Award-winning parenthood portal
Context
SmartStart was created to support expectant and new parents across New Zealand by consolidating fragmented government services into one accessible digital platform.
Led by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), the project brought together four major government agencies, supported by Plunket and the New Zealand College of Midwives.
The goal was simple: reduce the complexity parents face when interacting with government systems, and give them back time and clarity at one of life’s most significant transitions.
Problem
Before SmartStart, parents had to navigate multiple websites and agencies to:
Find and register with a midwife
Apply for parental leave
Update benefit entitlements
Register a baby’s birth
This siloed experience created stress, delays, and confusion for thousands of families.
The challenge was to create a cohesive, user-first service that could integrate seamlessly across government departments while remaining culturally inclusive and mobile-friendly.
Objectives
Design an integrated portal that simplifies access to parenthood-related services
Ensure accessibility and responsiveness across all devices
Create a brand and visual language that’s warm, inclusive, and culturally sensitive
Build a scalable foundation for future features and agency integrations
Deliver real value quickly through iterative releases
Research
We began by mapping user journeys and identifying key pain points in the existing process. I ran design workshops with agency stakeholders and gathered feedback from real parents across New Zealand.
Key research activities included:
Customer journey mapping
Co-design sessions with expectant parents
Accessibility and mobile usability testing
Consultations with Māori and Pasifika cultural advisors
These insights shaped a design that balanced emotional warmth with government credibility.
Design
The experience was built around a personalised timeline, helping users track milestones, complete to-dos, and stay informed at every stage.
Design highlights:
A friendly, illustrated style featuring relatable moments like baby’s first bath or siblings meeting the new baby
Responsive layouts for mobile-first accessibility
Modular structure for easy extension of new features (e.g. "Services Near Me", "Entitlements")
A cohesive visual identity and tone that conveyed trust, support, and clarity
We worked closely with content writers, developers, and agency representatives to ensure every detail met legal and technical standards.
Results
SmartStart was launched in 2017 and received national recognition for innovation in public service delivery.
Impact included:
Over 170,000 users in its first year
Winner of a Silver Pin at the Designers Institute of NZ Best Design Awards (Public Good category)
First successful cross-agency digital service of its kind in New Zealand
The modular design and iterative delivery model positioned SmartStart as a sustainable platform for future government innovation.