Municipal Services Platform
Year
2023-2024
Company
Hundreds of U.S. municipalities depend on this B2B + B2C organization to deliver essential services to their citizens.
Problem
70k DAUs were frequently unable to figure out how to search and make payments.
Solution
Redesign core functionality: search, payments, and permit applications.
Role
I was the lead designer, and I partnered with Trent Mitchell for design delivery.
Disciplines
Human Interface Design
Interaction Design
Product Strategy
Research
Design Systems
Visual Design
Municipal Services Platform
Year
2023-2024
Company
Hundreds of U.S. municipalities depend on this B2B + B2C organization to deliver essential services to their citizens.
Problem
70k DAUs were frequently unable to figure out how to search and make payments.
Solution
Redesign core functionality: search, payments, and permit applications.
Role
I was the lead designer, and I partnered with Trent Mitchell for design delivery.
Disciplines
Human Interface Design
Interaction Design
Product Strategy
Research
Design Systems
Visual Design
Municipal Services Platform
Year
2023-2024
Company
Hundreds of U.S. municipalities depend on this B2B + B2C organization to deliver essential services to their citizens.
Problem
70k DAUs were frequently unable to figure out how to search and make payments.
Solution
Redesign core functionality: search, payments, and permit applications.
Role
I was the lead designer, and I partnered with Trent Mitchell for design delivery.
Disciplines
Human Interface Design
Interaction Design
Product Strategy
Research
Design Systems
Visual Design
Achievements
33
%
Fewer steps in the redesigned property record checkout flow.
29
%
Fewer steps in redesigned bill payment flow.
31
%
Reduction in time-to-conversion for purchases.
Achievements
33
%
Fewer steps in the redesigned property record checkout flow.
29
%
Fewer steps in redesigned bill payment flow.
31
%
Reduction in time-to-conversion for purchases.
Achievements
33
%
Fewer steps in the redesigned property record checkout flow.
29
%
Fewer steps in redesigned bill payment flow.
31
%
Reduction in time-to-conversion for purchases.
Discovery
Discovery
Discovery
User research
User research
We kicked off the project with a round of heuristic analysis, competitive analysis, and user interviews with five customer support staff.
We kicked off the project with a round of heuristic analysis, competitive analysis, and user interviews with five customer support staff.
FINDINGS
01
Users didn't understand how search worked on the site
Users didn't understand how search worked on the site
Users didn't understand how search worked on the site
02
Users were confused by the third-party payments infrastructure
Users were confused by the third-party payments infrastructure
Users were confused by the third-party payments infrastructure
03
Users didn't know how to navigate between municipalities
Users didn't know how to navigate between municipalities
Users didn't know how to navigate between municipalities
04
Information was inconsistently formatted, and out of date for some municipalities
Information was inconsistently formatted, and out of date for some municipalities
Information was inconsistently formatted, and out of date for some municipalities
05
Users were frustrated by the site's mobile-unfriendliness
Users were frustrated by the site's mobile-unfriendliness
Users were frustrated by the site's mobile-unfriendliness
PRIMARY USER GROUPS
01
Homeowners paying taxes
Homeowners paying taxes
Homeowners paying taxes
02
Homeowners and tenants paying utility bills
Homeowners and tenants paying utility bills
Homeowners and tenants paying utility bills
03
Homeowners seeking detailed metrics regarding square footage and property values
Homeowners seeking detailed metrics regarding square footage and property values
Homeowners seeking detailed metrics regarding square footage and property values
04
Property managers
Property managers
Property managers
05
Real estate associates doing research
Real estate associates doing research
Real estate associates doing research
06
Contractors applying for permits
Contractors applying for permits
Contractors applying for permits
07
Government employees providing these services for all of the above
Government employees providing these services for all of the above
Government employees providing these services for all of the above
User research
User research
We kicked off the project with a round of heuristic analysis, competitive analysis, and user interviews with five customer support staff.
We kicked off the project with a round of heuristic analysis, competitive analysis, and user interviews with five customer support staff.
Wireframing and Usability Testing
Wireframing and Usability Testing
Wireframing and Usability Testing
Design workshop
Design workshop
Design workshop
Next, we did a sketching session with key stakeholders to continue knowledge transfer and leverage their domain expertise for a strong first pass at wireframing.
Next, we did a sketching session with key stakeholders to continue knowledge transfer and leverage their domain expertise for a strong first pass at wireframing.
