Project Overview:
Project Type:
Public Sector | Custom Software Delivery | Product & Technical Advisory
Project Duration:
August 2024 - August 2025
My Role:
Concept Lead and Experience Designer
Agile Design | Concept Generation | Prototyping | Usability Testing | User Research | Visual Communications | Wireframing
Tools Used:
Figma | Mural (flows + prototypes) | Chat GPT | Gemini | UX Pilot
Impact:
Demonstrated how human-centered interfaces could improve the user experience for VA employees and create an easier process for identifying credible test accounts
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The Challenge
Our client is one of the largest healthcare systems within the US with ties to many facets of the life of a service person and their families. There are a vast number of data systems and departments that work within the system that tell the story of the people they represent (i.e. appointment data, medical records, claims). Due to the sensitivity of the information and large number of data touch points, the developers and product owners that work for our client utilize test accounts to simulate different scenarios before they appear before service personnel. Our team was brought in to improve their current process of acquiring test accounts.
User Problem:
Developers and product owners don’t have a consistent place to go when looking for test accounts to test in their lower environments making unreliable methods of acquisition the norm. Also, the quality and credibility of available test accounts vary due to the lack of standards in place for test account creation.
Design Question:
How might we further develop a prototype solution that creates a reliable source of truth for available test accounts while radiating the test account integrity to developers and product owners?
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Approach & Process
Prior to my arrival, the team had created the beginnings of a prototype solution that would house all of the available test accounts in one place. Upon my arrival, I wanted to learn of the tool’s current standing with the various departments working for our client. I felt this would best validate how the tool was perceived and help identify other areas we could further explore. I utilized the following approaches when proceeding on this team:
1. Research & insight gathering
I used this area to continually gather valuable insights to gain support for a more design-led approach and to initiate design influence concerning our roadmap. The specifics included:
+ Conducting research exchanges with various departments of our client to hear their pain points and prioritize the data on the tool we were developing
+ Conducting user interviews with 9+ departments in 5 different team roles to uncover pain points and gage their team’s data interests
+ Transforming synthesized insights from our team communication channels into mind maps to funnel into actionable design items for our team
+ Utilized AI tools (i.e. Chat GPT) to increase the efficiency of research synthesis while gleaning deeper insights in three rounds of research
2. Concept development
Through the duration of my time on the account, there were a number of design ideas that surfaced. Some of these concepts arrived by way of user research, stakeholder suggestion, and creative pairing. As the design lead, I was responsible for the following things:
+ Ideating on 12+ design concepts/features that were implemented within the tool (i.e. advanced data table features, tool tip implementation)
+ Creating supportive communication scripts that successfully onboarded new users, clearly expounded upon frequently asked questions, and increased site wide information with users.
+ Utilizing the VA design system and AI tools (UX Pilot, Gemini) to streamline design processes while increasing design outputs during sprints
3. Accessibility audits and reviews
While other tools that were Veteran facing had to adhere to stringent requirements when it came to accessibility, the Test User Portal tool wasn’t a traditional Veteran facing tool. This allowed for leniency in some areas for our tool, but the team still lobbied to align with accessible best practices. As the lead designer, I led that charge in the following ways:
+ Maintaining WCAG compliance of the Test User Portal tool through accessibility audits that tested for contrast, colorblindness, zooming, and keyboard navigation
+ Conducting various research spikes to communicate potential pain points and opportunities of potential design decisions prior to ideation
+ Creating mind maps that identified opportunities where further accessibility could be explored for the tool solution
4. Prototyping & Storytelling
Prototyping proved essential in demonstrating design intent in the user research, in several design collaboration sessions, and with developer handoffs. As the design lead on the team, I contributed in the following ways:
+ Building clickable high-fi prototypes of our tool that were used in user research
+ Designing high-fi wireframes that reiterated concepts to our internal team
+ Leading bi-weekly internal team brainstorming sessions to discuss and incorporate new ideas
+ Crafting narrative visuals to demonstrate the integration of research insights to fully designed solutions
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The Solution
After employing my approach and processes, the team was left with an MVP that boasted new screens with a visual identity consistent in design with the other tools within our client's arsenal which boosted users’ level of familiarity with the tool, the implementation of 12+ additional design concepts/features backed by user research, a larger sitewide presence through the client departments due to the research sessions I conducted and team demos I assisted with, and a leave behind with additional bodies of work to explore beyond my time on the team.
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Impact & Outcomes
+ Conceptual Insight: I identified personas that encouraged overall team empathy that would go on to influence future design considerations
+ Continued Exposure: I demonstrated the tool’s usefulness and potential impact with 10+ client departments through showcase presentations, research exchanges, and user testing
+ Enhanced Collaboration: I demonstrated how design thinking and collaboration amongst the team can eliminate rework and create ideas that contain more depth and feasibility
+ Personal Growth: I strengthened my ability to provide influence on both stakeholders and team roadmap
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+ I learned that gaining continual buy in with your team can help maintain steadiness and create pockets of influence even in the midst of constant team turnover
+ Next steps could include partnering with other client departments to further prioritize the next body of work or explore AI enhancing features for our tool