Import Experience Redesign – CFIA
Methods & Outcomes
- Usability testing
- Stakeholder interviews
- Workflow design
- Decision tree interface
- Plain language content
- Field flow models
- Information architecture redesign
Team
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Can better digital tools reduce errors at the border?
Highlights
With global trade and e-commerce surging, CFIA faced growing pressure to streamline its digital tools for importers. DFFRNT partnered with CFIA across multiple initiatives to understand user needs, simplify complex workflows, and design better service experiences.
DFFRNT's research uncovered where importers struggled, particularly with the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) and permit applications. Iterative design, decision trees, and usability testing helped clarify navigation and reduce avoidable contact centre interactions. Plain language and user-centred workflows are now guiding CFIA toward a more modern and efficient importation experience.
The Client
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regulates the safety and compliance of imported goods in Canada. Administering 90+ Acts and coordinating with nine federal agencies, it oversees tools like AIRS and inspection.canada.ca that support importers.
The Challenge
As e-commerce and global imports increased, so did importer confusion. Last year, imports to Canada totalled $739.8 billion, according to Industry Canada.Inaccurate HS codes, unclear terminology, and disconnected systems led to a 20% error rate in shipments and increased demand on contact centres. CFIA needed help understanding the source of user frustration and redesigning its services to meet importer needs.
“People using the website or online services get confused and frustrated when they don’t know the right terms to search. You need to know the correct product terminology to navigate CFIA’s AIRS application. So, users give up and call or send an irate email to the contact centre. They get an email back, which might go back and forth again. There’s a cost to each of those interactions, and it is not sustainable. That’s what justified our research on improving website task performance.”
The Solution
DFFRNT led a multi-year research and design engagement that included:
- Usability testing of AIRS and permitting flows
- Stakeholder interviews with importers, customs brokers, and contact centre staff
- Iterative design of information architecture and workflows
- Development of decision tree tools and a plain-language "field flow" model
These insights guided mock-ups and new interface patterns to reduce complexity and enable clearer, more intuitive digital experiences.
The Outcome
The redesigned workflows and interfaces help importers complete top tasks with fewer errors. CFIA now has a tested methodology for service design, benchmark usability metrics, and momentum toward plain language and user-centred content.
Initial prototypes for AI tools using HS codes also show promise for enabling self-service support and improving classification accuracy across agencies.
Key Takeaways
- Complex import rules can be navigated through better workflows and plain language
- Frequent task testing reveals system pain points with measurable impact
- Cross-agency coordination improves service design outcomes
- AI and HS codes could streamline future border interactions
- Ongoing usability testing sustains progress
“From our work with CFIA staff, it’s evident the people handling direct contact with customers are committed to making sure information is accurate and described in plain language that humans can understand and relate to their situation.”
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