Unplanned Disruption: Mind the Gaps

Unplanned disruption is where complex systems are most exposed. In transport, it brings together multiple modes, fragmented systems, and teams making decisions quickly with incomplete information. The result is not just operational pressure, but visible gaps in governance, processes, tools, and communication that directly impact the customer experience. At the same time, it creates challenges for both customers and employees, with frustration often building between teams that are each working within different constraints and realities.

This session explores how human-centred design was used to make those gaps visible and actionable. Drawing on practical work across cross-agency collaboration, standardised processes, and shared tools, it shows how mapping the disruption ecosystem, visualising customer and staff journeys, and establishing a shared definition of disruption can support clearer governance, more consistent decision-making, and better coordination in real-time. This program of work helps stakeholders see the broader system they are operating within and reveal the experiences of others across it. This created empathy across teams, reduced some of the frustration that had built up between functions, and gave people a clearer sense of why their work mattered in the bigger picture.

Attendees will leave with practical approaches for mapping complex systems, aligning cross-functional teams, and improving decision-making in high-pressure, real-time environments.