Why Barnet joined Open Digital Planning
Barnet Council had been closely following the development of the Open Digital Planning (ODP) community and was keen to get involved. They saw this as an opportunity to overhaul their approach to data management and culture, viewing Open Digital Planning as a way to drive significant improvements. Preparing their bid to join the community gave them a chance to engage with different council services, many of which they were not very familiar with, broadening their internal collaboration and teamwork.
These teams included the resident experience team, web team, insight and intelligence team, records and information management team, and data transparency team. The bid was supported by Fabien Gaudin, Director of Planning and Building Control, and Barry May, Assistant Director of Resident Experience, Digital, and Commercial, who continue as Project Sponsors.
Journey to launching 'Find Out If You Need Planning Permission' (FOIYNPP)
Before launching FOIYNPP, the team had a key realisation: they were implementing the service without fully understanding the reasons behind it. This prompted them to start documenting and discussing user stories to clarify how and why FOIYNPP would be useful, and how its success would be measured. The agile training they had received when they joined Open Digital Planning began to make sense, and for the first time, the team felt like a cohesive change team.
Objectives and challenges
Barnet Council joined ODP in 2023 as one of 19 Local Planning Authorities (LPAs), following an initial group of nine LPAs who joined in 2022. Being part of the second wave of councils presented some unique opportunities and challenges for the team. The first wave had already begun collaborating to co-design key services such as the back-office planning system (BOPS), and PlanX. As newcomers, the team initially found it challenging to influence design changes. However, over time, they have learned to engage more effectively through agile processes, gaining valuable insights into the importance of early involvement in developing new services.
How user research shaped the service
The team began by testing FOIYNPP in-house with their planners, before extending it to family and friends of the planning team. The resident experience team then conducted user testing with residents and planning agents. One significant finding was that the presentation of constraints was not clear, leading to suggestions for new wording and a wireframe redesign. Some of these improvements have been implemented, with others planned for future updates.
Initial response from users
Feedback from residents during user testing was very positive, with planners within the council also eager to use the service. To highlight its practical benefits, the team has integrated one of the FOIYNPP user stories into the training process for level 1 planners.
Measuring success
Currently, Barnet's FOIYNPP service receives around 60 visits per week, with numbers expected to rise as more people learn about it. Initially, their key performance indicators focused on reducing invalid planning applications, but the team realised this was not the most effective measure of success. They are now refining their metrics to better align with the core user stories for the service.
Future plans
Following the successful launch of FOIYNPP, Barnet is preparing to launch a 'Report a Breach' service. This is an exciting development as the council's enforcement team is particularly busy, and the new service is expected to save time and improve user experience. This represents a first for Open Digital Planning, with submissions arriving via an API (Application Programming Interface) instead of email. Additionally, the team is looking forward to launching Local Development Certificate (LDC) statutory submission services and processing them through the Back Office Office Planning System (BOPS), although this is still in the planning stages.
Conclusion
By joining ODP, Barnet Council seized an opportunity to enhance their data management practices and streamline planning services, leading to the successful launch of 'Find Out If You Need Planning Permission' (FOIYNPP). Despite initial challenges, the team quickly adapted by embracing agile processes and prioritising user-focused development.
The positive feedback from their citizens and planners highlights the practical benefits of FOIYNPP, and the team's ongoing efforts to refine the service show their commitment to continuous improvement. With new services like 'Report a Breach' and Local Development Certificate submissions on the horizon, Barnet Council is poised to further enhance the planning experience for citizens and professionals alike, setting a strong example within the ODP community.
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