ServiceMap

Team Name

Team ServiceMap

Team Members

Project Description

Context

Government services are essential in moments of major life change — from moving to a new country, to welcoming a child, to dealing with job loss or recovering after a natural disaster. These are the times when people need clarity and speed. Yet, in practice, accessing services can be one of the most stressful experiences Australians face.

Information is spread across multiple portals — federal, state, and local. Instructions are often written in complex language that requires specialist knowledge to interpret. Forms are long, technical, and difficult to complete correctly. And because services are fragmented, people often don’t know which task to do first, what documents they need, or how long things will take.

As a result, thousands of Australians spend unnecessary time and energy just trying to figure out how to get the support they are entitled to. In the worst cases, they give up entirely, missing benefits, payments, or opportunities.

Pain Points

• Services are scattered across many different agencies and websites.
  
• Portals are confusing, with overlapping or contradictory instructions.
  
• Forms are long and filled with jargon, making errors common.
  
• Processing times are unpredictable, and users don’t know what they can do in the meantime.
  
• During stressful events (birth, job loss, disaster recovery), people don’t have the energy to “become experts” in government systems.
  

Introducing ServiceMap

ServiceMap is an AI-powered personal planner that transforms scattered services into a single, clear roadmap.

Instead of searching multiple websites, users simply describe their situation in plain English:

- “I just arrived in Australia, I want to find a job?”

- “I just gave birth, what’s next?”

ServiceMap then guides the user step by step:

- It asks gradual, context-sensitive questions (Where are you based? Which visa are you on? What state was the child born in?).

- It generates a personalised roadmap of services, tasks, and forms.

- It shows which actions can be done online and which require in-person visits.

- It integrates with Google Maps (if location permission is given) to show the nearest Service NSW or council office.

- It estimates the time required for each step and the total process.

- It offers downloadable checklists and reminders to keep users on track.

Form Assistance

Forms are one of the biggest pain points. ServiceMap tackles this by:

- Using the information already provided to pre-fill forms.

- Displaying each form with field-by-field guidance (date formats, document types, common mistakes).

- Allowing users to upload a picture of a new or updated form so the assistant can adjust instantly.

- Explaining what happens after submission and what to do if a form is declined.

This not only saves time but also reduces rejection rates and builds confidence for people who find government forms intimidating.

Example Journeys

New Parent

A parent says: “I just had a baby in VIC but we live in NSW.”

ServiceMap generates a roadmap:

1. Register the birth with the VIC Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

2. Order the official birth certificate.

3. Add the child to Medicare (via myGov or MS004 form).

4. Claim Paid Parental Leave through Services Australia.

5. Book immunisations at the nearest NSW clinic.

The assistant shows the total estimated time today, highlights dependencies, and makes the process less overwhelming.

Key Benefits

• Saves time by sequencing tasks efficiently and showing what can be done in parallel.
  
• Reduces stress with plain English explanations and clear checklists.
  
• Improves accuracy and confidence by pre-filling forms and providing field guidance.
  
• Builds trust by citing official government data and sources.
  
• Increases accessibility with multilingual and inclusive design.
  
• Keeps users on track with reminders and downloadable checklists.
  

Why It Matters

ServiceMap is more than a chatbot — it is a personal planner for life events. It empowers Australians to focus on what matters in their lives instead of getting lost in bureaucracy. By simplifying services, reducing delays, and making forms easier to complete, it helps people feel confident, supported, and connected when they need it most.