaboration and working in public, I’m sharing some of the key findings from those conversations. I hope you find them useful in your work and, if you’re keen, do leave a comment or reach out and I’d be happy to chat further.   “Oh yeah, I think I’ve heard of that... ” Public servants I spoke with recognized administrative burden when described, but its origins and formal study (e. g. , research by Moynihan and Herd in public administration) were not as widely known. Some recited the learning, compliance, psychological costs framework, while others defined the term as “the burdensome nature of administering a service” from the perspective of a public service employee.   Competing terms like “time tax” and the popular expression “red tape” were also discussed. Both terms had slightly different meanings or resonance for public servants.   In particular, descriptions of red tape were centred around the experience of businesses interacting with government and the compliance costs related to dense and complicated regulations. This could... --- ### When court processes are stuck in the past, justice suffers. > We help courts transition from paper-based processes to modern digital solutions, improving admin while maintaining operational continuity. - Published: 2025-02-20 - Modified: 2025-02-27 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/when-court-processes-are-stuck-in-the-past-justice-suffers/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Justice Outdated court processes delay justice and burden staff. Digital transformation can make courts more efficient, accurate, and accessible. I don’t have a single staff member during the regular running of courts that doesn’t have a stack of work sitting on their desk at all times. We struggle to keep up, and we work a ton of overtime. The point is to not live in a constant state of scrambling. ” Court clerk manager Buried in paperwork: The daily reality of court administration Court systems worldwide continue to rely on paper-based processes that have remained largely unchanged for decades. The daily reality is overwhelming: court clerks manually write endorsements and procedural notes by hand, then must enter that same information into case management systems. This double-handling of critical judicial documentation creates a cascade of problems. The physical and cognitive strain on court staff is immense. As courtroom events outpace their ability to capture outcomes, staff work through breaks and stay late just to keep up with the mounting paperwork. But the impact extends far beyond administrative burden—when documentation slows down, the entire justice system slows with it. Delayed proceedings, processing backlogs, and increased risk of errors ultimately hamper public access to justice. Canada’s criminal justice system is among the best in the world—a model for other countries, and a source of pride for Canadians. It has a strong foundation, but it faces a number of challenges. Change is needed... our criminal justice system has become inefficient and, at times, crippled by delays. ” Final report on the review of Canada’s criminal justice system Digital transformation delivers meaningful impact When... --- ### Innovative AI solutions for government that transform citizen services > As experienced consultants, we believe the future includes using AI to modernize government services to be more efficient and accessible. - Published: 2025-01-22 - Modified: 2025-03-27 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/how-ai-can-transform-modern-government-services/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Government Consulting, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector From predictive flood warnings to systems that cut document processing times to our own work in government AI consulting, OXD Director of Software Steve Ly explains how AI is revolutionizing government service delivery. Meeting the new standard for citizen services By 2026, 30% of new applications will use artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver personalized, adaptive user experiences (Gartner). This rapid shift reflects how AI is reshaping user expectations. Citizens now demand digital services that learn and respond to their needs—not just basic websites and forms that treat every user the same way. So, how can AI transform modern government services? For government leaders, intelligent applications (IA) that incorporate AI offer a clear path forward. These systems combine machine learning (ML) for pattern recognition, natural language processing (NLP) for human-like interactions, and predictive analytics to transform basic services into smart, responsive ones. By embedding IA into their core systems, governments can process documents in minutes instead of days, predict service demands before they arise, and deliver the personalized experience citizens expect. What are intelligent applications? Citizens today expect government services to match the responsiveness and personalization of private-sector platforms. Intelligent applications leverage advanced AI technologies to deliver adaptive, user-focused services that evolve with changing needs. Core technologies Machine Learning (ML): Automates processes and predicts outcomes for faster decision-making Predictive Analytics: Anticipates citizen needs and enables proactive service delivery Natural Language Processing (NLP): Powers conversational, multi-lingual interfaces for intuitive user interactions Large Language Models (LLMs): Generates contextually relevant, human-like responses at scale Key capabilities in action Contextual awareness: Adapts to individual environments to deliver personalized service recommendations, like childcare subsidies tailored to user profiles. Proactive notifications: Uses predictive analytics to alert citizens about benefit renewals... --- ### Canadian governments are overdue on reducing the administrative burden of their services > How do we address the administrative burden in government that is leading to ineffective programs and policy that don’t deliver? Learn more. - Published: 2024-12-18 - Modified: 2025-02-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/canadian-governments-are-overdue-on-reducing-the-administrative-burden-of-their-services/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Government Consulting - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector Every frustrating form and confusing process erodes public trust. OXD Vice President and Partner Gordon Ross challenges Canadian governments to rebuild that trust by reducing administrative burden on citizens. There’s lots of things that catch you off guard as a first-time parent. The cost of strollers. The flood of advice from friends, family, and strangers. The hundreds of parenting books. And of course, the government forms. When I became a parent over a decade ago, I distinctly remember an evening with my wife as we became increasingly frustrated, trying our best to navigate the Service Canada website in order to apply for the employment insurance (EI) maternity and parental benefit. We sifted through countless web pages of lengthy bureaucratic text and struggled with the identity and login requirements of the time. “Why is this so hard? ” my wife exclaimed. “How many university degrees do we have in this house? ! ? ” We laughed, but it wasn’t funny. We have privilege: we are both university educated and literate, with secure housing and good jobs. Yet, we faced challenges in understanding how all of this worked. We worried about completing the application incorrectly and felt uncertain about where the process started and ended. It all felt unnecessarily difficult. Our trust in government was diminished.   For a few dark winter evenings, sitting at our kitchen table and staring at a laptop, the experience only added to the general stress in our lives as we awaited our newborn’s arrival. Now to their credit, the Canadian federal government experience in 2024 looks and works a lot better than this previous generation of digital service delivery. The updated platform provides some clear... --- ### Is digital government just government? A nuanced debate at FWD50 > Gordon Ross suggests that the answer lies not in choosing sides, but in better understanding the evolution of government capabilities. - Published: 2024-11-21 - Modified: 2024-12-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/is-digital-government-just-government-a-nuanced-debate-at-fwd50/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector In this Insight, Gordon Ross, Vice President and Partner at OXD suggests that the answer lies not in choosing sides, but in better understanding the evolution of government capabilities. Be it resolved that digital government is just government. One of the best parts of this year’s FWD50 conference on public sector innovation and technology held in Ottawa and online Nov 4-6, 2024 was an Oxford-style debate chaired by conference organizer Alistair Croll. Arguing for the motion were Hillary Hartley (US Digital Response) and Alexandra MacEachern (Public Digital); arguing against were Katy Lalonde (Supply Ontario) and The Hon. Colin Deacon, Senator (Nova Scotia). Given FWD50 is a conference focused on the digital transformation of government, Hilary and Alex benefitted from a strong head start in attendee sentiment. Arguing against the idea that “digital government is just government” took courage, intellectual dexterity, and humour on the part of Katy Lalonde and Senator Deacon. There were as many hearty laughs as there were solid arguments throughout the debate. A good debate allows us to examine opposing viewpoints. You walk across the floor and hear the perspective of an opposing point of view, consider why your assumptions and beliefs might need an update, or even a significant overhaul. In a time when political debate rarely rises above name-calling and personal attacks, the debaters succeeded in presenting their cases, especially given they didn’t necessarily personally believe or support some of the very positions they were debating for or against. One of the big themes of the debate was a familiar one in digital government transformation circles: centralized vs decentralized teams. Where does the work of digital government reside? The “for” side (Hilary and Alexandra)... --- ### Establishing digital trust with verifiable credentials > Learn how we can help your organization or government implement verifiable credentials and take a step toward a more secure digital future. - Published: 2024-09-20 - Modified: 2024-09-20 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/establishing-digital-trust-with-verifiable-credentials/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Government Consulting, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Agriculture, Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Cultural Industries, Education, Energy and utilities, Finance and insurance, Government and Public Sector, Health, Information and cultural industries, Justice, Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Professional Services, Real Estate, Retail, Software, Telecommunications, Transportation Our Director of Software Development, Steve Ly, explores a world where proving your identity or qualifications is as simple as scanning a QR code, without revealing your personal details. Imagine you are a university student eligible for a local shop's student discount offer. When you go to make a purchase, the store clerk requests your university identification (ID). You hand over your student card, which the clerk inspects to confirm its validity. Except, the card contains more than just a date—it includes your picture, name, student ID, and (sometimes) even your date of birth and email address. Does the clerk actually need all this information? No. They simply need to verify your status as a valid university student. So, how do we provide the store clerk with only your student status without disclosing more information than necessary, and ensure the trustworthiness of the data? This is the kind of scenario that digital trust solutions aim to address. What is digital trust? Digital trust is the confidence users and organizations have in digital interactions. Digital trust solutions offer a secure and privacy-preserving method for individuals and organizations to share information. By using digital trust solutions, as in the student example, only necessary information is shared, protecting personal details while verifying student status. One approach to enhancing digital trust between multiple parties is through the use of verifiable credentials. Read about our work incorporating digital trust technology into the Courthouse Libraries BC (CLBC) website. What are verifiable credentials? Verifiable credentials (VCs) are cryptographically secure versions of both paper and digital credentials, like student cards or driver’s licenses, that prove your identity or qualifications. They are tamper-proof and can be verified without... --- ### Five impressions from an unexpected healthcare service journey > Gord Ross, OXD VP and Partner, was forced to reconsider how a service designed equates to a service experienced. Read his impressions on the collision of time, infrastructure, and identity across an unexpected summer healthcare journey. - Published: 2024-09-10 - Modified: 2024-09-16 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/five-impressions-from-an-unexpected-healthcare-service-journey/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Service Design - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Health Being the parent of an injured child forced Gordon Ross, OXD Vice President and Partner, to reconsider how a service designed equates to a service experienced. Here are his impressions on the collision of time, infrastructure, and identity across an unexpected summer healthcare journey. We seek to re-center the ways in which time and infrastructure interact, to illuminate the texture of this web so crisscrossed with great divides that in literature and popular myth, the whole borderland has taken on a phantasmagoric shape, unrecognizable to those undergoing the experience. ” Bowker and Star, “Of Lungs and Lungers: The Classified Story of Tuberculosis” Some services we use by choice, others by circumstance. It was nearing 10 p. m. on a Tuesday night in July when my cell phone rang. The caller ID showed the name of the summer camp my kids were away at. It didn’t take more than a second to register: this is not good news. It wasn’t. My child had sustained an injury while playing an evening game of capture the flag. Camp counselors were recommending a visit to the local hospital emergency department. So began my summer healthcare service journey, as a parent of an injured child.   Two months into the journey, I’ve had some time to reflect and consider how these things go. I’ve been a participant in a service, rather than a designer of one. I’m someone responsible for producing abstracted representations of service experiences. Along with my colleagues at OXD, I imagine the journeys of others, and then bring those journeys to life through design. Yet I now find myself with the service shoe on the other foot. I’m struck by the surfeit of lived experience that goes unspoken or unknown. I question the unillustrated and unexplored... --- ### Will AI replace software developers? Why the Answer is “No”. > Our Director of Software Development, Steve Ly answers the question: "Will AI replace software developers" ... find out the answer. - Published: 2024-08-29 - Modified: 2024-09-03 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/will-ai-replace-software-developers-why-the-answer-is-no/ - Service Tags: Technology Solutions Our Director of Software Development, Steve Ly explains why AI should be seen as a powerful ally, instead of an unfriendly foe. Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, we’ve heard from many AI futurists, productizers, and technologists that software developers’ days are numbered. It feels like you can’t wade through your LinkedIn feed or tech news site without hearing about how AI will replace software developers, with each new product launched or update released. Despite the rapid advancements and growing sophistication of these Generative AI tools, sparking fears of redundancy in the tech industry, the short answer is a resounding “no”, AI will not replace software developers. AI’s role should augment human intelligence, not replace it. Instead, AI is turning out to be a powerful ally. These tools are enhancing, not replacing, the unique skills of developers by streamlining mundane tasks, improving accuracy, and fostering innovation within the software development industry. Collaboration over replacement Why would software developers use AI tools? Over the past year, the use of AI within the software development life-cycle has grown significantly. Let’s look at how AI can be a collaborative tool, as opposed to a replacement, for developers. Increased efficiency: Generative AI tools reduce repetitive tasks, allowing developers to focus on complex problems. This boosts development speed and enhances developer satisfaction. . Improved Quality: AI-generated code typically adheres to best practices and standards, improving the overall quality of your codebase. Some tools also assist in refactoring code for better performance and readability. AI-generated code typically adheres to best practices and standards, improving the overall quality of your codebase. Some tools also assist in refactoring code... --- ### Embracing the vertigo of service design > Gordon Ross shares insights around the profound impact of viewing service design from a broader perspective. - Published: 2024-06-24 - Modified: 2024-07-31 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/embracing-the-vertigo-of-service-design/ - Service Tags: Government Consulting, Service Design - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector Gordon Ross shares insights around the profound impact of viewing service design from a broader perspective. "I'm so glad we didn't try and do this on Teams! " That was the quote of the day at a great in-person workshop I participated in recently. We were preparing for an upcoming co-design session, following a period of design research and reflecting on the findings to date.   As we shared ideas and insights about how to make an existing service better, we quickly came to realize we’d learned quite a lot during the past few months of interviews and desk research. While tons of great stuff happened during the workshop, three things, in particular, feel like they're worth sharing. First thing that happened was that our definition of the service became much larger than originally anticipated.   