Helping streamline spatial planning with a new digital directory

Overview
The Digital Planning Directory is an online resource for matching state-of-the-art digital planning services with key stakeholders.
The Digital Task Force for Planning (DTFP) is a social enterprise dedicated to improving the spatial planning process by introducing digital tools and solutions that streamline and enhance planning workflows. As part of this mission, DTFP partnered with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government to create the Digital Planning Directory, an innovative platform connecting government and private sectors to the best digital tools, making planning more efficient, accessible, and sustainable.
The Digital Planning Directory is a comprehensive online resource where companies offering digital services related to spatial planning can create profiles, showcase case studies, and list their offerings. For stakeholders, it provides a seamless and efficient way to find the right tools and services to enhance their planning processes.
Unfold worked closely with the Digital Task Force for Planning to bring this vision to life, combining in-depth user research and user-centred design with technical expertise to deliver an intuitive, fully functional platform.
Challenges
The Digital Planning Directory presented several challenges for the Unfold team, which required a careful blend of research, design, and technical expertise:
- The directory had to meet the needs of a diverse group of users, including government bodies and private companies, whilst also providing a strong user experience for the digital service providers populating the directory.
- It needed to be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and focused on helping users find relevant digital services.
- A simple category and filtering system was essential to avoid overwhelming users while ensuring easy navigation.
- The platform required strong technical infrastructure to support providers’ ability to upload and edit their company information securely.
Outcomes
- The platform supports DTFP’s mission by making the planning process more efficient, transparent, and accessible, while driving innovation in the spatial planning sector.
- By combining UX research and technical development, the platform provides a seamless user journey from browsing to managing services.
- This project exemplifies the power of cross-disciplinary collaboration, incorporating user feedback into the design and development ensured that the Digital Planning Directory truly met the needs of its audience.
“Working with Unfold has been a brilliant experience – the UX designer and the technical lead are both excellent. They are both knowledgeable and friendly to work with.”
Dr Wei Yang, Co-Founder & CEO of the Digital Task Force for Planning
![]()
So how did we do it?
Process
Research and Design:
The design process for the Digital Planning Directory began with thorough UX research, including 16 interviews, 2 workshops and 4 moderated user testing sessions with a diverse group of stakeholders from the planning sector. The aim was to understand the pain points and needs of users, ensuring the platform would truly address the challenges they faced.
UX Insights: The research highlighted the need for a clear, easy-to-use directory where users could quickly find services. Participants emphasised the importance of categories, easy navigation, and a smooth onboarding process for service providers.
Design Process: Based on the research findings, the design phase focused on creating an intuitive user interface (UI) that would make it easy for users to browse, search, and interact with the directory. We prioritised simplicity and clarity while ensuring the aesthetic appeal was aligned with the professional nature of the platform.


Technical Collaboration:
The project also involved close collaboration with the technical team from the outset. This ensured that the platform was built with a robust backend capable of handling dynamic user submissions, maintaining a secure and easily manageable database, and enabling seamless interactions between users and admins.The project also involved close collaboration between the design and technical teams. The designer, Izzy, brought in our tech lead, Peter, as early as possible in the design process. This meant that when it came to building the platform we were confident that it would not only look great, but that it would have a robust backend and deliver a great user experience.
Key technical features included:
Provider portal: A simple, user-friendly onboarding process for companies to add their information and case studies to list on the platform.
Admin portal: A back-end interface for DTFP to manage and moderate listings, ensuring the quality of services listed on the directory.
User-facing features: The front-end interface allows users to browse, filter, and search the directory based on categories relevant to their needs, offering a seamless and efficient experience.


Future plans
Now that the initial build is complete, we’re supporting DTFP with ongoing maintenance to keep the site in top-notch condition. Once the directory is well established, we’re looking forward to helping DTFP further improve this impactful new tool.