Building Mobile First Apps for the Health & Safety Executive

March 19, 2015   |   Digital Marketing
Nudge Digital
Nudge Digital

The requirement

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) asked Nudge to develop a safety tool specifically designed for labourers who are at risk from asbestos. HSE were finding that more and more labourers, as well as laymen, were coming into contact with asbestos and putting themselves at risk. 

After just one month of the web app being live, the unique user reach was at 8,000 and the desktop site had received 41,200 page views. Feedback from HSE has been overwhelmingly positive with the desktop site encouraging an increasing amount of relevant user engagement and an impressively low bounce rate.

The process

HSE wanted to design the Asbestos Safety Tool to be easily accessible for workers needing quick and simple solutions when identifying and dealing with a potential asbestos risk. The tool was to be developed as a web app, and easy to access even in areas with poor connectivity. A worker would be able to access the app and follow a simple, sleek user process in the form of a set of questions that would ultimately lead to a decision on whether it was safe to carry on with the work. If it was not safe, a comprehensive list of HSE verified asbestos experts would be available for the user to contact. 

As well as the web app, HSE required a desktop site that could be used by public servants, members of HSE and other professionals looking for guidance.  This meant that the app and its desktop counterpart needed to be straightforward whilst also being innovative to serve a wide audience. Both site and web app needed to be designed and built in line with the GSE guidelines.
In order to test the success of the web app, HSE needed Nudge to provide full analytics and tracking in order to measure user engagement and record what users most searched for. 

Nudge began the process by designing a set of wireframes for the web app, and conducting the first lot of comprehensive user testing using tradesmen working in small businesses who were likely to be exposed to asbestos. This let Nudge have transparency over the initial thought process from the point of view of tradesmen who have been, and will be, in at-risk situations.
A second lot of user testing was instigated once the development of the web app had been completed, and this ensured that everything was absolutely right and the user experience was completely refined. 

The intelligent analytics used to monitor the use of the web app allows for full insight into user behaviour and also gives Nudge the ability to extrapolate data that identifies the main types of asbestos risk that tradesmen are encountering across the UK. 

If you'd like to find out more about the work we did for the Health and Safety Executive don't hesitate to get in touch at [email protected]