Moving NSW's large-scale driver licence knowledge tests to efficient cloud-based testing

Sitting a road rule knowledge test is critical to obtaining a NSW driver’s licence. To ensure that Transport for NSW could continue to deliver these tests to the public in high volumes into the future, it needed to overhaul its legacy system.

Some 600,000 new and existing drivers are predicted to take these knowledge tests in 2019-20. This number is rising by 10 per cent annually as Australia’s population grows. Added to this, Transport for NSW had committed to compelling targets to address road fatalities by 2021.

Transport for NSW wanted to enhance the customer experience via an agile and engaging new Knowledge Test System that could not only deliver efficient testing at scale, but could evolve with driver education activities, road safety trends and operational needs.

Transport for NSW’s test delivery process faced several difficulties. Delivering tests was cumbersome for counter staff – each iMac terminal required staff to walk over and stand at the machine to start and supervise each individual test. Delivery of tests was confined to the four walls of the individual service centre on an internal network.

The legacy system lacked flexibility for installing and running new digital services on the terminals. Interfaces were dated, test analytics difficult to capture, and hardware was risky and expensive to maintain.

Janison’s cloud-based solution places Transport for NSW’s Knowledge Test System on secured Google Chromebook devices, enabling it to deliver and monitor tests remotely with a push of a button from behind the service centre counter.

The platform delivers 31 variations of the Driver Knowledge, Hazard Perception and Driver Qualification Tests, in 10 languages, and feeds results and data to Transport for NSW in real-time.

Remote delivery capability allows Transport for NSW to make the test available in external locations such as rural areas, police stations and local council agencies. It even travels on “mobile kiosks” on Service NSW buses to remote rural areas.

Chromebooks are pre-prepared with the entire suite of test media, meaning that each device can run bandwidth-hungry content, such as high-definition video touchscreen questions, without burdening Transport for NSW’s network or risking slowdowns and drop-outs.

The in-built test player, Janison Replay, continues running a test, giving candidates an uninterrupted experience amid all kinds of bandwidth quality.

The system collects intricate test data, allowing for deep analysis and insights to inform strategic driver education decisions. Authoring tools allow Transport for NSW to evolve the test and create more engaging questions, including interactive video.

The easily scalable and updatable Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform lets Service NSW meet the demand of rising volumes for years to come at a realistic price point.

Janison used collaboration and an agile methodology at each step of the lifecycle of creating the platform. During weekly collaborative showcases and final launch, we checked that each platform feature we built aligned with frontline staff and customer needs.

In mid-2019, Transport for NSW centres in three major Sydney suburbs became the first to use the new platform. Members of the public welcomed the upgrade – with one customer commenting: “It’s like going from Pac-Man to PlayStation.” Following the success of the pilot, Transport for NSW transitioned 141 centres to the new platform by December 2019.

Thanks to Janison’s close collaboration with Transport for NSW during each stage of the platform’s build and design, frontline staff required minimal training to use the system. The rollout was such a success that the project team were nominated for a Transport for NSW recognition award.

The platform equips Transport for NSW to test more candidates with fewer human touchpoints, on infrastructure that is easy to maintain and upgrade for the long-term. All this amounts to a real saving to the taxpayer.

The interface is stable, allowing customers to take their test without risk of being distracted by freezes or drop-outs. When the result of a test has a real impact on the customer’s day-to-day life – the potential to be granted a driver’s licence – a seamless testing experience is paramount. A practice test available via smartphone app helps improve continuous driver education and allows Transport for NSW to connect with young, new drivers.

Overall, the improvements to the system greatly facilitate Transport for NSW’s ability to make a genuine impact on road safety outcomes.

The Transport for NSW solution is the first example of a broader test innovation for Service NSW, with benefits relevant across government departments and features that can be easily adapted to deliver key functions within the public sector.