Problem / Child welfare case workers are overloaded with work. The software systems they use for managing child welfare cases are cumbersome, outdated, and require mutliple workarounds, and nearly 80% of their time is spent dealing with paperwork and file management. This can impact decision making at key points in the child welfare process as well as handing off important details and documentation to courts, support services, and other case workers.

Approach / Case Commons is replacing legacy systems by building web-based enterprise software rooted in user-centered design. As an Interaction Designer, I quickly became familiar with the complex system of child welfare, from initial reporting of abuse and court assessments to the solution cycle of case plans: implement-measure-adjust. Additionally, I shadowed foster care and case workers in the office and the field in Harlem and Brooklyn, and traveled to government agencies to interview child service specialists. I worked closely with product managers, designers, and an agile development team at Pivotal Labs to design frameworks and patterns that could be applied to large system features or single interactions.

Solution / As a team, we created pattern and asset libraries for quickly designing and deploying system features. With the creative director, we created a live style guide that communicated basic functionality and front end design between designers and development pairs. Integrating learnings from the larger problem space, user flows and wireframes were designed to include contextual information; display immediate and extended family networks; promote easy, mistake-free documentation; and facilitate seamless communication between workers and supervisors. System interactions, such as instructions, alerts, status, and requirements, were designed to guide newly hired case workers, but not be overbearing for expert users.

Date / 2009
Entity / Piehead
Role / Designer

Working as a lead designer for Piehead in Portsmouth, NH, I was tasked to redesign the visual look and feel of Comcast's website as well as their customer service pages. I later designed possible online experiences on how new customers could signup for different phone/internet/television options.

For Duracell’s ‘Power A Smile’ campaign, our creative team focused on the social sharing and viral aspect of the web. I was designer and art director on the project, and wanted a unique form of navigation that created a new twist on the typical upload-your-own-picture-to-a-website concept. My solution was a full screen, immersive Flash experience that augmented the overall campaign.

GMC wanted to promote the debut of its newly redesigned 2007 Yukon. The solution created a partnership with the popular television show CSI, using product placement, commercial spots directed by Executive Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and an online giveaway contest. The contest was launched during the show's season premiere, encouraging viewers to visit the minisite, fill out an entry form, then "investigate" the vehicle in order to gain an additional contest entry.