Changing and Improving Grade 7 Example — 500-Word Statement

SI led a service team of 45 staff responsible for processing around 20,000 permit applications a year, almost entirely on paper. Processing took six weeks on average, backlogs were growing each quarter, and applicants frequently complained that they could not track progress or reach anyone who could help them. The department had tried small fixes before, but nothing had addressed the underlying process or the applicant experience.

TAs head of service, I was responsible for modernising the process end to end. I believed a digital route was the best way to cut delays and improve the applicant experience, and I personally owned the case for change, including the risks if it went wrong.

AI started by mapping the process end to end with staff from every stage, so the design reflected how work actually flowed rather than how the manual said it should. I ran workshops where frontline staff identified the steps that added no value; three were removed immediately without any new technology. I built the evidence base by surveying 300 recent applicants, and 70% said they would prefer to apply online. I presented three options to the senior leadership team with costs, risks and a phased approach, and secured funding for a regional pilot rather than a big-bang launch. I chose a digital supplier through open procurement and insisted the service was designed around users, running two rounds of usability testing with real applicants and processing staff. When processing staff worried the change threatened their jobs, I met each team individually, explained that roles would shift towards quality checks and customer support, and arranged training before anyone was asked to work differently. I agreed the success measures with our performance team before launch: processing time, error rates and applicant satisfaction, so nobody could dispute the results afterwards. The pilot covered one region for three months, and I reviewed the data weekly with the team. I paused the rollout twice to fix problems the data exposed, including a confusing payment screen that was causing 15% of applicants to abandon the form part-way through. I kept the paper route open for digitally excluded applicants and introduced an assisted-digital phone line, because access mattered as much as speed. Throughout, I reported progress honestly at the monthly delivery board, including the setbacks, which built trust for the later decisions. After a successful pilot, I developed the rollout plan and personally briefed the partner organisations who refer applicants to us, so they understood what would change for their clients.

RIn the pilot region, average processing time fell from six weeks to nine days, form errors dropped by 45%, and 82% of applicants chose the digital route within three months. Full rollout across all five regions was approved, with projected annual savings of around £180,000, and staff absence in the team fell as the frustrating manual checks disappeared. The approach was later cited in our annual report as a model for digitising two further paper services.