Achieving 91.6% Accessibility in Week One: The USA.gov Redesign

Led the USAGov redesign, transforming the site into a modern, accessible, and user-friendly platform. I established an accessibility-first design workflow and pioneered an inclusive user research initiative focused on assistive technology users.

Overview

I led the design of USA.gov, transforming a dense, content-heavy site into a streamlined, accessible experience shaped by user research and cross-functional collaboration.

Serving over 105 million users annually, USA.gov is the federal government’s primary portal for information and services. The redesign focused on improving usability, clarity, and trust, especially for users with accessibility needs. The updated site significantly enhanced user experience and accessibility, making government information easier to find and navigate for all users.

My Role

I served as the Lead UX Designer for the USA.gov redesign, responsible for interaction design, user testing, accessibility, and visual strategy.

I collaborated closely with engineers, content strategists, writers, and the outreach team to ensure the site met user needs and accessibility standards from early prototypes through to the final launch. The project timeline for the beta launch spanned approximately 12 months, covering research, iterative design, user testing, and rollout phases.

Tools and methods

Design and prototyping in Adobe XD and Figma
Collaborative workshops and feedback sessions using Mural and Google Slides and Docs
Accessibility testing done with screen readers such as JAWS and VoiceOver
User testing platforms including Usertesting.com, as well as user interviews over Google Meet and Zoom
Followed WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines to ensure the site was accessible to a wide range of users, including those using assistive technologies.

The Challenge

USA.gov, a vital hub for government information and services, had not undergone a comprehensive redesign in several years.

Over time, several key challenges emerged that impacted the site’s usability, trust, and accessibility:

Accessibility Concerns
The site no longer met modern accessibility standards, limiting usability for people with disabilities and users relying on assistive technologies. This created barriers to accessing critical government information.

Outdated Design
The visual design and interface felt outdated, which contributed to diminished user trust and engagement.

Fragmented User Experience
Navigation and content organization were cumbersome, making it difficult for users to quickly find the information they needed.

Evolving User Needs
Changes in technology, user behavior, and device usage highlighted the need for a mobile-friendly, responsive design that served a broad and diverse audience.

“I often struggled to navigate government sites with my screen reader — too many links, confusing labels, and inconsistent layouts made simple tasks frustrating.”
— User research participant relying on assistive technology

To address these challenges, USA.gov needed a thorough redesign that would modernize its look and feel, while prioritizing usability, accessibility, and inclusivity for all users.

For a deeper dive into the accessibility research that informed this work, see my Assistive Technology User Research Case Study.

Approach & Process

User Research

Every design decision was grounded in user research, with a focus on real behaviors, accessibility needs, and building user trust.

Behavioral Analytics
I used Crazy Egg and Google Analytics to analyze heatmaps, scroll depth, and click patterns. This revealed friction points, such as high drop-off areas and content users ignored—insights that directly informed navigation and layout changes.

A/B Testing
I designed and implemented A/B tests for high-impact elements like the homepage layout, search bar, and sub-level pages.

A major test with 47,400 users compared the original homepage carousel to a static, task-based layout. The result: a 74% increase in engagement, especially among users who previously skipped over the carousel.

A/B test of the Life events module from the homepage of USA.gov, comparing cards in and out of a carousel which was developed as an accessible component. The two versions sy about 47.400 visitors suring the test, and there were 618 completions of the goal. Examples of the carousel and cards outside of the carousel are shown here, as well as scroll and confetti maps to show traffic differences. The variant, or example with the carousel removed, saw a 74% conversion improvement.

Assistive Technology Testing
Noticing a gap in representation, I independently initiated moderated usability testing with users of screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, magnifiers, and switch control devices.
I developed the test plan, facilitated all sessions, and synthesized insights into actionable changes.

This work surfaced critical issues that automated accessibility tools missed, such as unclear link language, heading hierarchy problems, and input focus behavior.

“Even when a carousel is technically accessible, it’s too hard to use. I usually skip it.”
— Screen reader user

“It was the first time I didn’t feel lost on a government site”
— Research participant

Task Flows & Interaction Mapping

Using Mural and Figma, I mapped information architecture and user flows to visualize and refine key interaction paths. These diagrams helped eliminate unnecessary steps and better support users navigating via keyboard or assistive tech.

These efforts resulted in a 91.6% accessibility score in the first week after launch—proof that inclusive design practices were embedded early and carried through to delivery.

Screenshot of one of the information architecture and and content design Mural boards

Screenshot of some user flows that include the use of USWDS components

Design Iterations

Designing for USA.gov wasn’t just about usability—it was about creating a platform that users could trust, especially during moments of stress, uncertainty, or vulnerability. Our iterative process prioritized psychological safety, accessibility, and clarity at every step.

Designing for Psychological Safety
Many people come to USA.gov during emotionally charged situations—after natural disasters, job loss, or while navigating immigration or health care. I prioritized reducing cognitive load, simplifying navigation, and selecting calm, supportive visuals to ensure users felt oriented and empowered rather than overwhelmed. This principle informed everything from page structure and color palette to iconography and tone.

