UX Case Studies

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.

    • Research

      1. 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.

Government Security Clearance Portal

Client Type: U.S. Government Agency – Security Clearance Division
Role: UX Researcher · UX & Interaction Designer · Process Strategist
Tools: Figma · Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop · Miro
Key Skills: UX Research, Workflow Optimization, Wireframing, Prototyping
Outcome: Streamlined workflows projected to reduce processing time by 30%

  • The existing security clearance portal had an outdated interface, inefficient navigation, and redundant workflows that created bottlenecks in processing. Reviewers struggled to locate critical information quickly, leading to delays, errors, and frustration.

    • Centralize tasks into a single, prioritized dashboard.

    • Reduce application processing time by 15% or more.

    • Improve navigation and search for faster information retrieval.

    • Minimize user errors caused by unclear status indicators.

    • Conducted stakeholder workshops to map current workflows.

    • Performed user interviews and task analysis to uncover pain points.

    • Designed low-fidelity prototypes for task prioritization and workflow improvements.

    • Created an interactive high-fidelity prototype for testing.

    • Iterated designs based on user feedback with an emphasis on efficiency and clarity.

    • Research

      1. Interviewed 4 clearance reviewers in various roles.

        • Conducted observational task analysis to identify inefficiencies.

        • Reviewed system analytics to find common error points and drop-offs.

      2. Define

        • Created problem statements and user personas.

        • Identified primary user flows for processing applications and resolving flagged cases.

      3. Ideate

        • Consolidated multiple workflows into a unified dashboard.

        • Designed visual indicators to flag urgent applications and track status in real-time.

      4. Prototype

        • Developed low-fidelity wireframes to map out dashboard components.

        • Built an interactive high-fidelity prototype for usability testing.

      5. Test

        • Conducted usability testing with clearance reviewers.

        • Addressed feedback by streamlining navigation and adding more intuitive search filters.

      6. Deliver

        • Delivered annotated wireframes and prototypes to the development team.

        • Proposed a modular design for scalability in future updates.

    • Automation of repetitive tasks was key to reducing bottlenecks.

    • Reviewers valued real-time collaboration features for multi-user adjudications.

    • Clear visual status indicators significantly reduced user confusion.

    • Projected 30% reduction in case processing time.

    • Anticipated decrease in navigation-related errors.

    • Greater user satisfaction due to centralized, real-time workload management.

  • This project highlighted the importance of understanding highly specialized workflows before designing solutions. By embedding directly into users’ day-to-day processes, I was able to design a tool that felt tailored to their real working environment.

Interactive Year in Review

Client Type: U.S. Government Organization – Annual Public Report
Role: UX Researcher · UX & Visual Designer · Content Strategist
Tools: Figma · Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop) · Miro
Key Skills: UX Research, Storytelling with Data, Wireframing, Accessibility
Outcome: Increased engagement time by 25% compared to the prior year’s static report

  • Traditional PDF-based annual reports failed to engage the audience, resulting in low retention of key data and limited interaction with the content. The challenge was to create a web-based, interactive experience that transformed dense data into an engaging, visually rich, and accessible story.

    • Turn static content into an interactive, scroll-driven experience.

    • Increase user engagement and exploration time.

    • Ensure key data points are memorable and easy to navigate.

    • Maintain full accessibility compliance (WCAG standards).

    • Conducted stakeholder interviews to identify key stories and metrics to highlight.

    • Led user research to determine preferred ways of consuming annual report data.

    • Designed wireframes for interactive sections, clickable infographics, and animations.

    • Created content strategies that balanced storytelling with data visualization.

    • Oversaw usability testing to ensure intuitive navigation and accessibility.

    • Research

      • Interviewed 5 audience members to understand how they engaged with annual reports.

      • Reviewed analytics from previous years’ reports to find drop-off points.

      • Analyzed interactive report examples from other organizations for inspiration.

    • Define

      • Identified key narrative themes and top-priority metrics for inclusion.

      • Created user personas for the report’s primary audience segments.

    • Ideate

      • Developed concepts for interactive charts, scroll-triggered animations, and embedded video.