Our service scope was no longer "find someone, schedule an appointment, and do an assessment. " We had seen the service in a much broader temporal context, to include more of the activities that came before and happened after our assessment moment-of-truth. Our service now felt more like "try to solve a problem, find funding in order to solve that problem, and do an assessment as part of getting funding along the way. " Lou Downe has some lovely language about how this happens when you consider a service from the perspective of the person using it.   That resulted in the second thing worth noting: the team zoomed out from the context of the service back into the policy intent and considered the big ideas of how government policy... --- ### Top six reasons governments should implement Zero Trust principles > Discover how adopting Zero Trust principles can bolster cybersecurity and better protect sensitive data from modern threats. - Published: 2024-06-21 - Modified: 2024-07-31 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/top-six-reasons-governments-should-implement-zero-trust-principles/ - Service Tags: Government Consulting, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector Discover how adopting Zero Trust principles can bolster cybersecurity and better protect sensitive data from modern threats. The rapid onset and continuation of digital transformation across governments has widened the landscape for technological threats. The Zero Trust (ZT) security model offers a comprehensive and secure foundation for modern government cybersecurity. While cybersecurity principles are already in practice, adopting ZT enhances network protection, reduces breach impacts, and improves data integrity, compliance, and visibility. It also provides robust support for remote work environments.   What is a security model? A security model is a set of policies, rules, and assumptions that define how to secure information and resources. Traditional models focus on securing a defined network boundary, operating under an implicit trust model for those within the network. This approach views threats as external, concentrating on fortifying the network’s perimeter. Why is the Zero Trust (ZT) model better? ZT eliminates implicit trust, treating all entities within the network as untrusted. Its key principles provide better security and protection for sensitive digital data and assets, including users, applications, and devices. By assuming breaches are inevitable, ZT ensures resources and data are better protected. Principles of Zero Trust Governments who use the principles of ZT can focus on securing resources over network perimeters and maintain rigorous access controls. The foundational principles are: Never Trust, Always Verify: Every entity, inside or outside the network, requires verification. This is the core principle of ZT. Least Privilege Access: Users, systems, or devices are granted the minimum level of access needed to perform their function. This principle limits exposure and potential damage in the event... --- ### United on the field: Government teams and vendors in action > Gordon Ross discusses how blended digital teams can transcend traditional roles to achieve success in public sector projects. - Published: 2024-06-12 - Modified: 2025-03-10 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/united-on-the-field-government-teams-and-vendors-in-action/ - Service Tags: Government Consulting - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector Bridging the gap between government teams and vendors, Gordon Ross discusses how blended digital teams can transcend traditional roles to achieve success in public sector projects. A few weeks ago, I was invited to participate as a speaker on a vendor panel discussion at the Ministry of Citizens’ Services Exchange Lab open house event. Steve Chapman, product lead for BC’s modern procurement platform, the Digital Marketplace, convened the panel and asked us the question: “From a vendor’s perspective, how can government best leverage vendor talent on blended teams (teams including government resources and external vendor resources)? ” My panel colleagues had some good answers, and I added a few points. Somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I compared government-vendor-blended digital teams to my son’s community soccer team that I coached this past year, noting the varying degrees of skill, motivation, and coachability of the players and the challenges associated with forming and performing as a team. I received a few knowing smiles and nods from the volunteer coaches and parents in the crowd.   I left Victoria with that simple question: “How does government get the most from its vendors? ” feeling not so simple after all. I’m sharing a few thoughts here with the hope that it might be helpful for those of you working on blended digital teams (either as a vendor/contractor or as a government employee) and wondering how to encourage team effectiveness and performance in your own government digital work. Understanding team dynamics If we can agree that a team (blended or otherwise) is a group of people working together to achieve a common purpose or goal, who share responsibility and interdependence in achieving that goal,... --- ### Public cloud hosting vs. private for modern government web applications > Public cloud hosting or private for government applications? Our analysis breaks down the benefits and challenges between them. - Published: 2024-06-03 - Modified: 2025-03-21 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/public-cloud-hosting-vs-private-for-modern-government-web-applications/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Government Consulting, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector Understanding the trade-offs between private and public clouds is key when aligning with the stringent requirements of government applications. Our analysis breaks down the benefits, challenges, and tailored solutions. Government agencies have diverse hosting options for modern web applications. Choices range from traditional on-premise servers to cloud-based solutions. In British Columbia (BC) and Alberta (AB), there are two primary choices for government: public cloud hosting and private cloud hosting. What is public cloud hosting? In a public cloud model, a third-party cloud service provider offers computing resources (like virtual machines, applications, and storage) to the public. Customers choose what resources they want to use and only pay for that usage. This model outsources ownership, operation, and maintenance of the underlying hardware and software to the service provider. Public cloud hosting for government Government teams must carefully consider security, data privacy, and procurement when using public clouds. Smaller teams might find meeting these requirements particularly challenging. To simplify the process, governments often designate secure spaces within public cloud environments that adhere to their strict standards. In BC and AB, the government manages modified Amazon Web Services (AWS) spaces. These environments offer the flexibility of the public cloud while ensuring data retention, security, and privacy compliance. This provides government teams with a secure and easy-to-use cloud solution. What is a private cloud hosting? A private cloud is a cloud computing setup designed exclusively for use by a single organization. It can be located within the organization's own data center or managed off-site by a third-party provider. Unlike public clouds, private clouds operate on a dedicated network, offering exclusive infrastructure and services. Private cloud hosting for government Government agencies often favor private... --- ### Exploring the role of value in government product management > Government should focus on fostering value-creating behaviours in product managers if they want to get the most from the role. - Published: 2024-05-02 - Modified: 2024-07-31 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/exploring-the-role-of-value-in-government-product-management/ - Service Tags: Government Consulting - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector Without more investment in learning about value-creating behaviours in government product management, Gordon Ross, VP at OXD, writes that government risks the classic “nice landing, wrong airport” scenario of shipping a well-engineered, but flawed product at speed. Value. Workflow. Quality. If you had to pick one, what’s the defining purpose of being a product manager in government?   According to long time product leader Scott Colfer, who has worked in both government and non-government roles in the United Kingdom (UK), it’s value.   While workflow and quality are necessary, mandatory, non-negotiable aspects of a well functioning digital product team, they are not sufficient in product management as a whole. Without a better understanding of value, we risk the “nice landing, wrong airport” scenario of having done things right, but not doing the right thing.   This came up through a recent retrospective and some great conversations with colleagues within digital government initiatives. I’ve since been reflecting a lot on the centrality and importance of product managers in our work with government building digital services. Noting the small linguistic disconnect there: product manager/digital service. Here are a few things I’ve noticed that might help us enable a better understanding of value and the role of a government product manager. Product management is still new in government and unevenly distributed. My best guess, based on the available data, is that the British Columbia (BC) government has fewer than 60 official product manager roles. There's likely also an unknown number of individuals performing similar duties without the formal title. The novelty of the role means it’s not well understood in the organization and at times not well understood even by the person occupying the role.   Every product manager that... --- ### Pre-Discovery and the challenge of the fuzzy front-end of digital transformation > I’m going to be blunt: we aren’t big fans of the term "Pre-Discovery” at OXD—and we’re not the only ones. VP/Partner, Gord Ross, explains why. - Published: 2024-04-23 - Modified: 2025-03-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/pre-discovery-and-the-challenge-of-the-fuzzy-front-end-of-digital-transformation/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector “Pre-Discovery” in government may do more harm than good, blending good intentions with vague goals. What’s the aim—funding, defining issues, consensus? VP and Partner of OXD, Gordon Ross, explains that there are better ways to avoid early confusion with your Digital Transformation project. Our government digital transformation work brings us into contact with a wide range of teams in government. Some teams have secured funding, gone out to market, issued a Request For Proposal (RFP), and hired OXD. Some are working on a nascent policy problem and contemplating how digital ways of working can help. Others are responding to a strong policy mandate from an elected official where digital is the desired solution. Some have funding, others do not. Some have a dedicated team, others have a handful of available resources. Some have a vision, others are not yet clear on the problem to be solved.   One thing we've noticed is a specific tendency among early-stage teams. They often engage in a phase called "Pre-Discovery. ” I’m going to be blunt: we aren’t big fans of this term. And we’re not the only ones who have taken issue with the term Pre-Discovery over the years.   The Brits expressed their dissatisfaction with this expression back in 2020 and even earlier in 2017. Closer to home, CDS showed how they renamed Pre-Discovery through a practice-what-you-preach design research approach in 2022. And yet, Pre-Discovery is still enshrined in some digital service guidance and toolkits, like the Australian New South Wales digital delivery manual.   So, what are teams trying to achieve during the fuzzy front-end of a digital transformation initiative, often referred to as Pre-Discovery? And what’s wrong with Pre-Discovery anyhow?   Alignment Over a decade ago, as the UK Government Digital Service's Discovery,... --- ### AI and access to the justice system: design challenges and considerations > Gordon Ross of OXD, stresses that AI can’t improve public access to justice system unless the underlying information is addressed first. - Published: 2024-03-22 - Modified: 2024-09-30 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/ai-and-access-to-the-justice-system-design-challenges-and-considerations/ - Service Tags: Government Consulting - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector Gordon Ross, VP and Partner at OXD, stresses that AI can’t improve public access to court information unless the underlying information is addressed first. Is there a place for AI in digital services for the justice system? Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI), including the launch of ChatGPT by OpenAIIntroducing ChatGPT by OpenAI in November 2022, have significantly raised public awareness to concepts like machine learning (ML) and large language models (LLM). This coverage and attention have compelled organizations across various sectors to consider the use of AI, its costs, benefits and risks, and develop policy and guidance for its responsible use. The justice sector and legal system in Canada are not immune to these developments in AI. While some sectors appear to have been caught flat-footed in considering AI until recently, legal scholars and computer scientists have been discussing the topic for nearly 40 years at conferences like the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Law19th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Law - ICAIL 2023, founded in 1987. The 2022 UNESCO-sponsored AI and the Rule of LawArtificial Intelligence and The Rule of Law - The National Judicial College online course covers important topics relating to the use of AI in the courts.   Locally, the BC Ministry of Attorney General investigated the use of AI in the sector through the AI Justice ChallengeSalman Azar. “Artificial Intelligence, the “AI Justice Challenge” and the Future of Law. ” The Canadian Bar Association British Columbia Branch in 2018 and 2019, supported by InnovateBC. This initiative sought to investigate five key areas of AI use, including: assisted form completion tools, intelligent document reviewers, chatbots, audio transcription,... --- ### Cross-platform vs. native application development: How to choose? > For a majority of our clients, using cross-platform technologies is the best approach in supporting all their user’s needs. - Published: 2024-03-15 - Modified: 2024-09-27 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/cross-platform-vs-native-application-development-how-to-choose/ - Service Tags: Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Agriculture, Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Cultural Industries, Education, Energy and utilities, Finance and insurance, Government and Public Sector, Health, Information and cultural industries, Justice, Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Professional Services, Real Estate, Retail, Software, Telecommunications, Transportation Steve Ly, Director of Software Development at OXD, discusses the benefits of considering cross-platform technologies versus native solutions to optimize development efforts and enhance the digital experience for users. When organizations embark on the journey to create custom applications, they have to decide how they will support the application on different devices and operating systems. Organizations can develop their applications natively, using technology specific to one platform, or they can opt for technologies that function across multiple platforms. This cross-platform vs native debate comes down to weighing the advantages and disadvantages with each approach and deciding which works best for the organization. At OXD, our approach is deeply rooted in prioritizing the needs of our clients and their users so our technology choices reflect this. We believe that for a majority of clients, using cross-platform technologies is the best approach in supporting all their user’s needs. What exactly are cross-platform technologies? Cross-platform technologies allow software developers, including our own development team, to build an application and deploy it seamlessly across various devices and operating systems using a single codebase. This differs from traditional native approaches where applications are built for a specific device or operating system. Like these native applications, these cross-platform solutions can use features like push notifications and access to cameras or microphones. Essentially, cross-platform technologies offer much of the advantage of native applications while supporting much easier development and maintenance.   