Next, we did a sketching session with key stakeholders to continue knowledge transfer and leverage their domain expertise for a strong first pass at wireframing.
We focused on the homepage, foregrounding payments and search functionality, as these domains were central to our project brief.
We focused on the homepage, foregrounding payments and search functionality, as these domains were central to our project brief.
We focused on the homepage, foregrounding payments and search functionality, as these domains were central to our project brief.
Usability testing
Usability testing
Usability testing
Once we made it to mid-fi, we put our designs in front of real end-users, and we got very positive feedback, achieving 88% task completion.
The most divisive aspect of our designs was the location of Payment Preferences within the information architecture: our challenge was to determine the conceptual relationships between account preferences, payments, and payment preferences.
Once we made it to mid-fi, we put our designs in front of real end-users, and we got very positive feedback, achieving 88% task completion.
The most divisive aspect of our designs was the location of Payment Preferences within the information architecture: our challenge was to determine the conceptual relationships between account preferences, payments, and payment preferences.
Once we made it to mid-fi, we put our designs in front of real end-users, and we got very positive feedback, achieving 88% task completion.
The most divisive aspect of our designs was the location of Payment Preferences within the information architecture: our challenge was to determine the conceptual relationships between account preferences, payments, and payment preferences.
High Fidelity
High Fidelity
High Fidelity
Easy entry points for multiple user groups
Easy entry points for multiple user groups
Easy entry points for multiple user groups
Because users ranged from contractors and real estate salespeople to tenants trying to pay bills, we sought to minimize cognitive load on the homepage while framing all available options effectively.
Because users ranged from contractors and real estate salespeople to tenants trying to pay bills, we sought to minimize cognitive load on the homepage while framing all available options effectively.
Because users ranged from contractors and real estate salespeople to tenants trying to pay bills, we sought to minimize cognitive load on the homepage while framing all available options effectively.
Syncing business goals and user needs
Syncing business goals and user needs
Syncing business goals and user needs
Property record search is the most popular feature, and main business driver, so we placed it front-and-center.
Property record search is the most popular feature, and main business driver, so we placed it front-and-center.
Property record search is the most popular feature, and main business driver, so we placed it front-and-center.
Transparent and predictable interactions
Transparent and predictable interactions
Transparent and predictable interactions
Pre-redesign, users had to pay utilities through an external link to a third party payments service. By integrating Stripe payments, we sought to eliminate friction and confusion.
Pre-redesign, users had to pay utilities through an external link to a third party payments service. By integrating Stripe payments, we sought to eliminate friction and confusion.
Pre-redesign, users had to pay utilities through an external link to a third party payments service. By integrating Stripe payments, we sought to eliminate friction and confusion.
Integrated autopay and paperless billing
Integrated autopay and paperless billing
Integrated autopay and paperless billing
We further modernized the payments system by allowing user to customize their payment preferences.
We further modernized the payments system by allowing user to customize their payment preferences.
We further modernized the payments system by allowing user to customize their payment preferences.
Mobile-first approach
Mobile-first approach
Mobile-first approach
Mobile payment adoption in the US increased significantly during and after COVID, as have digital payments generally, so we designed accordingly.
Mobile payment adoption in the US increased significantly during and after COVID, as have digital payments generally, so we designed accordingly.
Mobile payment adoption in the US increased significantly during and after COVID, as have digital payments generally, so we designed accordingly.
One-click checkout for maximum simplicity
One-click checkout for maximum simplicity
One-click checkout for maximum simplicity
The main business requirement identified by stakeholders was an increase in record purchases, so we reduced friction in the payment flow.
The main business requirement identified by stakeholders was an increase in record purchases, so we reduced friction in the payment flow.
The main business requirement identified by stakeholders was an increase in record purchases, so we reduced friction in the payment flow.
Usability testing
Usability testing
Once we made it to mid-fi, we put our designs in front of real end-users, and we got very positive feedback, achieving 88% task completion.
The most divisive aspect of our designs was the location of Payment Preferences within the information architecture: our challenge was to determine the conceptual relationships between account preferences, payments, and payment preferences.
Once we made it to mid-fi, we put our designs in front of real end-users, and we got very positive feedback, achieving 88% task completion.
The most divisive aspect of our designs was the location of Payment Preferences within the information architecture: our challenge was to determine the conceptual relationships between account preferences, payments, and payment preferences.