A website and service redesign that supports civic participation in local government.

Utah Governor’s Office of Planning & Budget

UX/UI Designer

I mapped the service, co-led 30+ interviews and usability tests, designed the applicant and staff experiences, and documented designs for handoff.

2022
(10 weeks)

Challenge

Utah state board members have the opportunity to influence policy decisions that affect them and their communities, so serving on a board is an simple way for Utah residents’ voices to be heard.

However, poor website design and a confusing application process prevent many from applying to open board positions. Staff who manage boards also get stuck during the approval process, wasting time and leaving positions unfilled for months.

Solution

I led a small team in redesigning the state of Utah’s Boards and Commissions website and application process.

The redesign drove a 98% increase in applicant satisfaction, decreased agency staff processing time, and is now used by over 35 state agencies and thousands of Utah residents who want to have a voice in their local government.

🌐 Website ↗

Context

"We couldn't meet for two months because I didn't have any board members."

That's what one agency staff member told us. Across 35+ Utah state boards and commissions, an empty seat can mean a decision that can't be made.

Residents had trouble finding open seats or understanding what a board even was.

Agency staff fought with data they couldn't edit and applications they couldn't find.

Both sides kept contacting Boards and Commissions staff for help.

Problem

One service, two broken sides.

I mapped the whole process, from a resident's first visit to a staff member's final approval.

The problems weren't only in the interface. Applicants and staff were both relying on manual help from Boards and Commissions Staff to get through a process full of with barriers.

Design Decision #1

One front door, built for Utah residents first.

One website had to serve two very different groups.

I sketched homepages that split the two audiences, and with the team's input chose to give the homepage to residents: a plain-language explanation of what boards do, a search that filters by interest, and an application with a progress indicator. Staff tools moved behind the login, where only staff need them.

Design Decision #2

Remove barriers throughout the application process.

For example, the application required a resume.

During interviews, we heard that many people (particularly those in agriculture or trades) didn't have one or hadn’t updated it in years, which meant hours of extra work just to apply.

I designed an option to type in basic work experience instead, and the system generates and submits a resume on behalf of the applicant.

Design Decision #3

Give agency staff control over their own data.

Staff were frustrated that they couldn't correct mistakes in board data, so every fix became a request to Boards and Commissions staff, who were already overwhelmed.

I worked with our engineer to change staff permissions in the underlying Salesforce system, then designed a portal where staff can edit current and past board data and see new applications first.

Outcome

98%↑ in applicant satisfaction.
A service used by 35+ state agencies and 1000s of applicants.

We retested the prototype with the same people (10 applicants, 12 staff members) we'd interviewed and measured their satisfaction across multiple dimensions before and after.

Our team then presented the redesign to state leadership and executive stakeholders. The redesign has been in use since 2022.

Before Redesign
(Applicants)

After Redesign
(Applicants)

Before Redesign
(Agency Staff)

After Redesign
(Agency Staff)

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Marina DeFrates is an NYC-based product designer who builds tools for complex institutions and the people they serve.

Marina DeFrates
is an NYC-based product designer who builds tools for complex institutions and the people they serve.