Why would you want to use this technology? Cross-platform technologies offer a range of advantages over building device or operating system specific applications. Cost effectiveness: Using a single codebase to target multiple platforms reduces the need to develop and maintain platform-specific versions of the applications.... --- ### With great decisions comes great responsibility: The work of the Decider > Feeling inspired to try DICE, RACI, or other another decison-making process? Before you do, ask: do you have the authority to decide? - Published: 2024-01-28 - Modified: 2024-07-31 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/with-great-decisions-comes-great-responsibility-the-work-of-the-decider/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Management Consulting - Industry Tags: Agriculture, Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Cultural Industries, Education, Energy and utilities, Finance and insurance, Government and Public Sector, Health, Information and cultural industries, Justice, Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Professional Services, Real Estate, Retail, Software, Telecommunications, Transportation Whether working in government or leading a Fortune 500 company, a clear process for decision-making is crucial. Wil Arndt, OXD's Creative Director, explores why decision-making in organizations is so hard and how clarity and structure can help teams make better, faster decisions. “Why the heck is it so difficult to make decisions around here? " Have you ever felt like your company talks about making decisions more than they actually make them? This chronic indecision can stifle progress and cost organizations money, time, and opportunity. And it can quickly erode morale and culture. While everyone wants to improve their decision-making process, many overlook the hidden work that drives good outcomes. In my experience as a creative strategist and business leader, I've found that the best decisions don't happen solely within frameworks—it's the effort and clarity that truly matter. Let's explore why so many teams struggle with decision-making and how a structured approach can transform how your organization operates. While these concepts apply to everyone, I'm directly addressing those with the power to influence decision-making processes. It's not just you If you asked a room full of professionals from different companies and organizations, “How many of you feel that your company has difficulty making timely decisions to the point that it impacts your ability to do your job effectively? ” I would wager that 75% of the people in the room would raise their hands. (And the other 25% would be too apprehensive to admit it publicly. ) In fact, I intend to ask this question at my next conference talk on decision-making to gauge the response. I suspect that almost all who raise their hands would believe their situation is unique and their challenges are exclusively symptomatic of their company's inherent dysfunction.... --- ### User interface and UX in industrial manufacturing simplify complex systems > As industrial manufacturing continues to integrate and modernize digital tools, the role of UI/UX will grow in significance. We can help. - Published: 2023-10-31 - Modified: 2025-03-21 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/the-pivotal-role-of-user-interface-and-user-experience-in-industrial-manufacturing/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design - Industry Tags: Manufacturing Lead Designer James Byun shares insights into how UI/UX design is reshaping the industrial manufacturing landscape, turning complex systems into user-friendly tools. Since 2014, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with Honeywell, particularly focusing on the visual design of their SmartLine and Versatilis™ product lines. It’s been an educational journey. The industrial manufacturing landscape is evolving, and while its foundational principles remain unchanged, the tools and techniques are rapidly advancing. This transformation isn’t just about new technologies; it’s about integrating user-centered design into every facet. At OXD, we see this firsthand. We believe that a well-crafted user interface and experience (UI/UX) aren’t just design buzzwords. They’re pivotal in shaping the future of industrial manufacturing. Why UI/UX matters in industrial manufacturing Industrial manufacturing, traditionally viewed as a sector focused on machinery and processes, now recognizes the profound impact of user experience. Bad user interfaces are hard to learn and force the user to suffer through confusing, counter-intuitive, and unnecessary steps to complete their tasks. But while the machinery and systems may be complex, the interface doesn’t have to be. The benefits of UI/UX include: Efficiency Streamlined processes mean tasks are completed faster, with fewer resources used. Safety A clear, user-friendly interface reduces the chances of operational errors, ensuring the safety of the workforce. Adaptability As technology evolves, a flexible UI/UX ensures that systems remain relevant and easy to use. Training A good design reduces the learning curve, ensuring that new staff can get up to speed quickly. Learning from the design transformation at Honeywell Process Solutions To understand the real-world impact of UI/UX in industrial manufacturing, let’s take a closer look into our... --- ### A day in the life of the QA Engineers at OXD > QA Engineers at OXD help ensure we’re building excellent and sustainable software for our clients, and their users. - Published: 2023-05-01 - Modified: 2025-03-12 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/a-day-in-the-life-of-the-qa-engineers-at-oxd/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design - Industry Tags: Agriculture, Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Cultural Industries, Education, Energy and utilities, Finance and insurance, Government and Public Sector, Health, Information and cultural industries, Justice, Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Professional Services, Real Estate, Retail, Software, Telecommunications, Transportation Discover how OXD ensures great user experiences that meet our clients’ highest standards. Our QA team unveils how they work and the critical role they play in software development. So, what do QA Engineers at OXD do? Recently, an OXD client asked what a typical day looks like for our QA Engineers. We realized it wasn’t a short description. So, what do OXD QA Engineers do? What perspectives do we bring to software quality? Where did we learn this stuff? Let’s look at some of the things our QA Engineers take into consideration when testing. Curiosity and constant learning QA is not a single, well-defined process. At OXD, we work on a variety of projects, including complex applications with detailed user interfaces, business logic, and databases. We also work on simpler ones that retrieve and display information. These applications and websites can involve a variety of technologies, from familiar to new and leading edge. As a group, we are curious and always learning: tech stacks, programming languages, security, accessibility, usability, and continuous integration pipelines are a few facets we’ll discuss here. Whatever the project requires, we learn it. How does the system architecture work? Our QA Engineers must understand the underlying technology of a software system. How does data flow to and from the user in an application? Where in the system does data validation occur? How is data stored and retrieved? When we understand the architecture of a software system, we can better approach how to test it. Do we need to learn a new language? Software programming languages evolve constantly. Languages can become outdated (FORTRAN was first for some of our team), and updated ones appear on... --- ### How you can use GBA+ for inclusive analysis in projects > GBA+ (Gender-based Analysis Plus) improves design practices to deliver more inclusivity—improving equality without re-enforcing gender gaps. - Published: 2023-04-07 - Modified: 2024-07-31 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/using-gba-for-inclusive-analysis-in-projects/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting, Service Design - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector Director of User Experience Jacqueline Antalik discusses the benefits of Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+)—a tool that helps you see how different genders and diverse people experience policies, programs, and services. Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) can improve your design practice to deliver more inclusive services—services that help to improve equality and not re-enforce historic and current gender gaps. In 2018, BC committed to advancing gender equality by ensuring that gender equity is reflected in all budgets, policies, and programs following the lead of the Canadian federal government.  GBA+ is part of the government’s strategy to achieve this. At OXD, we’re supporting the ongoing adoption of this practice within our project work for and with the BC Government. GBA+ is an analytical process you can apply to your work to assess how diverse groups of women, men, and non-binary people may experience policies, programs, and services. It starts with gender and the plus refers to other identity factors that intersect to make us who we are—like race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability. Creating inclusive services requires being inclusive in our own practice, through our design methods, diverse testing data for quality assurance, and the development choices we make. GBA+ can help inform and shape that practice. GBA+ can be used throughout the entire service design lifecycle from initial planning, research, co-creation and design, to launch and evaluation. Learn how to apply these methods while managing the classic project constraints of timeline, budget, and scope. GBA+ process flow Source: GBA+ job aid. This also includes key questions to ask during each step of a GBA+ process. Collecting disaggregated data While using GBA+, it’s important to decide which intersecting facets are important for your research. A clear... --- ### QA testing is worth the cost now to reduce risks later. Here are five reasons why. > QA testing helps reduce future risks while delivering high quality, accessible software products to your organization and its users. - Published: 2023-03-30 - Modified: 2025-03-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/qa-testing-is-worth-the-cost-now-to-reduce-risks-later-here-are-five-reasons-why/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions Some companies try to streamline by leaving QA off, but at OXD we recognize that this approach is risky, and in the long view, costly. Our QA Manager explains why including QA testing in your digital project is worth the cost. Quality Assurance (QA) testing is an essential step in the software development lifecycle. It involves the systematic checking of software applications to ensure they meet specified requirements and are free of defects. While some companies may view QA testing as an unnecessary expense, the truth is that investing in QA can actually reduce risks and save costs in the long run. QA plays an important role in delivering the highest quality software products to our clients and their users. In this article, I explore why QA testing is worth the cost to your organization or business. 1. Better quality products The primary benefit of QA testing is that it helps ensure the software product is of high quality. When companies invest in QA testing, they are able to identify and eliminate bugs, errors, and glitches in the software before it’s released to users. QA engineers not only test the software, they test the requirements and assumptions that go into the end product. With the clarity that comes as a result, it’s easier to communicate that feedback to developers and clients. A high-quality product is more likely to meet user needs and requirements, leading to increased adoption and usage. And if you’re working with consumers, it also prevents potential damage to your company’s brand reputation from a poor user experience. 2. Spending now to save later Although QA testing may seem like an extra cost, it can actually save companies money in the long run. Identifying and fixing software defects during... --- ### How to plan for a smooth replatforming to Drupal 10 > Replatforming your legacy CMS to Drupal 10? Our software development team shares some tips to help you avoid the common pitfalls. - Published: 2023-03-28 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/how-to-plan-for-a-smooth-replatforming-to-drupal - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Agriculture, Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Cultural Industries, Education, Energy and utilities, Finance and insurance, Government and Public Sector, Health, Information and cultural industries, Justice, Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Professional Services, Real Estate, Retail, Software, Telecommunications, Transportation Replatforming your legacy CMS to Drupal 10? Our Software Development team shares some tips to help you avoid the common pitfalls. Drupal 10 is a fantastic CMS system because it’s capable of so much in terms of content modelling, content authoring experience, and customizability. Because of this, it has become a desirable content management solution for large organizations with content heavy sites that are in need of replatforming. Replatforming content can be complicated. A content heavy site could have thousands of pieces of content which can be categorized into over a hundred different types. Let's imagine a news site with thousands of articles, videos, and classifieds. If we go a level deeper you’ll find reporters and contributors. Go even deeper and you’ll find news teams that reporters belong to. Drupal lets you customize your own content types and their fields. For instance you could define a name and news team field to enter in reporter data. You’ll notice that each of these content types can be associated with one another. By constructing these fields and relationships you’re creating what is called a content model. Sites like our hypothetical news site tend to be very complex in their modelling needs. For some organizations, it’s also common to have multiple online properties that require access to content: think mobile apps, marketing sites, or online stores. In our experience with replatforming content heavy sites onto Drupal 10, we’ve noticed a few potential pitfalls. It’s not always easy to anticipate the challenges of content migration, feature development, and team coordination during a shift to Drupal. Major stumbling blocks can arise for all of these things.... --- ### Should you compensate research participants? > Research participant compensation is not only essential, but an ethical requirement for us at OXD. Find out why. - Published: 2023-02-01 - Modified: 2025-02-24 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/should-you-compensate-research-participants/ - Service Tags: Human-Centred Design, Service Design OXD UX Designer Hitomi Yokota explores the question, “Should we compensate research participants?” We believe it’s not only essential, but also an ethical requirement. Compensation to a research participant promotes diversity, inclusion, and equity Start with user needs. As human-centred designers at OXD, we interview users, spend time with them, and observe their behaviours. We use those valuable insights to help us develop and improve our products and services. Users are critical to our design process. One of the ways we learn about users is by conducting research projects with them. But should we compensate the participants of those research programs for their time and knowledge? Is compensation an unethical practice that amounts to bribery? Or, since the improved products and services will benefit the user in the future anyway, isn’t that compensation enough? What if participants are only in it for the monetary reward? Will that skew the research results? These are the arguments we have heard in discussing research compensation. We’ll outline why it’s important to compensate, how much to pay, when to do it, and how to get that compensation into the hands of your participants. Why it’s crucial to compensate participants There are several aspects to consider when thinking about compensation. The Wellesley Institute summarizes three reasons why it’s important to compensate research participants. 1. Shows appreciation and gratitude Concept: “Focused on acknowledging the contributions of research participants to a research study. Often cast as an honorarium, the intent is to honour a participant’s involvement through a token gift, gift card or payment. ” Benefits: Honours a participant’s time and contribution, shows gratitude. Risks avoided: Being seen as exploitative. 2.... --- ### How to conduct design research with compassion > Learn ways to conduct design research with compassion to support participants dealing with life stressors affecting their cognitive abilities. - Published: 2023-01-06 - Modified: 2024-07-31 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/conducting-design-research-with-compassion-part-i/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design, Service Design In the wake of personal tragedy, designer Jacqueline Antalik practices deeper patience and compassion for research participants. It was the middle of the night when I heard a knock on my door. We all dread this knock. We know it must be something bad. And it was. I opened the door to a Vancouver police officer, who proceeded to inform me of my father’s sudden and tragic death. I was in shock. And I had no idea how much the stress of this event would affect my cognitive abilities for many months to come.   Inside, I was struggling. Shocked and heartbroken, for the months following my Dad’s death I was barely functioning. It was a fog of confusion, disorientation, and heightened anxiety as I struggled to understand the circumstances of how he died. On the surface, I looked sad but otherwise normal. Yet, how I was doing on the inside was very different.   Stress and trauma can lead to our nervous system becoming so overwhelmed that our brains are unable to process what is happening. Bremner, J. D, 2006 We often associate trauma with harrowing events like war, violent crime, or natural disaster. This refers to “Big T” trauma. So we may think we’re fine if we’re not dealing with anything we ourselves deem to be deeply threatening. Yet many of us have experienced events that exceed our capacity to cope, leading to a disruption in emotional functioning. This is referred to as “Little T” trauma. Examples of "Little T" trauma include: Divorce Financial worries or difficulty Loss of a significant relationship Emotional abuse Death... --- ### Digital Transformation in Government > Get access to our Images of Digital Transformation research, with deep insights into digital transformation in government perspectives. - Published: 2022-05-12 - Modified: 2024-07-31 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/digital-transformation-in-government/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector OXD spoke with senior managers and director-level public servants across Canada for their perspectives on Digital Transformation. If you’re a public servant or working in a leadership role in government across Canada, chances are you’ve sat in a meeting, attended a presentation, or read a briefing note and have come across the words “digital transformation. ” So, what is digital transformation in government? What are we transforming and why?  We conducted interviews with senior managers and director-level public servants in BC and Ontario to ask these questions and more. Their answers were rich, thoughtful, and nuanced. They are thinking about this topic every day and, if you’re reading this, we suspect you are, too. What is the object of digital transformation? Digital transformation as redesigning bureaucracy through service design and delivery  “What’s being transformed? ... Bureaucracy. Basically we’re trying to make government operate in a new way ... because the old bureaucracy is so broken to the average citizen. ”  Delivering services using new and different ways is the real change underway in the public service. All meanings of the term digital transformation start here. That’s where the value is, where the action is, and it’s the beginnings of a theory of change.   