Helping clarify the digital experience of a national public service

The National Car Testing website is used by over two million drivers to book tests, manage appointments and access important information about vehicle safety.

As the site evolved over time, parts of the experience had become difficult to navigate and maintain. The operators of the service, wanted an independent review to understand how well the website was serving users, and where it could be improved.

Our role was to step back and provide clarity. Through a focused UX and accessibility audit, we identified the areas where the digital experience was working well, where barriers existed, and what should happen next.

Objectives

• Understand how effectively the website supports key user tasks
• Identify usability and accessibility barriers across critical journeys
• Assess alignment with WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards
• Provide clear, prioritised recommendations to guide future improvements

Approach

We combined expert UX evaluation with accessibility testing to build a clear picture of how the website performs.

Our work included:

• Expert UX review of navigation, structure and interaction patterns
• Accessibility testing against WCAG 2.2 Level AA
• Keyboard navigation and colour contrast testing
• Manual and automated accessibility analysis
• Review of content clarity and plain language

All findings were documented visually and translated into practical guidance for the clients' development team.

What We Delivered

• UX and accessibility audit of website
• Accessibility testing across key page types
• Structured issue log with remediation guidance
• Prioritised recommendations roadmap
• Final presentation and walkthrough with stakeholders

Issues were categorised by user impact and implementation effort, helping the team identify quick wins alongside longer-term improvements.

Outcome

The team now has a clearer understanding of how the website performs and where improvements will have the greatest impact.

The project delivered a practical roadmap that helps the organisation:

• prioritise improvements
• strengthen accessibility
• simplify key user journeys
• make informed decisions about future development

By bringing clarity to a complex platform, the work supports the ongoing improvement of an essential public service.