The gist
INTRODUCTION
WHAT I DID
KEY INSIGHTS
Connecting to the heart of the problem
Since direct outreach to constituents was restricted by government protocols, my work focused on those closest to the process.
By interviewing 15 state employees across multiple agencies, I identified 3 key gaps:
Multiple forms collected similar information but in different ways. This led to confusion about which one to use.
"People don’t know which form to fill out so we often get reports submitted to the wrong program."
Incomplete or mis-categorized submissions slowed internal review and efficiency to help residents.
"Half our time is spent emailing people back for missing information."
Staff couldn’t always identify where an issue occurred because users described locations vaguely.
"They’ll say ‘by the creek near my house,’ but we can’t tell which one."
I also examined the information architecture and found major redundancy across four complaint forms.
PROCESS
In dire situations where residents are looking for help, they do not want to spend extra time to look for the right form.
01
Before
Accessible, but not polished
Forms met basic accessibility requirements, but weren’t designed with mobile users in mind.
After
Modernized and mobile-first
Users have upgraded to a visually consistent experience that scales across devices.
02
Before
Overwhelming and confusing
Users struggle with cognitive overload to figure out what situation applies to them.
After
Dynamic and tailored
Users benefit from a single, intuitive flow, reducing confusion and saving time to share their concerns.
03
Before
Vague for users and staff
One small location section left room for misinterpretation and delayed responses.
After
Clear with multiple options
Users have structured location inputs and map integration to ensure clarity and eliminate guesswork everyone involved.
REFLECTION
Builds public trust
Strengthens confidence in digital government through transparent, accessible design.
Improves data quality
Standardized digital submissions give DEP more actionable insights for decision-making.
Lays the groundwork for future state of forms
Establishes a framework to update future forms across Pennsylvania agencies.
Speeds up reporting time
Enables residents to submit complaints faster with simplified, mobile-friendly forms.
Though many changes require larger overhauls, the recommendations I gave to stakeholders were recognized as a foundation step toward modernizing the complaint process.
OTHER INTERNSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
Here's some other things I did:
Transformed the payment experience in 89 state applications
If you’ve registered your car, ordered vital records, or renewed a teacher certification in Pennsylvania, you’ve likely used one of the 89 redesigned payment experiences I helped launch.
Presented at Code for America's FormFest
I had the opportunity to represent CODE PA at Code for America’s virtual conference, where I shared my internship experience and helped kick off the event to 2000+ attendees.
Worked with an amazing team
I had an incredible experience working with CODE PA and working in impact-driven design. Thank you to everyone who made it such a rewarding experience!