      • Created mood boards to define the visual tone and align with brand identity.

    • Prototype

      • Designed low-fidelity wireframes for content flow and navigation.

      • Built high-fidelity prototypes incorporating animations and clickable infographics.

    • Test

      • Conducted usability testing with target audience members.

      • Adjusted interactive elements to improve clarity and reduce unnecessary complexity.

    • Deliver

      • Provided final annotated wireframes and accessibility guidelines.

    • Collaborated with developers to ensure smooth animation performance across devices.

    • Users preferred concise visual summaries over long paragraphs of text.

    • Clear, section-based navigation allowed users to jump directly to areas of interest.

    • Accessibility testing ensured the experience worked for all users, including those with assistive technologies.

    • 25% increase in user engagement time compared to the previous year’s static report.

    • 15% higher completion rate for viewing the entire report.

    • Positive feedback on clarity, interactivity, and shareability of the content.

  • This project reinforced the value of storytelling as a UX skill, showing how framing data as a narrative with interactive elements can dramatically improve engagement and retention.

Augmented Reality Apps

Client Type: Government Agencies – Public Safety & Emergency Response
Role: UX Lead · Art Director · Emerging Tech Strategist
Tools: Figma · Adobe Creative Suite · ARKit (concept design phase)
Key Skills: UX Research, Emerging Technologies, Wireframing for AR, Interactive Prototyping
Outcome: Designed AR experiences that showcased life-saving equipment and crowd control technology for training, public education, and operational use

  • Two separate AR initiatives required designing immersive, easy-to-use applications for specialized public safety scenarios:

    1. Firefighter Equipment App – Showcase life-saving gear in a way that allowed users to explore functions in 3D space.

    2. Drone Use for Crowd Control App – Demonstrate the drone’s two-way long-range acoustic communication system in realistic urban crowd scenarios.

    Both needed to communicate complex technology in an intuitive format, accessible for both training and public demonstrations.

    • Create engaging, interactive AR experiences tailored to public safety needs.

    • Ensure AR interactions were intuitive for non-technical users.

    • Support multiple use cases: public engagement, training simulations, and demonstrations at conferences.

    • Develop wireframe-first concepts that could scale into full production apps.

    • Led UX and interaction design for both AR experiences.

    • Created wireframes mapping spatial interactions and user flows.

    • Directed visual concepts to ensure realism and clarity of AR objects.

    • Collaborated with AR developers to confirm technical feasibility within ARKit.

    • Defined content strategies for guided exploration within the AR environments.

    • Research

      • Interviewed subject matter experts (fire chiefs, drone operators).

      • Observed live equipment demonstrations to understand real-world usage.

      • Analyzed AR design best practices for user onboarding and object manipulation.

    • Define

      • Developed personas for public safety trainees, field operators, and public demo attendees.

      • Mapped out user flows for guided tours vs. free exploration modes.

    • Ideate

      • Designed AR interaction patterns such as object rotation, hotspot callouts, and scenario-based triggers.

      • Created wireframes that documented both UI overlays and physical space interactions.

    • Prototype

      • Built low-fidelity AR wireframe prototypes showing key UI placements and spatial content triggers.

      • Mapped onboarding sequences to guide first-time users.

    • Test

      • Conducted informal prototype walkthroughs with safety personnel to validate ease of use.

      • Adjusted interaction hotspots and reduced steps to access critical information.

    • Deliver

      • Provided annotated wireframes, interaction maps, and asset lists for AR development.

      • Supplied creative direction for 3D model accuracy and lighting realism.

    • Realism in 3D models was critical for credibility in training contexts.

    • Clear onboarding reduced user hesitation in interacting with AR elements.

    • Designing for spatial awareness required rethinking traditional wireframe approaches.

    • Provided proof-of-concept wireframes that guided ARKit-based development.

    • Positioned both apps for use at public safety conferences and in formal training environments.

    • Helped agencies visualize AR’s role in both public engagement and operational training.

  • This project reinforced my passion for bridging emerging technologies with real-world problem-solving. It showed how AR can make complex, mission-critical equipment approachable to both specialists and the public.