This is recognizable as the argument put forth by the UK’s GDS digital leadership as well as influential American digital government thinkers, “the strategy is delivery” and expressions like “delivery-driven government,” and “delivery-driven policy. ”  But while recognizable to those in the know, describing the purpose of government to be that of delivering services and focusing on the value exchange between citizens and... --- ### Are your website KPIs traceable? > It's incredibly important to ensure that your website Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) reflect the larger goals of the organization. Read on - Published: 2022-02-02 - Modified: 2025-05-13 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/are-your-website-kpis-traceable/ - Industry Tags: Agriculture, Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Cultural Industries, Education, Energy and utilities, Finance and insurance, Government and Public Sector, Health, Information and cultural industries, Justice, Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Professional Services, Real Estate, Retail, Software, Telecommunications, Transportation At OXD, we often recommend a simple table we call a KPI Traceability Matrix to show the connection from the objective or goal through to the KPI. Here's a scenario: Imagine you’re a marketing manager sitting in a Strategic Review meeting called by your Executive Vice President. She wants to get to know your team better and find out what you accomplished this year, what your plans are for next year, and what strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats you face concerning your competitors in the year ahead. You've prepped all week reviewing all the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for your website so they’re top of mind—since you’ve been told “Know your numbers”—in case you’re randomly asked. Indeed, you are asked to share an indicator of success from the previous year. You proudly spout about how KPI X improved 25% over the year previous. Then, icy silence grips the room and you feel your stomach drop as she coldly retorts, “Who cares? What did you do to drive costs out of my organization this year? ” There is probably no greater insult than to be told that you are irrelevant. Essentially, you've just spent an entire year running the race in the wrong direction. It is incredibly important to ensure that your Key Performance Indicators reflect the larger goals of the organization and your senior leaders. Otherwise, why do you have a website? Relevance At OXD, whether assisting clients with new KPIs or reviewing existing ones, they all must pass a relevancy test in terms of their fit with larger organizational objectives. Relevance means that the goals of the website and thus the metrics used to gauge its... --- ### Three common content migration mistakes, and how to avoid them > Get our free guide with three important recommendations for avoiding common content migration mistakes. Download it now! - Published: 2021-12-29 - Modified: 2025-05-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/three-common-content-migration-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Agriculture, Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Cultural Industries, Education, Energy and utilities, Finance and insurance, Government and Public Sector, Health, Justice, Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Real Estate, Retail, Telecommunications, Transportation Reap the benefits of a successful content migration with these three recommendations. Before we begin, a riddle:  What is often misunderstood, lives right below the surface of any Content Management System (CMS) implementation, is often ignored or underestimated, and can take longer than the build? Want to guess the answer? Who wants to think about copying and pasting content when you could be admiring a site’s new visual design and features? Who wants to write migration scripts when you could be crafting launch memos? It’s often left out of the project plan altogether but can take longer than the build itself. Failing to adequately plan, schedule, and budget for content migration can sink any CMS project. A lot of work goes into designing and building a new system, and migration of the content is often the last hurdle—it’s one you don’t want to underestimate. When it comes to content migration, here are three common mistakes, as well as our recommendations for avoiding them. Mistake #1: Outsourcing your content migration. While it can be tempting to outsource the pain of content migration, we don’t recommend it for every project. Outsourcing can distance an organization from its content, while missing out on learning opportunities. It’s also why some consulting firms that bid on website project work don’t include it in the estimate, as it may balloon the timeline or costs versus their competitors. One of the biggest learning opportunities comes when the team responsible for the site is also the team who is working on the migration project. Because during migration, content contributors will... --- ### Your website is not your brand > A website is one of a brands’ most important channels for communicating with customers, but it’s only one aspect of a company’s brand. - Published: 2021-07-30 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/websites-are-not-brands/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting - Industry Tags: Agriculture, Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Cultural Industries, Education, Energy and utilities, Finance and insurance, Government and Public Sector, Health, Justice, Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Professional Services, Real Estate, Retail, Telecommunications, Transportation OXD’s Design Director Kallie Ashenden discusses the importance of a holistic brand approach when it comes to your website. You’re about to embark on a rebuild of your corporate website. It’s a big investment. It will take time and resources and commitment. You’ve worked hard to get the funding and support you need, to line up your development partners, and to get your organization on board. And now, you’re finally ready. Your company’s new website represents an evolution in your communications and your ability to deliver services to your customers. So, naturally, it’s tempting to believe that this is your chance to refresh and invigorate your corporate branding. Your new website could finally fix all the issues you’ve had to live with around your brand and messaging, while setting the future creative direction for your brand. But, while a website is one of the most important channels for communicating with your customers, it’s only one aspect of your brand. A website is just one element of an organization’s brand identity. A brand is the holistic sum of every interaction an organization has with their customers. Today, brands have more places than ever to engage with people: in store, online, through print and digital media, on social media, in outdoor environments—you name it. But competitors are also working hard to engage your audience. To cut through all the noise, organizations must offer a consistent brand experience each time if they want to stand out, be memorable, and be appreciated.   A brand is not a website.   A brand is not a product or service.   A brand is not... --- ### Toddler-first usability testing > Using your toddler for mobile phone usability testing. If you’re developing a mobile app or website, you'll want to read this. - Published: 2021-07-06 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/toddler-first-usability-testing/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Agriculture, Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Cultural Industries, Education, Energy and utilities, Finance and insurance, Government and Public Sector, Health, Justice, Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Real Estate, Retail, Telecommunications, Transportation Four observations made from watching a two-and-a-half-year-old use an iPhone. If you’re a parent and you haven’t ever given your child your smartphone or tablet, we envy your discipline. However, you might be missing out if you’re developing a mobile app or website. Sure, a toddler isn’t your actual audience—they’re more the “disinterested-but-will-take-a-look-in-case-there-are-Sesame-Street-videos-on-here” persona. However, that’s a pretty good fill-in for a persona you may already be targeting: the “skeptical-but-will-look-around” user. It’s interesting to see when they get stuck and when they’re able to move from one step to the next. Eager to experiment, we gave an iPhone to a toddler and paid close attention. Here’s what we noticed: 1. Even toddlers want a clear call to action. Our toddler tester ignored any call to action that wasn’t a button. In fact, they got tripped up in the iOS Photos app after clicking Select and getting stuck in that screen. In other interaction patterns, clicking elsewhere usually escapes or closes, like clicking on the main screen closes a slide out menu. Our tester didn’t notice the Cancel button and relied instead on a “Dadda fix. ” When you click Select, it goes into selection mode where you can select multiple photos. The only way to get out of selection mode is to click Cancel, which is at top right and doesn’t look like a button. Takeaway: Make your primary actions obvious. 2. They know the norms, and they have expectations. Even toddlers expect the back button to be on the left side of the screen. We watched our toddler tester... --- ### How to broaden your reach and reduce participant barriers with remote user research > Considerations for conducting remote user research in a virtual world. The following tips can help you get started on the right foot. - Published: 2021-01-20 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/how-to-broaden-your-reach-and-reduce-participant-barriers-with-remote-user-research/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting, Service Design - Industry Tags: Education, Energy and utilities, Finance and insurance, Government and Public Sector, Health, Justice, Transportation UX Designer Winnie Ho shares how we worked out some of the kinks encountered with remote user research and virtual engagement. One of my first experiences with facilitating a remote user research session happened a few years ago. We wanted a quick turnaround, so rather than fly over on a plane to meet our participants in person (and deal with the associated logistics), we had decided to hold the sessions remotely. After figuring out how to get consent forms signed online, sending out an information package to participants, and doing a test run in our office, we felt pretty confident. And for the most part, everything went smoothly.   During our test runs, we felt the audio from Zoom may be impacted by the internet speed (ours and our participants’) so we decided to use a separate phone number for audio and use Zoom only for screen sharing. While this was outlined in the information package and the meeting invite, one participant used the default Zoom phone number anyway. When they joined the session, we couldn’t hear each other. We tried using the chat function to let them know what number to call but they didn’t notice it. At the end, we resorted to holding up a post-it note with the correct dial-in instructions up to the camera. A minute later, we were finally talking with our participant. Despite this hiccup, we were able to get the insight we needed to move the design and project forward, and complete the usability testing quickly. Flash forward to today with the COVID-19 pandemic and our new virtual norms of engagement. Our team was... --- ### An Agile approach to an anti-racist and inclusive workplace > At OXD we are committed to improving our anti-racist and inclusive workplace processes and programs—learn how we’re using an Agile approach. - Published: 2020-09-24 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/an-agile-approach-to-an-anti-racist-and-inclusive-workplace/ - Service Tags: Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting How do we understand and meaningfully address our part in perpetuating systemic racism? What does it mean to create an anti-racist and inclusive workplace environment? The killing of George Floyd last May—along with the subsequent protests against racial and social injustice around the world—deeply challenged us as an organization as well as our sister company ThoughtFarmer. Diversity and inclusion has long been a part of our practice, but these events made us realize that there was so much more we could be—and should be—doing to ensure we had an anti-racist and inclusive workplace. Like many organizations, we wrestled with how to respond. In an all-staff email sent on June 2nd, 2020 to both companies President and Founder Darren Gibbons paraphrased political activist Angela Davis, “It’s not enough to be ‘not racist’—we need to be anti-racist. ” He announced a donation-matching program for staff but also wrote, “Alone, these acts are empty gestures and nothing more than virtue-signaling. These are quick reactions to a long term problem. ” We agreed that real, genuine action was required and yet we were fearful of not getting it right. How do we understand and meaningfully address our part in perpetuating systemic racism? What does it mean to create an inclusive and anti-racist and inclusive workplace environment? While this wasn’t exactly a new direction for us, we realized this was a real opportunity for change and action in the workplace. We fell back to the methods that we’ve always employed to tackle tough, complex problems: co-creation, experimentation, agile development. We wanted to action on ideas that came directly from the people who would be impacted by them most, so we... --- ### Digital Transformation as an endurance sport > An OXD Service Designer draws parallels between their work in digital transformation initiatives with government and endurance sport. - Published: 2019-12-09 - Modified: 2023-09-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/digital-transformation-as-an-endurance-sport/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector An OXD Service Designer draws parallels between their experience with endurance sport and their work in digital transformation initiatives with government. When people ask me what my hobbies are, I usually say something along the lines of long jogs in the dark woods, alone with my thoughts. It can sound existential (and perhaps a bit strange to the uninitiated), but that’s the reality of it.  I’ve spent the past few years focused on training for competitive endurance sport objectives. Last summer, this meant trying to run the West Coast and Juan de Fuca trails in one continuous push. This has also meant ultra-distance races, all-day mountain adventures, and long-distance cycling schemes.  By most mainstream definitions, ‘ultra distance’ means running further than the 42. 2 km standard of a marathon or an imperial century (100 miles) for cycling.  You’re likely wondering how this aligns with digital transformation. This evolution came after a lifetime of consistent involvement in sport, usually involving a big cardio engine (a youth spent on the soccer pitch sets you up well as an adult runner). Since giving myself up to the long-term process necessary to achieve my goals in ultrarunning, I’ve noticed many parallels to my day job, designing services within digital transformation initiatives in government. Likely this is because I am admittedly a huge nerd for both, and fascinated by how structure and rigour can make all the difference in actually achieving desired outcomes.   Endurance training takes discipline and patience. So too does large scale transformation in the public sector. In ultra distance training, routine and structure make these feats much easier. I believe that digital transformation... --- ### The Indigenization of policies and services in BC: lessons from Te Ao Māori > OXD Service Designer reflects on his work in the public sector and how BC can move towards the systemic Indigenization of policies. - Published: 2019-07-11 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/indigenization-of-policies-and-services-in-bc-lessons-from-te-ao-maori/ - Service Tags: Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting, Service Design - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Justice Reflections on working in the public sector and how British Columbia can move towards the systemic Indigenization of policies and services. What started as a conversation over coffee with a senior government executive turned into a journey of learning and reflection regarding design, policy, service delivery, and collaboration. We were asked, “Do you know anything about what New Zealand is doing with regards to the Indigenization of their public services? And is there anything we could learn from their efforts to put into practice here in BC? ” The following is a summation of those learnings and associated thoughts on how we can encourage further Indigenization of services in British Columbia. So, how might BC approach the challenge of transforming the design and delivery of services through Indigenization? Let’s start with why At OXD, we are looking at how we do business through the lens of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #92.   