Real Content, Real Context
Instead of placeholder text, I used real content in early information architecture, user flows, wireframes, and prototypes, making it easier to test for clarity, tone, and visual hierarchy. This allowed our team to catch duplications early and design with the actual user journey in mind.

Building on USWDS, With Meaningful Customization
While the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) provided a strong base, I customized several components to meet the unique needs of our content and audience. This included refining contrast, spacing, and responsive behaviors in ways that supported assistive tech users and enhanced comprehension.

Custom Left Navigation for Scalability and Accessibility
I designed a scalable, keyboard-accessible left navigation system to support deep information hierarchies and expanded content. This component was critical for users and passed extensive testing.

Responding to Midstream Content Expansion
When leadership at OMB mandated additional content areas mid-project, I developed a secondary information architecture that preserved clarity and usability. This ensured users could still find what they needed without disorientation or added steps.

Visual Language That Reinforces Trust
I curated banner imagery and illustrated icons that conveyed trust, safety, and clarity. Every visual element was tested for accessibility and emotional tone, helping reinforce a consistent and calm experience across pages.

Mapping Process and Strategy
Using Mural and Figma, I documented user flows, content needs, and interface logic. These shared artifacts became critical for aligning stakeholders and iterating quickly with developers and strategists. In mapping user flows, we accounted for multilingual users by validating both English and Spanish navigation paths. This included testing whether key journeys—like finding unemployment help or replacing a passport—could be completed with equal ease in both languages, especially by users with lower literacy or limited digital experience.

Designing for a Multilingual Nation
USA.gov serves a multilingual audience, and creating parity between the English and Spanish experiences was non-negotiable. Our goal was to support Spanish speakers not as an edge case, but as core users. I designed every component with linguistic flexibility in mind—anticipating how layouts would adapt to longer Spanish phrases and validating that key interactions, like search and task flows, functioned consistently across languages. This meant:

Building templates that preserved hierarchy and clarity even with translation expansion.
Collaborating closely with Spanish-language content teams to align tone and accessibility.
Testing visual elements to ensure they conveyed meaning without relying solely on language

Detailed interaction design for USAGov’s custom left navigation—engineered for scalability, full keyboard accessibility, and an intuitive user experience across devices.

The interaction design of the left navigation is shown here, in mobile format distinguishing where the important emphases are, such as the indentations and color use for contrast. The flow is showing from the homepage to Immigration and U.S. Citizenship, down four levels of navigation.

Explored diverse banner concepts and custom-illustrated icons to visually distinguish each topic, enhancing clarity and engagement across the site.
Design choices prioritized psychological safety by reducing cognitive load and recognizing the emotional difficulty of certain topics, ensuring users feel supported rather than overwhelmed or further distressed by their situation.

Here I have laid out some of the key topic banner image choices as well as a multitude of icons that I drew for each section. I collected them together in one document, in this case Mural, to see them all together to 1. make sure the visual pattern is cohesive and 2. be able to make better choises about the graphics in building a design system library.

Collaboration & Communication

This project was a collaborative effort, integrating design, accessibility, and engineering from day one.

Partnered with the Accessibility and WebOps Teams to shape an inclusive, technically feasible solution.
Led accessibility workshops and connected with the team on manual QA testing using screen readers and keyboard navigation.
Used Mural for mapping information architecture and content audits, and to align strategy across teams.
Maintained continuous feedback loops through Figma comments, design critiques, and stakeholder walkthroughs.
Integrated brand visuals and banners purposefully, reinforcing trust and conveying a welcoming tone.

Outcomes

The redesigned USA.gov launched with measurable improvements in accessibility, engagement, and user clarity—proving the value of an inclusive, user-centered process.

74% Increase in Engagement
A/B testing showed a 74% lift in engagement when the homepage carousel was removed, validating a shift toward task-based content design.

91.6% Accessibility Score
Achieved within the first week of launch, thanks to extensive manual testing, real-user input, and accessibility-first design decisions.

Improved Readability and Navigation
Clearer visual hierarchy, simpler language, and responsive layouts led to stronger performance across mobile and desktop.

Public Recognition

The redesign earned the Service to the Citizen Award, recognizing our success in making government services more accessible and user-friendly.

Strengthened Trust and Connection

Feedback from users—particularly those relying on assistive technologies—reflected a significant improvement in clarity, trust, and emotional accessibility.

Bilingual Accessibility

Designed and tested experiences for both English and Spanish speakers, ensuring usability and trust across language lines.

This project reinforced that inclusive design isn’t just a technical mandate—it’s a public good. When we build with empathy, clarity, and accessibility from the start, we create services that actually serve.

This image shows my process:

Scrrenshot of my processes list that was originally made in Mural

Reflections

This end-to-end project deepened my understanding of accessibility, multilingual design, and cross-functional collaboration. From content audits to component design and final implementation, I remained hands-on at every stage. I gained valuable insights into the power of inclusive research, thoughtful IA, and emotional accessibility.

This project reinforced my belief that inclusive design isn’t just a technical mandate—it’s a public good. When we build with empathy, clarity, and accessibility from the start, we create services that actually serve.