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 The software systems they use for managing child welfare cases are cumbersome, outdated, and require mutliple workarounds, and nearly 80% of their time is spent dealing with paperwork and file management.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.

Blue Cross Blue Shield redesigned its website with online tools for customers to access and manage their claims online. They needed a sales tool to market their site’s benefits to potential clients such as large businesses and organizations.

Working within a tight budget, I designed and developed a unique, Flash-based online presentation tool that moved beyond the straight sell, created excitement about the online tools of the new website, and could be accessed anywhere by the client’s sales team.

Each year, every GM vehicle brand website is redesigned and relaunched for the upcoming car model year. I was part of an extensive design,development, and marketing team that researched and enhanced website features, functionality, and information annually.

I was a member of the redesign team for the 2004, 2005, and 2006 site launches, responsible for the design and production of multiple site features, content, and promotions. The screens below are from the 2006 redesign.