We know our colleagues in the public sector are committed to aligning with the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. We seek to change the way we operate by incorporating reconciliation through action and growing our design practice in a way that reflects this shared commitment. I remember the first project in which I was tasked to obtain the “Indigenous perspective. ” This project left me with an acute feeling of unpreparedness, of feeling there was a lot I did not know. I was also uncomfortable with the implication that a singular perspective existed and would be... --- ### OpenShift: making Agile development a reality for government projects > How and why we used OpenShift— (PaaS)—to help the Ministry of the Attorney General build capacity and improve citizen access to justice. - Published: 2019-04-09 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/openshift-making-agile-development-a-reality-for-government-projects/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Justice How and why we used a Platform as Service (PaaS) to help the Ministry of the Attorney General build capacity and improve citizen access to justice. Burdened by a high rejection rate for uncontested divorce filings, the Ministry of the Attorney General set out to simplify the process for citizens. Their primary objective was to improve access to justice for British Columbians filing for uncontested divorces without a lawyer. In this case, access to justice meant making the filing experience more empathetic, more affordable, and less error-prone. Using OpenShift, service design, and Agile development, our teams created the Online Divorce Assistant Application. Bringing design research to life To design the best possible service we consulted people inside and outside of government. We travelled from Vancouver to Victoria, Prince George, and beyond conducting interviews with people who had used the old system as self-represented litigants, lawyers, filing clerks, and judges. Our design research uncovered the strengths and weaknesses of the existing filing experience. Our service design approach to creating a new digital experience included prototyping and iterating. The goal was to build, learn, and improve while the service was being developed. To accommodate learning derived from ongoing user feedback, we used an Agile development approach. This framework was suitable for the project because it welcomes changing requirements, daily cooperation, and the frequent delivery of software. Embracing new methodologies Historically, most comparable government digital service projects employ a waterfall methodology. But for the Online Divorce Assistant Application we wanted to follow a pattern of build, test, and refine. This pattern made it possible for our internal teams to work collaboratively and concurrently during research, design, and development. Older... --- ### Illustration: the overlooked design principle > How can illustration help improve the experience of a product and affect the user experience? An OXD Designer explores the question. - Published: 2019-04-08 - Modified: 2022-09-28 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/illustration-product-design/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products How can illustration help improve the way users experience your product? An OXD Designer explores the question. Like most people, my usual goal setting pattern goes something like this: Set goal (“I’m going to run twice a week. ”),follow through on goal for about two to three weeks,come up with excuses so I don’t have to run anymore (“My ankle kinda hurts and Netflix is particularly great lately. ”), andforget about goal. But recently I discovered Google Goals (a feature built into Google Calendar) and shortly after I noticed a significant change in my pattern. I was more motivated to run, I saw an improvement in my commitment, and I even started setting other goals. Play guitar, stretch, read—I was on it! Which got me wondering... Why has this app been more effective for me while others have failed? I began to notice how the app itself offers incentive through the strategic use of illustration. Using illustration, it was guiding (luring, actually) me towards my goal, one step at a time. Which then got the designer in me thinking: How else can illustration help improve the experience of a product? How can illustration affect the user experience? Let’s take a look at how illustration is used in web and application design today. Illustration influences user emotion. Digital products have found their way into all areas of people’s lives—walking to the bus, waiting for a coffee, and of course the “I can’t fall asleep so I’ll go on my phone at 2 AM” scenario. People’s moods vary and their emotions fluctuate, because, well... you know, they’re people. So... --- ### Four easy tests to determine if your website is accessible > Software QA Engineer and OXD’s web accessibility expert Sophie Repussard shares four simple tests to help you evaluate your website’s accessibility. - Published: 2019-04-08 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/web-accessibility-four-easy-tests/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Technology Solutions OXD's QA Manager and web accessibility expert shares four simple tests to help you evaluate your website’s accessibility. Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time playing tech support for my family. For the most part this has meant helping my mother access her bills online. These long distance calls are always long and tedious, and at times frustrating. This led me down a path of considering varying levels of digital literacy and how different people experience the internet. As I started to think more about designing websites for users like my mother, I started to learn more about the principles of inclusive design, and eventually web accessibility. It was frustrating to see that people with disabilities were excluded by design, and I developed a real passion for web accessibility. Web accessibility is the practice of ensuring equal access to digital services. As per the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, web accessibility is a basic human right. A website is considered accessible when it can be used by people regardless of their visual, auditory, cognitive, or motor abilities. What are the benefits of making a website accessible? In 2016 it became mandatory for all Canadian government websites to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) level 2. 0 AA. In the United States, the same applies through Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These guidelines aim to make websites perceivable, operable, navigable, and understandable for everyone. Making your website accessible helps you reach a wider audience, reduces legal risk, and makes it more user friendly for everybody. Okay, so how... --- ### Pokémon GO: a great example of safe, ethical children's entertainment. > Children's entertainment is where we can affect positive change. OXD reflects on Pokémon GO and how it's redefining ethical video games. - Published: 2019-04-07 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/pokemon-go-ethical-childrens-entertainment/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Management Consulting - Industry Tags: Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Cultural Industries Creative Director Wil Arndt gives Pokémon GO four out of five stars when it comes to meeting high ethical standards for kids entertainment. Full disclosure: Pokémon has been an OXD client, but this article is in no way endorsed by or connected with The Pokémon Company. With Pokémon GO, The Pokémon Company has captured a lot more than cute augmented-reality animals. They’ve also sparked a media tirade of warnings, outrage, and fear. The focus is on all the things that could go wrong. But what about the things Pokémon has done right? As someone who’s spent a large part of my career working on marketing campaigns for children and designing educational children’s entertainment games, I have to admit: Pokémon GO is now one of the best mainstream examples of designing positive experiences for children out there. It goes beyond just having fun and actually helps kids get more active while promoting positive role models and challenging their minds. (Before continuing, that I’m assuming that you’re already familiar with the basic concept and gameplay of Pokémon GO. If not, check out this article. ) Children need to play The first principle outlined in the whitepaper is “Children need to play. ” I won’t get into the “Why” here (you can read the full whitepaper for that), but the ethical ramification is this: How can we include digital experiences into children's entertainment options that encourage them to play in ways that are balanced and healthy? One recommendation given in the whitepaper is to “Creatively build elements into your children's entertainment experience that require the child to do physical activities with their bodies or hands, preferably away... --- ### The benefits of decoupled CMS architectures > Decoupled content management system (CMS) architectures can improve content editing, workflows, and content migration. Learn how. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/decoupled-cms/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Technology Solutions We’re getting our geek on by looking at decoupled content management system (CMS) architectures. No, no, don’t run. Just stick with us. It’ll be worth it! A long, long time ago (the 90s), website copy and code lived together in static HTML files. This made it really hard to update content or redesign pages. Content management systems overcame this challenge by separating the content editing interface and the web template system. By separating copy from code, marketers and developers have, for the past decade or so, happily churned out fresh copy and custom templates. But not everything has been puppies and rainbows. CMS's place constraints on designers and developers, forcing lengthy workarounds, cookie-cutter websites, performance issues, and painful upgrades. From the content editor perspective, there are often tedious workflows, and the beastly process of migrating content to a new platform. Decoupled CMS's take the idea of separating content from code one step further, where the front-end and back-end are separate systems connected via an application program interface (API). This promises to give developers greater freedoms, while simplifying content workflows and cross-platform publishing. Here’s a quick primer on web content management systems (CMS's). CMS's typically consist of three components: 1) a content repository (like a database) that houses all the content you want to publish, 2) an administration interface that lets you put content into that repository, and 3) some kind of template system that takes that content and publishes to the web. Going headless Recently, we’ve seen a rise of content management scenarios in which the templating system is dropped (a. k. a. , headless), and the focus is solely on the API.  What’s an API? Think of it as a sort of... --- ### Design for Policy: Bringing a design thinking approach to TransLink’s Fare Review process > Learn how we used design for policy methods like fieldwork, design research, workshops, and prototyping to understand customer experiences. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2025-04-02 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/design-for-policy-translink/ - Service Tags: Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design TransLink partners with OXD's Service Design team to understand customer experiences during their Transit Fare Review. If you’re in Vancouver, you have likely been hearing a lot about TransLink’s Transit Fare Review. TransLink’s three-zone fare structure was largely unchanged for over 30 years. In that same time, the region grew by over one million people. Regional growth, the launch of the Compass fare technology, and general public dissatisfaction with the current fare system meant that it was time to take a fresh look at fare policy. Could TransLink make fare policy changes that would increase ridership, provide a better customer experience, and improve system efficiency? OXD’s Service Design team worked with TransLink to help frame and understand the transit customer experience. Our design for policy methods included fieldwork, design research, workshops, prototyping, and testing of policy concepts. Using a design thinking-informed approach, we uncovered valuable customer insights into how policy would be experienced long before it was implemented and rolled out to the public. Design thinking meets policy making. Too often, government and civil policy decisions are made without contemplating the design implications. The traditional policy making cycle is often one-directional and linear. Typically, public consultation happens after policies are formulated. Put another way, there’s too little input from customers, and systems are difficult and expensive to change once they already exist. Our approach empowers policy makers to see things through a different lens and involve customers in the early stages. Our Service Design team created a series of prototypes using TransLink’s proposed fare structures and tested them with real customers. This produced qualitative data that... --- ### Navigating the PIA process in the BC provincial government > An OXD Service Designer reflects on their experience working with the BC Government and offers tips to make your PIA process easier. - Published: 2019-03-28 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/navigating-pia-process-provincial-government/ - Service Tags: Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design, Service Design - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector An OXD Service Designer reflects on their experience working with the BC Government and offers six tips to make your privacy impact assessment process easier to navigate. Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA)—the process of identifying, evaluating, and managing privacy risks—can be one the most challenging aspects of getting started on projects in (and with) the BC Provincial Government. A poorly executed PIA can pose project risk through delays, confusion, and misalignment. As providers of design research, service design, and application development work in government, we have to do a lot of PIA's. Some go well, others not so much. Having worked with and for government for 20 years, we realize that our experience is not unique. Misunderstanding of the PIA can happen among public servants as much as it can with vendors. With that in mind, we wanted to shed some light on an often misunderstood and opaque process, a process essential to respecting the privacy of citizens and engendering trust in government. The purpose of this piece is not to provide a detailed guide to the legislation. (That can be found here and we recommend a read-through if you want a deeper dive. ) Instead we want to share lessons learned from our experience in navigating the PIA process as part of design research and service design projects. In doing so, we hope this post will help you better manage the PIA process and get on with the important work of delivering government projects, programs, and services. So let’s start at the beginning. Why do you need to undertake a PIA on your project in the first place? Simply put, it's the law. From the BC Government’s... --- ### Gratitude in the workplace > Can a simple show of gratitude lead to greater happiness and engagement at work? Our Director of User Experience, explores the question. - Published: 2019-03-28 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/gratitude-employee-engagement/ - Service Tags: Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting Can a simple thanks lead to greater happiness and engagement at work? Jacqueline Antalik, our Director of User Experience, explores the question. Science shows that both expressing and receiving gratitude in the workplace makes people feel happier and more fulfilled. It can be a low cost way to increase employee engagement and can foster a feeling of trust among colleagues. Despite this, only 30% of people express thanks to their coworkers. This can be an expensive problem for organizations as studies on employee engagement link lack of appreciation with people leaving their jobs. For years at OXD, we’ve practiced a monthly ritual of pausing to reflect and express our gratitude via “shout-outs. ” Shout-outs can take the form of expressing thanks to a colleague who helped with a task, or thanking them for making a situation better with their presence or attitude. So when OpenIDEO launched a design challenge that asked “How might we inspire experiences and expressions of gratitude in the workplace? ” we were eager to join in. We put together an internal team of people—designers, project managers, developers, and support staff—passionate about gratitude and improving our workplace. Together, we assessed and contemplated the culture of gratitude at OXD. Using a design thinking approach, we developed ideas on how we could meet this challenge. And like with any design research project, the challenge started with a research phase. Here’s what we learned: Make gratitude part of your company’s culture. Expressions of gratitude can be mandated by HR or they can be informal and spontaneous. These more formal expressions of gratitude give leadership teams a chance to show by example that... --- ### Improving collaboration and design outcomes with empathy > The recommendations in Designing Together by Dan Brown aren't just applicable to designers, everyone can use them in their interactions. - Published: 2019-01-19 - Modified: 2023-09-05 - URL: https://oxd.com/insights/improving-collaboration-and-design-outcomes-with-empathy/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design Senior UX Designer Dave Kachman shares his key takeaways from Designing Together, by Dan Brown, including fundamental concepts that are applicable in almost any situation (not just design) to improve collaboration and navigate successful conflict. I first discovered Dan Brown when I saw him speak at the 2012 IA Summit in New Orleans on “Managing Difficult Situations on Design Projects”. His presentation defined the basis of what contributes to common interpersonal conflicts. For handling difficult situations, he presented a toolbox of strategies that would allow projects to keep moving forward even during moments of interpersonal conflict. His book, Designing Together, pairs these conflict management concepts with the fundamentals of strong collaboration. We, as designers, thrive on collaboration in our day-to-day work, prompting me to add this book to my reading list. Unlike similar books that only target project leads, managers, or key stakeholders, this book's focus is on contributors to design projects. But the concepts here are so fundamental and useful that they're not just for designers. Dan's recommendations are applicable to almost everyone—from new designers to team leads, small teams to large teams, internal teams to external teams, and co-located teams to remote teams. Here are several key takeaways from this book. The mindset of a designer Brown’s chapter on mindset reinforces the importance of each team member having the right attitude when contributing to projects. Understanding the different types of attitudes encountered in other designers helps motivate them in the right way, and can be the difference between a project being successful or not. Brown separates mindset into three distinct parts: Perception: interpretation of the things around a person Attitude: reactions to the things around a person Disposition: the thought process a person... --- --- ## Our work ### Alberta Courtroom Digital Service > Read about our justice digital modernization efforts transitioning a 100-year old process from paper to a cutting-edge digital solution. - Published: 2024-09-10 - Modified: 2025-02-13 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/alberta-cds/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design, Service Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Justice - Technology Tags: Continuous Integration, Django, Electron, HTML5, Javascript, OpenShift, Orchestration / Automated Deployment, Python, VueJS Alberta replaces an outdated paper process with a modern digital solution, improving the administration of courts. Canada’s criminal justice system is among the best in the world—a model for other countries, and a source of pride for Canadians. It has a strong foundation, but it faces a number of challenges. Change is needed ... our criminal justice system has become inefficient and, at times, crippled by delays. ” Final report on the review of Canada’s criminal justice system When court processes are stuck in the past, justice suffers. For over a century, Alberta’s justice system relied on paper-based processes to manage critical courtroom events. Courtroom clerks hand wrote endorsements—official approvals for documents, bail conditions, and