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USCIS.gov has 5,000+ pages!
Federal websites are notoriously verbose and overly complicated. I am working to support designers with guidance on content strategy, plain language, and other design best practices that make all USCIS public facing sites easier to use for our visitors.
33K+
page views averaged per hour on the homepage
65%
of visitors are using a mobile device
30min
is the average time spent on USCIS.gov
5
pages drive most of the web site traffic
Auditing Public Facing Sites
All public facing sites and applications must adhere to the US Web Design System (USWDS).
I completed audits of all sites to find where teams needed to make updates to comply. During this audit cycle, I also noted where there were opportunities to improve design quality and create more inclusive experiences. I provide support for remediation efforts.
USCIS Component Library
Bringing design teams to one tool was the first step in breaking silos and facilitating consistency and eliminating redundancy. The next step was to build a Figma component library that all teams could use as the source of truth. This library is one aspect of the USCIS Design System.
Supporting federal agencies to update delivery team guidance
Much existing design guidance in the federal government can be mired in law or upheld by stakeholders that are not experienced. Changing or creating new guidance can be a challenge.
I worked on making improvements using industry best practices and design research. The work I do in USCIS has been leveraged by DHS and shared with other agencies.
Building a Design Culture
The environment in the federal workspace is much different from other places I have previously worked (i.e., IBM, Apple, WebMD). Before I started in my newly created role, USCIS had siloed groups of designers that did not interact with each other or may have been unaware that there were other teams. In my 2 years, I have been able to successfully create a cohesive, collaborative group of designers and researchers that cross different contracts and projects.
DHS Trusted Tester Program
USCIS delivery teams are encouraged to do training to learn about 508 standards and compliance. DHS created some training that will lead to certfication as an official ‘DHS Trusted Tester.’
This training is geared towards people with more technical expertise — developers more so than designers. I am working on crafting content based on this existing training that would better support designers and product managers.
Student Partnerships
Grad students at UT Austin worked with me on student projects that focusing on improving the information architecture on a section of the USCIS.gov website. They provided us with some valuable insights and were a joy to work with!
Lifting the bar on accessibility
Working for the federal government, delivery teams are required to follow 508 standards.
Despite awareness and compliance to 508 standards, many teams have a low bar on how they handle accessibility. I have many projects that I have started to lift the bar and ensure that designers are integrating accessibility into their design process.