Unified Portal | Kashyap Design

Unified Health & Human Services Portal Integration

The State of ABC identified the need to streamline digital access to its Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Human Services (DHS) by creating a unified, resident-focused online portal. Our team was commissioned to research, design, and propose a consolidated platform that would serve as a “one-stop shop” for all health and human services, making it easier for residents to discover, access, and navigate the state’s offerings.

Project Overview

Industry: Public Sector – State Government, Health & Human Services

Project Timeframe: 3 months

Practices: Deloitte GPS — : Digital Transformation, Human-Centered Design, Service Integration, Information Architecture

Role: Primary UX/UI Researcher and designer

Team: Worked closely with another UX/UI Designer, Senior design Consultant and Project Manager

Key objectives that anchored the project:

Unify DOH & DHS Services: Merge two separate agency portals into a seamless, integrated experience.
Simplify Resident Access: Enable residents to easily locate and utilize diverse health and human services.
Enhance Usability: Address existing pain points in navigation, language, and accessibility.
Align with State Messaging: Ensure the new portal upholds strategic communication.

Research & Design Approach

The project plan was structured into six key research and design phases, each critical to building an effective, user-centered portal:

1. Current-State Information Architecture and Heuristic Evaluation

We conducted a comprehensive audit of both DOH and DHS portals, mapping their current information architecture and assessing usability through heuristic evaluation. This clarified how information was organized, revealed pain points, and identified gaps in content discoverability and user satisfaction.

2. Stakeholder Meetings: Messaging and Strategic Alignment

Our team met with state agency leaders and communication teams to distill core messaging strategies and business priorities. These sessions ensured our design aligned with the state’s mission and met the needs of all key stakeholders.

3. Defining Personas & Creating Journey Maps

We developed representative resident personas through user research, surveys, and analysis of demographic data. In tandem, journey maps were created to visualize residents’ lifecycle experiences across various touchpoints. This dual approach grounded the project in true user needs and illuminated moments that matter most.

4. Drafting Future-State Information Architecture

Armed with research insights, we re-envisioned the site’s structure to support intuitive navigation and better surface critical resources. The proposed future-state architecture simplified complex pathways and recommended clear, resident-friendly categories.

Affinity Clustering

The Affinity Clustering phase was instrumental in organizing programs and services from the Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of Health (DoH), and Behavioral Health (BH) into logical, user-centered themes. Instead of following internal departmental structures, we focused on grouping offerings from the perspective of a resident of the state. Using a collaborative MURAL board, our goal was to surface and define core themes that resonate with real user goals, laying the groundwork for a future-state information architecture (IA). This exercise not only informed the next iteration of our IA but also set the stage for an effective workshop with clients and state stakeholders.

Drafting Future-State Information Architecture

Building on our research findings, we reimagined the site’s information structure to make navigation more intuitive and content more accessible. We created a proposed future-state architecture that better supports user tasks and business priorities.

5. Visual Comps: Comprehensive Layouts & Wireframes

Translating architecture into reality, our team designed wireframes and high-fidelity visual comps for key pages and flows. These blueprints brought the new experience to life and ensured development teams had clear, actionable guidance.

Finally, we translated the new architecture and user insights into detailed wireframes and visual compositions (comps). These comprehensive layouts illustrated key screens, interactions, and content flows, providing a concrete blueprint for design and development teams.

Project Outcomes

Unified, User-Centric Portal Architecture: Clear, intuitive categories and navigation that reflect resident priorities.
Persona-Driven Design: Experiences, features, and flows built around key user groups and high-impact moments.
Streamlined Access to Services: Residents can now discover and access both health and human services in one place.
Evidence-Based Recommendations: All design choices validated by user research, journey mapping, and usability evaluation.

Lessons Learned & Best Practices

Early and ongoing stakeholder engagement ensured alignment and buy-in.
Combining persona development with journey mapping revealed unique user needs and opportunities for innovation.
Continuous reference to usability heuristics kept the project focused on practical, real-world improvements rather than just aesthetic enhancements.

Next Steps

Gather resident feedback on prototypes to validate designs.

Prepare for phased implementation and integration with backend state systems.

Develop targeted training and communications to support resident adoption of the new portal