Product Design

We must understand the diverse people who use our products, including those challenged by time, access, or ability. When we understand users' needs and goals, we can identify problems, shape product direction, and design experiences that are useful and intuitive. The design of government digital services is special because these products enable people to access critical, often life-changing, services.

User Research

Research enables us to gain a deeper understanding of user needs. We can directly ask questions related to an existing or potential product, but greater insights often come from understanding their goals and broader context. Research can be qualitative, such as usability testing, interviews, focus groups, and contextual inquiry. Research can also be quantitative, such as surveys and product usage analytics.

UX Design / Interaction Design

With an understanding of user goals and context, we can design a sequence of user interactions with the product. This is less about the visual design and more about the workflow and set of interactions. The result is a design that is intuitive and efficient for the user.

Service Design

A digital product may be an important part of providing a service, but it isn’t always the entire service. In order to access a needed service, a customer may be interacting with content web sites, web applications, phone support, in-person interactions, and a variety of other touchpoints. Service design considers the entire end-to-end customer experience to help achieve desired outcomes.

Content Design

The content of a product is a driver of usability and user success. Plain language content allows users to understand what is said in language familiar to them. Well-structured content guides them through a process.

Visual Design

We create a visual layout for a product that is intuitive, professional looking, and supports user goals. Although many people first think of graphic design when thinking of design in general, it is one of the least common disciplines we exercise. Often we benefit from design system work that has set much of the graphic design direction for a product.

Key Design Practices

• HCD Adoption: Meet our client stakeholders where they are in familiarity and comfort with HCD practices. Demonstrate value in the process and turn those stakeholders into advocates who value the insights gained and the better resulting product.
• User Reach: Develop means to reach important user communities, including those often overlooked or at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing digital services.
• Design Systems: Be more efficient, effective, and compliant by leveraging design systems, including building from USWDS. Build upon past good work done to accelerate work.
• Accessibility: Our designs must be compliant with Section 508. Beyond that, we should be designing for usability in different modes of interaction. The application should be as intuitive to use via a screen reader as it is via a web browser. It should be seamless to navigate in monochrome or large fonts.
• Hurdle Clearing: Be ready to work through perceived challenges in reaching users. Come armed to bust myths related to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) or other reasons why we can’t or shouldn’t engage users.

Additional Resources

• What's the Five (WTF) on Design Approaches (Video) - five minute explainer of design approaches and terminology.