case actions—as well as other procedural notes. These handwritten records then had to be manually entered into the Justice Online Information Network (JOIN), the Province’s legacy case management system, alongside digital notes accompanying courtroom audio recordings. This system often forced clerks to work through breaks and stay late, leading to burnout and a sense of being overwhelmed. Data entry was inefficient and error-prone. It was clear that a more effective solution was needed to modernize how court clerks endorsed, improving the speed and quality of court proceedings, and contributing to the goal of improving access to justice for all Albertans. I don’t have a single staff member during the regular running of courts that doesn’t have a stack of work sitting on their desk at all times. We struggle to keep up, and we work a ton of overtime. The point is to not live in a constant state of scrambling.... --- ### In a crowded industrial manufacturing market, can a better digital service set your product apart? > OXD's industrial manufacturing digital service boosts Honeywell's market position. Customer-driven features and top-tier UX design create a competitive edge in industrial manufacturing. - Published: 2024-09-06 - Modified: 2024-09-06 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/honeywell-versatilis/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Manufacturing - Technology Tags: Analytics and Monitoring, Cloud, Frontend Development, QA Automation Even with deep industry knowledge and strong internal teams, leading companies know that bringing in specialized expertise can create a competitive edge. That’s why Honeywell Process Solutions partnered with OXD to deliver a product that differentiates through great user experience. Leveraging a long-term partnership to accelerate innovation Honeywell Versatilis™ is a comprehensive suite of digital services empowering managers and engineers to efficiently manage and maintain site instrumentation throughout the entire lifecycle of jobsite assets. Developed in collaboration with OXD, Versatilis™ provides cutting-edge tools that offer unparalleled control and efficiency in monitoring instrument health and status. This innovative solution streamlines operations, enhances productivity, and ensures optimal performance of critical equipment across various industrial settings. Key components of the Honeywell Versatilis™ suite Insights dashboard: Provides site managers with a clear understanding of their site’s health, enabling quick, informed decision-making. Lifecycle app: A mobile-ready tool that allows field engineers to locate instruments, update data, and order replacements easily. Configurator: Facilitates instrument configuration, with user experience and design input from OXD. OXD’s previous success in designing Honeywell’s SmartLine Level Transmitter application—which reduced ordering process time by 3. 6 times the industry standard—set the stage for our collaboration on the Versatilis™ suite. (Read more about our work with application and validation tool for the SmartLine Level Transmitter here. ) This user-focused approach led to solutions that matter most to Honeywell’s customers. OXD’s multidisciplinary approach: we build teams, not projects While Honeywell’s in-house teams possessed deep industry knowledge, partnering with OXD brought specialized expertise in user experience and digital product development that elevated the Versatilis™ suite to new heights. Bringing fresh perspectives to complex workflows OXD’s team of UX experts, software engineers, and QA specialists complemented Honeywell’s internal resources with fresh, user-centric perspectives. Our researchers identified... --- ### Building Organizational Consensus With an Alignment Phase > Learn how OXD used alignment and exploration methods to help the College of New Caledonia redesign the right website for their users. - Published: 2024-06-12 - Modified: 2024-06-27 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/from-insight-to-impact-the-significance-of-alignment-in-revitalizing-the-digital-experience/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Human-Centred Design - Industry Tags: Education Learn how OXD helped the College of New Caledonia ensure they were asking the right questions and crafting the right vision for their website redesign using our alignment and exploration methods. British Columbia’s College of New Caledonia (CNC) has been “empowering learners to achieve their educational, personal, and career goals” for over 50 years. The resources and information offered on the CNC website serve over 5,000 students a year. They act as a critical source of information to support student recruitment activities. To continue to improve the student experience, CNC wanted to revitalize their website. The CNC leadership team engaged OXD to apply our expertise to inform pre-planning activities, using an alignment phase (sometimes referred to as Pre-Discovery). This would help them prepare a business case for the next phase, Discovery. The challenge The alignment phase is about coordinating all the elements of a project. This helps to deliver better services and reduce risks associated with any project. These risks can include: Differences on what approach to take Varying expectations of the project goals, budget, and outcomes Not including the right people in the room and on the team Misaligned budget or funding for the scope of the work Having an alignment phase helps reduce these risks by defining: strategic goals and outcomes, gaining consensus on the current state and what the future might look like, and the approach to take for Discovery, the next phase of the project. This phase also uncovers the enabling technologies, people, and processes needed to deliver that future. We can then provide industry best practice advice to guide the initiative. The approach Visualizing relationships with mapping Service ecosystem mapping helps the broader team visualize the... --- ### Enhancing Data Quality and Utilization: A Data Collection Strategy for Community Organizations > We worked with a provincial organization to research an effective data management system to support their data collection strategy. - Published: 2023-11-03 - Modified: 2024-06-27 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/enhancing-data-quality-and-utilization-a-data-collection-strategy-for-community-organizations/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting, Service Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Arts, entertainment, and recreation We helped a BC community group navigate data challenges and craft a data collection strategy for insights-informed decision-making. The importance of data consistency Organizations prioritize the consistency of their data. They expect it to be reliable and uniform every time it's accessed or shared. A provincial organization collecting data from hundreds of community organizations across BC approached OXD not only to refine their data consistency and collection process but also to identify the ideal product that would transform their data into actionable insights. Ensuring data consistency across organizations entails verifying that the data remains uniform and trustworthy, regardless of where or how it's accessed. However, when data originates from diverse organizational sources, maintaining this consistency becomes challenging. Each organization our client collaborated with had unique methods of data collection and formatting, leading to potential confusion and data gaps in the sector. Our client wanted to replace their existing data collection and information systems with an efficient, effective, and sustainable solution, while enabling community organizations to use data assets for informed decision-making. What they needed was a robust, efficient, and effective data management and analytics system. But which one? The process behind an effective data collection strategy Instead of jumping straight to software recommendations, OXD talked to the people who use and populate the current data collection and reporting system. We first conducted a series of alignment sessions and workshops with the key partners involved in the project. We then facilitated user interviews to help us understand the user experience of interacting with community data, as well as emerging opportunities to address identified challenges. Through methods similar to those... --- ### Shaping the Future of Digital Health for Government: Lessons, Learnings, and a Leap Forward > OXD worked with a government health organization to produce outcomes that will improve digital health services for patients. - Published: 2023-09-28 - Modified: 2024-06-27 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/crafting-the-future-of-digital-health-for-government-lessons-learnings-and-a-leap-forward/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design, Service Design - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Health Learn how OXD works with government health organizations to increase interdepartmental collaboration and deliver better digital health services. Emerging from emergency The COVID-19 Pandemic put pressure on governments and health providers across Canada to rapidly design and deliver a wealth of new digital health services: workplace safety guidelines and protocols, mass immunization scheduling and delivery, and vaccination passports to name a few. Many institutions turned to the practices of service design and human-centred design to ensure success of these initiatives. The focus was on designing for the front-line workers and clinicians as well as the millions of citizens who lined up to receive their vaccine.   In the time that followed the emergency response and success of 2020 and 2021, health organizations also had to deal with organizational debt, the people, process, and cultural compromises that resulted from “just getting it done” during those early months of the Pandemic.   Designers and digital teams are not immune from this debt. The Pandemic had proven the power of human-centred design and had also demonstrated the organizational challenges faced in delivering digital services at such a fast pace. OXD helps government health organizations research the practice of digital health delivery teams, their ability to collaborate with other teams, and learn from the lessons of the past few years. Now that the pressure of the Pandemic has diminished, organizations want to earn their COVID dividend and improve their digital health practice, rather than reverting to pre-COVID ways. Mapping challenges and opportunities with in-depth research and collaborative work Our journey begins with a comprehensive approach to understanding the intricacies of the digital... --- ### Improving Access to Community Funding by Putting the User First > Lotteries Yukon government website gets a redesign on a robust, scalable, best-in-class content management system. - Published: 2023-09-28 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/improving-access-to-community-funding-by-putting-the-user-first/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector - Technology Tags: Drupal, MySQL, Nginx, PHP Lotteries Yukon government website gets a redesign on a robust and scalable CMS. Lotteries Yukon came to OXD to redesign their government website. They are the Ministry responsible for Yukon Lottery Commission, developing legislative and regulatory initiatives in relation to inter-jurisdictional lotteries. Lottery profits get distributed to hundreds of volunteer and community-based organizations for projects and activities throughout the Yukon. So when a serious hack of the Lotteries Yukon website led to them taking it completely offline, it highlighted the importance of better security. To ensure the community still had access to the arts, sports, and recreation programs they offered, Lotteries Yukon approached OXD to redesign their website on a more secure platform that was easy to use with easy to find content. The site is an important resource for the people and communities who use the funding programs administered through Lotteries Yukon. The new website needed to better communicate the benefits of giving back to Yukon communities. Administrators from sport governing bodies, communities, and not for profits are able to access, understand, and apply for program funding. The Yukon Lottery Commission mandates community-based program funding assistance in three areas: Travel assistance for Yukon people with travel expenses to compete and/or take part in adjudicated events within and outside of Yukon. Community funding to support local programs and projects that sustain and contribute to the growth of arts, sport, and recreation. Funding for projects intended to sustain and contribute to the growth of arts, sport, and recreation in Yukon.   We needed to meet several needs for Lotteries Yukon when redesigning their website,... --- ### Solving COVID-19 Immunization Complexities With Service Mapping > Service mapping methods by OXD helped the Provincial Health Services Authority deliver COVID-19 vaccinations throughout the province. - Published: 2023-09-25 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/service-mapping-solves-complex-healthcare-needs-for-people-in-bc/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Health Learn how a human-centred design approach helped the people living in BC fight COVID. Shaping complex processes through human-centred design. The COVID-19 pandemic created a critical need to distribute and administer vaccines to millions of people living in British Columbia. It was a turbulent time full of changing health guidelines and conflicting information from different sources. The BC COVID-19 Immunization Plan needed to follow a human-centred design approach to ensure it could reliably inform and enable access to vaccines for people living and working in all parts of BC. The success of the program would be contingent upon getting government, health organizations, and communities to collaborate in an unprecedented way. OXD worked with the Ministry of Health, the Provincial Health Services Authority, and Deloitte ImmsBC implementation team to design systems to support medical staff in delivering COVID-19 vaccinations throughout BC. The Imms Plan required a system that could manage vaccine inventory, track vaccination appointments, and document electronic vaccination records. The implementation team needed a way to quickly and effectively solve the problem of vaccinating five million people across BC. Start vaccinating millions of people... now. When OXD joined the project, the province was already in Phase Two of the BC COVID-19 Immunization Plan, vaccinating high-risk populations. They were preparing to enter Phase Three, mass immunization of the general population. The health authorities were designing new models for mass immunization clinics of varying sizes. In addition, the BC government was designing a digital service to support those clinics—all at the same time. The Ministry, health authorities, Deloitte, and OXD needed to understand all the possible... --- ### Overhauling a Mission-Critical System on the Fly > Our goal for KEA was to deliver a modern tech stack and user-centric system that increased functionality and maintained company productivity. - Published: 2023-05-06 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/how-kernaghan-adjusters-modernized-their-tech-stack/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Finance and insurance - Technology Tags: ASP.NET, Atlassian Bamboo, Bootstrap, C#, Classic ASP, Javascript, SQL Server, VueJS How do we modernize a mission critical application to be more user-centric while keeping the business running smoothly? Kernaghan Adjusters is an all-service adjusting firm providing independent adjusting and risk management services in real-time to clients around the world. Claims adjusters help to close the gap for clients experiencing disruption in their environments including catastrophes, professional liability, and major losses specialties. A key part of Kernaghan’s proprietary advantage is KEA, a real-time, web-based claims management system. KEA also provides business critical support for billing, timesheets, CRM, and employee performance metrics. KEA is the foundational system that powers Kernaghan’s business.   Our partnership with Kernaghan Adjusters started over 20 years ago when OXD (then OpenRoad) developed the first version of KEA. Our goal was to deliver a modern, user-centric system while increasing functionality and maintaining company productivity. OXD designed and built the original KEA system in 1998 We had to customize without starting from scratch. The KEA platform and other key business applications shared a main database. The existing database and information—including over 200 custom reports—had to remain accessible and functional. That’s why we kept most of the existing KEA database schema as the foundation for the new modernized KEA. Think of it like building a new house on its old foundation. This allowed for continuity of data for other applications while working on the KEA system upgrades. Outdated technologies made development and debugging difficult. KEA had complex business logic compiled into Visual Basic libraries that could not be debugged using modern development tools. The old tech stack had become expensive to fix and maintain, making it harder and... --- ### Technology Improvements Lead to Better Health Management of Vaccine Records > OXD worked with PHSA to improve management of health records for people and health care workers in BC by upgrading their technology. - Published: 2023-02-16 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/improved-vaccine-submission-technology-helps-british-columbians-with-their-health-management/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Health People in British Columbia now have an easier way to track their immunizations, thanks to design enhancements made with the help of OXD. In preparation for COVID-19 vaccine roll-outs during the pandemic, Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) of British Columbia (BC) started plans to develop an online tool to support vaccine record submissions. Residents needed the ability to upload confirmation of their COVID-19 vaccines, whether administered in BC or outside of the province. This tool was an important ally in the Provincial COVID-19 vaccination plan. Its success revealed the need to expand the service beyond COVID-19. OXD worked with PHSA to redesign the existing digital tool to include the upload and tracking of any vaccine they'd received—not just COVID 19. This expanded feature means people in BC can better manage their health records while improving efficiency and accuracy for health care workers. PHSA had internal teams responsible for establishing business requirements and doing the development for the expansion of the online service, but they needed external support for user experience. Since OXD had worked with PHSA previously on the design of a system to support medical staff in delivering COVID vaccinations throughout BC, they knew we could help them find the right solutions for the vaccine record submission expansion. Working alongside PHSA's internal teams and the Government Digital Experience (GDX) Content Design team, we were able to design user-centred wireframes and test usability with users of the existing tool. Screens showing the submission form and process to submit or update a vaccine record Working together across teams leads to a better digital experience for everyone. Working collaboratively, and in a tailored agile process with... --- ### A Complicated Expert System, Redesigned to Work Faster > We partnered with the BC Ministry of Education PEN Registry team to design a high-fidelity prototype, improving digital processes for users. - Published: 2021-10-06 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/prototype-design-to-improve-a-complicated-expert-system/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design - Industry Tags: Education, Government and Public Sector OXD partnered with the PEN Registry team to redesign a complicated system through iterative prototyping. Modernizing the design of a 30-year-old application in 30 weeks. The BC Ministry of Education uses the Provincial Education Number (PEN) registry system to identify students throughout the entire BC Education system, including Early Learning, K-12, and Post Secondary. With the Ministry planning a large-scale migration to a new technology platform, the PEN registry system would need a serious upgrade. The highly specialized Ministry staff who used the PEN registry system had a clear and established workflow. But the 30-year-old OpenVMS application was showing its age: several features and over 60 screens of the application were no longer relevant or in use. The many steps involved to process each student number were time-consuming and error-prone. Since the application handled students' personal academic data, it was crucial that a new design solution kept functionality while adhering to data privacy regulations. We partnered with the Ministry of Education PEN team to design a time-saving and error-free digital process. The new prototype needed to meet or exceed the performance of the existing application while fitting in seamlessly to the Ministry staff workflow. Thanks to frequent communication and flexible iterations, we were able to produce a high-fidelity prototype to hand-off to developers in 30 weeks.   