Government HR & Benefits Portal

Client Type: U.S. Government Agency – Employee Services
Role: UX Researcher · UX Designer · Content Strategist
Tools: Figma · Adobe XD · Miro · Notion
Key Skills: UX Research, UX Writing, Wireframing, Accessibility
Outcome: Reduced support requests by 32% in first 3 months

  • The existing HR and benefits portal was cluttered, difficult to navigate, and filled with complex jargon. Employees struggled to update benefits, access HR policies, or complete basic tasks without assistance, driving high support request volumes and frustration.

    • Simplify navigation for key HR and benefits tasks.

    • Reduce HR-related support requests by at least 30%.

    • Ensure WCAG accessibility compliance across all devices.

    Increase user satisfaction and task completion rates.

    • Led user research through interviews and analytics review.

    • Created task-based navigation wireframes to reduce cognitive load.

    • Wrote clear, plain-language microcopy to replace jargon.

    • Designed responsive wireframes for desktop and mobile.

    • Coordinated usability testing and iterated based on feedback.

    1. Research

      • Conducted 5 user interviews across departments, focusing on benefits and HR needs.

      • Analyzed support ticket data to identify the top 10 pain points.

      • Reviewed competitor HR platforms for navigation and content clarity benchmarks.

    2. Define

      • Created user personas representing different tech proficiency levels.

      • Mapped primary user journeys for top HR tasks.

    3. Ideate

      • Brainstormed with stakeholders to reduce cognitive load and streamline pathways.

      • Designed “Quick Links” section for frequently accessed tasks.

      • Applied progressive disclosure for complex information.

    4. Prototype

      • Built low-fidelity wireframes in Figma for both desktop and mobile layouts.

      • Developed an interactive prototype to simulate navigation flows.

    5. Test

      • Ran 2 rounds of usability testing with 10 employees.

      • Adjusted terminology, button placement, and link labels based on user feedback.

    6. Deliver

      • Finalized responsive wireframes.

    Collaborated with developers to ensure accessibility compliance during implementation.

    • Task-based navigation significantly improved findability and reduced user frustration.

    • Clear, plain-language microcopy helped employees complete tasks without assistance.

    • Mobile responsiveness was essential, as over 40% of users accessed the portal outside work hours.

    • 32% reduction in HR-related support requests within 3 months post-launch.

    • 38% improvement in task completion rates.

    • Positive user feedback on clarity, accessibility, and ease of use.

  • This project reinforced the value of combining UX Writing with structural design improvements, showing that language clarity can be just as powerful as visual design in improving the user experience.

Case studies are based on past project experience. Details, designs, and results have been adapted to protect client confidentiality while maintaining the accuracy of the process and approach.