Co-creating side-by-side with end-users. The project kicked-off just at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This offered an opportunity to help the PEN registry team rethink how we could work together and with the system’s users. Transitioning to an entirely remote collaborative process using virtual whiteboard sessions turned... --- ### Alberta Child Care Subsidy Modernization > Using Service Design and Agile development, we helped the Government of AB modernize access to critical citizen services for Albertans. - Published: 2021-04-13 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/modernization-of-government-of-alberta-child-care-digital-service/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector - Technology Tags: Django, MS SQL Server, VueJS Service Design and Agile development that modernizes access to critical citizen services. The Government of Alberta’s Digital Design and Delivery (DDD) supports and coordinates innovation across government. The DDD works with policy teams, internal IT staff, and digital vendors to help ministries launch modern, citizen-centred digital services.   In 2019, the DDD began working with the Government of Alberta’s Ministry of Children's Services to improve and expand their digital delivery of the child care subsidy and child care staff certification applications. Child Care Subsidy is a service that exists to offset the cost of child care depending on factors like family size, type of care, and household income. Every year, more than 25,000 people apply for child care subsidies in Alberta. The existing application process was not completely digital and was time consuming and frustrating for end users. The exemplar Service Design project was the Online Child Care Subsidy Application. Their second initiative was the modernization of the Child Care Staff Certification Application. This is a mandatory credential for Albertans working in licensed daycare, out-of-school care, or preschool programs.   The DDD partnered with OXD to use modern methodologies like Service Design and Agile throughout the project. By using a human-centred approach, we were able to improve processes for both the internal team and the families using the service. The Government of Alberta’s Digital Innovation Office partnered with OXD in the modernization of their Early Childhood Development Systems to improve citizen services.   The existing Online Child Care Subsidy Application process was hard to access and difficult to use.   It was... --- ### FortisBC Website Redesign > FortisBC worked with Vancouver-based OXD to improve customer service with a customer-centric website redesign that reflected their brand. - Published: 2021-01-21 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/fortisbc-website-redesign/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Energy and utilities - Technology Tags: AngularJS, ASP.NET, Azure Cloud, Sitefinity A modern, customer-centric website to represent the FortisBC brand. FortisBC is an electricity and natural gas distributor in British Columbia. As a subsidiary of Canada’s largest private utility company, they serve 1. 2 million customers across the province. In 2017 FortisBC partnered with OXD on their public website redesign.   FortisBC worked with OXD to improve customer service with a customer-centric website redesign that reflected their brand. It was time for a redesigned fortisbc. com. Customers couldn’t find what they were looking for.   Customers came to the FortisBC website to accomplish tasks, for example find bills, change passwords, and update account information. Unfortunately, they were often unable to accomplish these tasks. The website wasn’t responsive, the search function didn’t generate relevant results, and context (customer type and geography) wasn’t taken into account.   FortisBC homepage before (left) and after (right) The information architecture mirrored their org chart. Different business areas within FortisBC were responsible for different parts of the website and the site had been structured from that organizational point of view. For example, like FortisBC’s internal teams, all content was split between gas and electric. This emphasis on service areas and offerings made it hard for customers—who were visiting the website with the aim of completing specific tasks—to navigate the site. Customers struggled to find the right information, which resulted in a high volume of calls to FortisBC’s customer support centre. This was costly to the organization and time consuming for customers.   Siloed teams were creating inconsistent content.   Internal teams at FortisBC had a strong... --- ### Co-Design During a Crisis: Ensuring Food Security and the Health of Farm Workers > Using novel co-design methods, OXD helped protect lives and prevent a food shortage crisis at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. - Published: 2020-07-14 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/co-design-during-a-crisis-ensuring-food-security-and-the-health-of-farm-workers/ - Service Tags: Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting - Industry Tags: Agriculture, Government and Public Sector, Health How OXD used co-design to help the government move more quickly at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Imagine it’s the beginning of March, and the growing season is about to start in British Columbia. Thousands of foreign workers are getting ready to travel to BC to support the agriculture sector with the planting, growing, and harvesting of local crops. Now imagine that it's March 2020, at the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic. It's a period of fear and uncertainty, and those same workers that farms and the economy depend on are now seen as a possible vector for contagion. Oh... and they're arriving by plane next week. With a food security crisis looming, the Government of BC reached out to OXD for help. Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash Co-designing a rapid response to an urgent, uncertain situation In a matter of days, OXD had to guide a multi-disciplinary group from agriculture, public health, emergency management, and information technology to co-design a process that would bring workers into the province during lockdown—safely.   The new restrictions didn’t allow for in-person meetings, so we chose virtual white-boarding as a way to bring all the ministries together. To many on the team, remote collaboration was an emerging concept at the peak of the pandemic. Government staff weren't used to working this way, especially under stressful, fast-paced conditions.   Designing on the fly The pandemic created problems without existing solutions. With so many unknowns, we had to improvise and adapt our methods to the changing situation. Facilitating quick decision-making across government ministries based on the latest, constantly-shifting data was... --- ### Legal Aid BC Digital Transformation Portfolio > How Legal Aid BC partnered with OXD to improve their digital transformation strategy and expand access to justice for British Columbians. - Published: 2020-06-10 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/legal-aid-bc-digital-transformation-portfolio/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Justice - Technology Tags: AI Chat systems, Amazon Comprehend, Drupal Expanding access to justice for British Columbians. Legal Aid BC (LABC) is a non-profit organization that provides legal information, advice, and representation to people who can’t afford lawyers. Every year hundreds of thousands of British Columbians rely on LABC to resolve their legal problems and LABC’s flagship digital property, the Family Law in BC website, is a leading online resource in BC for family law matters.   Over the course of 18 months, OXD completed 20 projects with Legal Aid BC to improve their delivery of public legal education and information. In 2017, funding from the Law Foundation of BC and the Notary Foundation enabled LABC to implement innovative digital solutions. This was an opportunity for LABC to make progress towards its service goals, which included improving access to justice, advancing reconciliation with Aboriginal Peoples, tailoring services around people’s needs, and influencing systemic changes that improve legal outcomes. LABC partnered with OXD on their digital transformation portfolio to explore, design, and build a number of solutions ranging from workshops and websites to chatbots, natural language processing, a digital transformation strategy, and more.   LABC wanted to help British Columbians solve their problems online by developing and implementing a transformative response plan.   LABC pursued accessibility through technology. The legal system is complicated and difficult to navigate. With over one million visitors to its websites annually, many of them trying to solve their legal problem without a lawyer, LABC wanted to provide online resources that were user-centric, with information that is easy to find, understand and use to... --- ### OXD Brand Strategy and Identity > The story of our rebrand from OpenRoad to OXD. Using rational, user-centred design to remove risk and uncertainty from an emotional process. - Published: 2020-04-17 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/oxd-brand-strategy-and-identity/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting - Industry Tags: Professional Services - Technology Tags: Javascript, PHP, SASS, WordPress Gutenberg Removing risk and uncertainty from an emotionally-charged rebrand process with rational, user-centred design. The challenge OpenRoad Communications started in 1995 as a web applications developer mainly serving British Columbia. The composite name ‘OpenRoad’ captured the optimism and boundless possibilities of a fledgling internet industry. But as the industry matured and the company added new capabilities and services, that name and brand no longer reflected how we had evolved as a company. The challenge consisted of more than the rebrand of an established company—two decades of history, a presence in the marketplace, all the good domain names being taken—we also had to consider the way the company itself was used to working. How can a group of pragmatic, data-driven, and analytical people make difficult emotional decisions about this very hard thing... Rebranding themselves? Our rebrand process The design of our new brand started long before we settled on our new name. Articulating who we were was a critical step of defining our foundation. To do this we had to look at our values, purpose, business strategy, history, and ambitions. We used a series of workshops and methods to help define our outcomes for the project. Each of these techniques on their own was insufficient to address the challenge we faced, but when combined they provided a cohesive direction that allowed us to make progress and launch the rebrand. Methods and frameworks that helped us make complex and emotional decisions in a more rational way: Brand personality workshop This one-hour workshop helped our staff articulate their feelings about the character of their company, yielding hundreds... --- ### ​Emily Carr University of Art + Design Website Redesign > How OXD helped Emily Carr University of Art + Design improve their global reputation by prioritizing the student experience. - Published: 2019-04-15 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/emily-carr-university-website-redesign/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Education - Technology Tags: CraftCMS, MySQL, PHP Elevating Emily Carr University’s global reputation by prioritizing the student experience. Aligning the Emily Carr organization around the audience The culture of Emily Carr could be described as a collective of like-minds connected by passion, operating with varying degrees of autonomy. Everybody came with their own ideas about which audiences were important and how the school needed to represent itself.  Bringing these dynamic voices and varied perspectives into agreement would be a key condition to the success of the project. Our first task would be determining who the new website was for. We worked with stakeholders across the University to unite them around a unified voice.  In the end, everyone agreed that the school’s most important audience—from a list of 211 distinct audiences that were identified—was the student. Bringing Emily Carr's vision for twenty-first century learning to life Put the student experience first. By putting the student at the centre of the discussion, and by employing design principles that targeted the potential student above all others, we were able to manage stakeholders to speed up their decision making. Establish clear criteria and design principles. Working with a world-class art and design school meant everyone involved had a strong opinion when it came to design. To keep the project on track we sought to build consensus through design, not by committee. Make data and art work together.   Using student-centred evidence and concrete data to back-up design decisions, we helped Emily Carr University transform its online presence into a dynamic and vibrant reflection of the student experience. Use colour as a differentiator.... --- ### ​UBC Digital Agency of Record > Since 2016, OXD has been the Digital Agency of Record for UBC Brand & Marketing, offering guidance and strategic website design services. - Published: 2019-04-02 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/ubc-digital-agency-of-record/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Education - Technology Tags: Drupal, WordPress A prestigious, century-old university works with OXD to deliver the next generation of digital communications. A complex, established organization that needed to move fast When legacy, brand, and governance collide. When they first approached OXD, the UBC Brand & Marketing department had already been stewards of the University's over 100 years of brand equity—an awesome responsibility. But they couldn't rely on that legacy alone to be effective in their role. In a crowded marketplace competing for students, faculty, and funding, they had to constantly prove and reprove the value of that brand. Balancing organizational unity with the autonomy of dozens of departments and faculties—each with their own utility, purpose, and audience—UBC Brand & Marketing had to educate internally while inspiring externally to ensure that the University's brand promise was delivered and expressed consistently. And as if things weren't complex enough, they were doing this in a constantly-shifting technology landscape. UBC needed a partner that could unlock their own vision and potential. A small team with limited bandwidth, UBC Brand & Marketing needed a digital partner who understood the value of brand guardianship, liaised with the UBC technical department, augmented and enhanced their in-house team's capabilities, all while designing user-centric websites that met the needs of their many audiences. OXD works like peer-practitioners to augment and expand client capability Audience Research For organizations looking to optimize their communications and build consensus around the priorities of their initiatives, understanding—and agreeing on—the audiences with whom they communicate is critical. What are their audiences' needs? What are their interests? Their preferred channels? OXD ran cross-team workshops with UBC to... --- ### Online Divorce Assistant Application > Fair and equitable access to justice through Agile development and citizen-centered design with the Online Divorce Assistant Application. - Published: 2019-03-31 - Modified: 2024-07-17 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/bc-government-online-divorce-assistant-application/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Justice - Technology Tags: Django, OpenShift, Python, ReactJS Fair and equitable access to justice through agile development and citizen-centered design. Using a human-centred design approach we created a digital service, the Online Divorce Assistant Application, that makes filing for uncontested divorces accessible to British Columbians without a lawyer. We worked with British Columbia’s Ministry of the Attorney General—responsible for administering justice and delivering public safety services across the province—to simplify the uncontested divorce filing process. That meant addressing poor usability, technical limitations, and complex authentication procedures. Every year, 10,000 British Columbians file for divorce. Of those, 30% are uncontested divorces. Even uncontested divorces—divorces where both parties agree on support, property, and debt—can leave a person feeling grieved, confused, and isolated. We worked with the Ministry of the Attorney General to bring dignity, humanity, and empathy to the uncontested divorce process through the Online Divorce Assistant Application. The existing filing process was complicated and error-prone, burdening both citizens and the system Filing for divorce is expensive. On average filing for an uncontested divorce with a lawyer costs $1,600. For the many British Columbians who can't afford a lawyer, their access to justice is limited by their income. Navigating the process without a lawyer is hard. Many citizens file for uncontested divorces as self-represented litigants because they can't afford a lawyer. Navigating the filing process and the filling out the corresponding documents—all of which were designed for lawyers and judges—was confusing and overwhelming, adding to the stress of getting a divorce. Most uncontested divorce filings are done incorrectly and rejected the first time. This was at a cost to both to the... --- ### ​Emily Carr University of Art + Design Digital Audit > Illuminating the unknown: Mapping a forward-thinking, early-adopting University's vast digital presence through a digital audit. - Published: 2019-03-31 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/emily-carr-university-of-art-design-digital-audit/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Management Consulting - Industry Tags: Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Education Illuminating the unknown: Mapping a forward-thinking, early-adopting University's vast digital presence. A hazy digital landscape As a forward-thinking, creative, and curious institution, Emily Carr University of Art + Design had a long history of embracing new technologies. And when the internet came around in the early 90's the students, faculty, and administration embraced everything the web and digital technology had to offer. They pushed the boundaries and explored the possibilities of this new medium, building a striking landscape of digital cities, monuments, and ghost towns. But after over two decades of unbridled excitement and barely-contained development of "rogue" instructor sites, off-beat student experiments, and third-party-managed properties, and the University found themselves in a curious situation. They no longer knew how big their digital footprint was. Where were the borders? And what else had been in created in their name that they didn't know about? The situation had moved beyond needing a simple clean-up and into serious brand erosion territory. It was time for Emily Carr University to take back control of their reputation. But the organization would be in for a shock when they discovered the full extent of their digital landscape. Giving shape to the unknown Who visits and lives within this digital landscape? We brought together twenty-one representatives from Emily Carr staff and faculty to collectively identify Emily Carr's audience. This cross-sectional team mapped the full breadth of their 211 audiences and categorized them into 25 groupings, the totality of whom derived nearly 150 benefits from their interactions with the University. An additional fourteen representatives from frontline Emily Carr... --- ### ​TELUS Home Solutions Onboarding > Using a service design approach, OXD helped TELUS create and test an improved onboarding experience for their customers and team.  - Published: 2019-03-31 - Modified: 2024-06-27 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/telus-home-solutions-onboarding/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting - Industry Tags: Telecommunications Helping TELUS understand their customers' experiences and identify new opportunities. Using a service design approach we helped TELUS create and test an improved onboarding experience for their customers.   TELUS is one of Canada's largest telecommunications companies, providing home phone, mobile, internet, and TV solutions across the country.  In September 2015, their Customer Experience Management team kicked off an ambitious initiative to improve the onboarding experience for customers in Alberta and British Columbia—regions with both optical fibre and legacy copper-based infrastructure. We conducted interviews, facilitated workshops, and created a series of prototypes which were validated in usability testing. This service design approach and its outputs helped TELUS make a business case for their customer experience project.   A service design approach would look at the onboarding experience holistically, considering both employees and customers. Internal silos were affecting the customer and employee experience. TELUS employees had little insight into other teams, their processes, what they did, and what influence this had on their own work. Customers didn’t know what to expect. This confusion led to a higher volume of support calls from frustrated customers. For example, agents placing orders didn't have enough information to help customers know what issues, decisions, or costs might come up during the installation process. Customers were overloaded with information. There was a lot of information to take in during the onboarding process, and retaining it all was challenging. This included things like comparing vendors, cost, download speed, process, and timeline. People needed to know what to expect without being overwhelmed by the volume of information. Putting... --- ### ​TReO Tolling Website > ​How OXD helped bridge the user experience gap for the largest transportation infrastructure initiative, TReO—a tolling website, in BC's history. - Published: 2019-03-31 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/treo-tolling-website/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Transportation - Technology Tags: ASP.NET, C#, IIS, SQL Server, Umbraco A digital-first billing and payment experience for the largest transportation infrastructure initiative in British Columbia’s history. In 2012 Transportation Investment Corporation (TI Corp) launched TReO, their electronic-first tolling experience, and the Port Mann/Highway 1 (PMH1) Improvement Project; the largest transportation infrastructure initiative in British Columbia’s history. As the lead digital vendor, OXD provided the end-to-end digital design and development of their electronic-first tolling experience, TReO. TI Corp is a crown corporation responsible for ensuring highways are safe and flowing smoothly, while keeping tolling easy, electronic, and efficient for citizens. TI Corp manages large transportation projects and all electronic tolling systems in British Columbia. They are also responsible for providing customer service and account management for more than one million drivers in BC. Build a highly usable service experience for citizens, reduced channel costs, and a backend custom-built to handle massive traffic—on time and on budget. Anywhere, any device. To maximize online interactions and encourage self-service, customers needed to be able to register, pay tolls, and access billing information seamlessly, from anywhere, and across devices. Huge spikes for a high traffic website. The Port Mann/Highway 1 (PMH1) Improvement Project was getting a lot of media coverage and being promoted in a number cross-channel advertising campaigns. The website had to withstand floods of simultaneous requests, up to 20 times the expected average volume. Ready or not, that bridge was opening. Typically project deadlines informed by development best-practices. This was a unique case however because development timelines had to match the bridge construction and marketing windows, meaning it was tight and non-negotiable. Dozens of vendors. Successful delivery demanded coordinate,... --- ### Website Redesign for Vancouver Island’s Health Authority  > Island Health on Vancouver Island partnered with us to redesign their website to be patient-centred, accessible, and responsive. - Published: 2019-03-31 - Modified: 2025-03-21 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/island-health-website-redesign/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Health - Technology Tags: Ansible, Apache, AWS, Drupal, MariaDB, PHP 7, Varnish A responsive, accessible, and patient-centred website redesign for Island Health. Island Health was ready for change The technology was outdated and inefficient. In 2005 Island Health underwent a large content management system (CMS) replatforming project. Shortly after their project was complete, their newly adopted CMS was discontinued. For 12 years the Island Health team used a CMS that wasn’t being updated. Their site wasn’t mobile-friendly and content creation was frustratingly inefficient for their internal teams. However, given the size of their site—more than 2,000 pages—they were understandably reluctant to replatform. Organization-centred content was confusing for patients. Island Health’s information architecture reflected their organization’s internal structure. While this is a pattern large organizations in healthcare adopt because it is intuitive and convenient for employees, patients found it cold and confusing. Usability testing revealed that patients didn’t know what much of the facilities-based terminology meant, that further explanation was required, and that this made the site a challenge to navigate. Instead, they looked for information based on their needs or tasks they were looking to complete. Helping Island Health deliver a better user experience Talk to patients and care providers. Our first task was understanding user needs. We saw quickly that while both care providers and patients used the website, their needs were very different. Our findings would then inform our content strategy and information architecture design. Prioritize inclusivity and accessibility. For the website to be truly patient-centred, it had to consider all users. Island Health prioritized cultural humility for Indigenous patients and accessibility across cognitive or physical abilities, literacy levels, and... --- ### ​Honeywell SmartLine Application and Validation Tool > The Honeywell SmartLine complex ordering tool is now 3.6x faster than the industry standard, allowing them to stand out in a crowded market. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/honeywell-smartline-application/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Digital Transformation and Innovation, Human-Centred Design, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Manufacturing - Technology Tags: Meteor, MongoDB, ReactJS Helping Honeywell stand out in a crowded market by making their complex ordering tool 3.6 times faster than the industry standard. A complex industrial tool that feels as easy as a consumer app. Honeywell Process Solutions helps industrial customers around the world operate safe, sustainable, and more profitable facilities. Honeywell developed a new product—the Honeywell SmartLine Level Transmitter—to detect and report liquid levels within a wide range of industrial tanks used by the oil and gas, agriculture, and manufacturing industries. Honeywell was building a product that transformed customers businesses through reduced maintenance, smart integration, and easy implementation. We helped them stand out in a crowded marketing industry of similar product offerings by creating the best possible digital experience for configuring and validating their new SmartLine device. How to make a complex industrial ordering process feel easy Make user experience a priority. We talked to Honeywell customers in the field—both distributors and direct buyers—and used that research to identify what was essential to them and what wasn’t. Through comparative and competitive research, technology prototyping, and user interviews, we were able to uncover insights that further informed the design and development of the tool. Be Agile. By working closely with the Honeywell engineers in an Agile framework, we were able to respond to challenges and changes as they arose, while always moving closer towards the features that users needed and wanted. What it means to be for the Honeywell SmartLine tool to be best-in-class Responsive and seamless. The configuration tool leverages modern web technologies and techniques—including WebGL and Responsive Design—to deliver a seamless, easy-feeling experience across multiple screens and devices while reducing customer... --- ### ​Pokémon Website Localization > To meet the needs of their growing global audience, Pokémon worked with OXD to offer their website in five new languages.  - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/pokemon-localization/ - Service Tags: Digital Services and Products, Technology Solutions - Industry Tags: Arts, entertainment, and recreation - Technology Tags: Alfresco, Django, Java, MySQL, Python Helping Pokémon extend the reach of their web property to meet growing global demand. Pokémon needed a highly skilled technology partner that could work collaboratively with their team to jointly develop new features and integrations. The existing website wasn’t keeping pace. Pokémon fever had consumed the world but their web presence wasn’t meeting the needs of their passionate, and increasingly global fan base. Localization was only a small part of a much bigger picture. The website was a tightly integrated system of Flash games, dynamic Content Management System pages, and business applications. This complexity, combined with the site’s sheer size—there were thousands of image assets that required translation—meant this localization had implications for far more than just the text on their site. It would require more than just swapping out text. The solution had to anticipate future growth. The site had to scale as more languages were added in the future. We had to consider the implications of new character sets not included in the scope of our current project. If they one day chose to add Russian for example, this would require introducing unicode, which wasn’t supported by many of their fonts at the time. How to extend the reach of an already global organization Start with an audit. We started by conducting a thorough review of the entire pokemon. com system to analyze and inventory the impacts of localization piece by piece. It quickly became apparent that this wouldn’t be a matter of swapping out text and translating it to another language. Some of the system’s components weren’t compatible with localization and... --- ### Youth Voices > The BC Family Justice Innovation Lab helps improve the experience of children and families going through separation and divorce. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2025-03-18 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/bc-family-justice-youth-voices/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Government Consulting, Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Justice Using Design for Social Innovation to improve the way youth impacted by separation and divorce experience the justice system. Tackling complexity using human-centred design for BC Family Justice Innovation Lab Separation and divorce are both social and legal problems. The BC Family Justice Innovation Lab occupies the space where families and the justice system come into contact. This is challenging because the people they encounter view separation and divorce differently. The justice system treats separation and divorce as a legal problem with social aspects, while families experience it as social problems with legal aspects. To help youth and their families, the lab sought to treat separation and divorce as a social problem first and foremost. Subject matter experts would have to embrace new ways of thinking and working. The Lab had set out to address old, systemic challenges in new ways. Over the course of this project they would be working with other legal subject matter experts—people trained to find solutions quickly and by relying on precedent—who would need to embrace emergent and iterative ways of working to produce a less linear solution. The Lab needed to level-up their design knowledge. The Lab team itself needed to build capacity in design methodologies within their organization. While they knew they wanted to take a human-centred approach, they had little experience with these methods. The Lab needed a partner with whom they could co-create and learn in an effort to build up their design capabilities. How we helped the Lab tap into their innate design capabilities Build consensus among the project team. The Family Justice Innovation Lab had a big and... --- ### TransLink Customer Experience Research > ​How OXD helped TransLink gain insights for improvement and innovation by uncovering what their customers do, think, and feel. - Published: 2019-03-30 - Modified: 2024-06-27 - URL: https://oxd.com/work/translink-customer-experience-research/ - Service Tags: Digital Transformation and Innovation, Human-Centred Design, Management Consulting - Industry Tags: Government and Public Sector, Transportation Helping TransLink deliver a world-class transportation experience by mapping what their customers do, think, and feel. Establishing a shared understanding can be challenging for large, complex organizations like TransLink. Internal silos create a disjointed customer experience. TransLink delivers its services through a number of operating companies, subsidiaries, and contractors. Together these different bodies deliver the region's transportation system. Getting stakeholders from as many as 16 different teams in agreement was challenging but necessary as customers may not know they're interacting with more than one company over the course of their commute. It's hard to design customer-first in a systems-centred organization. Like most large organizations tasked with providing a service for the masses, TransLink was used to taking a 10,000 foot view. It's common for planning and transportation agencies to look at the macro instead of the micro. People within TransLink looked at how the system operates as a whole, and much less so at the experience of individuals. Before creating a Customer Experience Strategy, they needed to reframe their thinking. TransLink had a history of emphasizing quantitative data. Zooming in on the individual customer experience meant creating space for qualitative data, which could do more to express the experience of the service. TransLink's teams were already well-versed in working with quantitative data, but had little experience with qualitative. To create personas they needed to embrace nuance within this large-scale system context. Rather than using this qualitative data to generalize the population we sought to empower deep, critical analysis of the themes that emerged. How to gain valuable insights into customer experiences Work with frontline staff. Drawing upon... --- ---