This case study is password protected due to an NDA.
My Role
UX/UI designer
Led UX researcher
Prototyper
Motion Designer
Skills Involved
User Research
Prototyping
UX Strategy
My Team
Brianna Bian
Chase Cheney
Allie Gregory
Tanvi Joshi
Daniel Koucheravy
Luke Lamendola
Yuyan Zhu
Chloe Landingin
Lugyeong Lee
Madelyn Lee
Arianah Meza
Kylie Wang
Minnie Wangkietkajon
Duration
10 weeks
Envisioning the Phygital Government Service Experience
Project overview
The Problem
State Health and Human Services offices are essential access points for programs like SNAP, Medicaid, Cash Assistance, and unemployment support. However, long wait times, overloaded front desks, and language barriers for limited-English-proficiency clients reduce service efficiency and create a poor client experience.
The goals
Help build a mock visual journey of a citizen walking into a medium-sized state office with all the recommendations for a modernized experience including physical layout for a model office with efficient traffic flow.
Final Presentation
Team Photo
Project Timeline
Let’s Start Here — By Shaping the Timeline
During the Kickoff session, we organized the ground rules, defined tasks based on skill sets, and, most importantly, established a clear three-phase timeline. We believe that following a well-structured timeline is as important as the design process itself.
Secondary Research
Re-collect & refine the information
Conducting New Research to Revalidate Problem Statement
The research from Deloitte is just the tip of the iceberg of the current lobby experience. To gain a deeper understanding of how people think and feel during the benefit application process in the lobby, we conducted additional secondary research, providing more insights and feelings.
100+
Comments about Kentucky government lobby experienceon on Reddit
4
Cross-State Government Case Study
10+
Thesis and articles about queue management system
California DMV
1
2
Texas DPS
Virginia DMV
3
4
Herman Miller’s
Case Study
Case study
Learning from the Best in Public Service
We conducted comparative case studies of DMVs, DPS offices, and pharmacies to understand their streamlined service flows, systems, and technology use.
By examining common challenges and strategies these environments employ—such as appointment scheduling, digital kiosks, and queue management—we identified overlapping pain points like long wait times and accessibility barriers, as well as more effective solutions some have implemented. Data gathered from these sites reveal trends in wait time reduction, process efficiency, and user satisfaction, informing our approach to redesigning the Kentucky HHS lobby. These insights help ensure our solutions are rooted in proven practices while tailored to address the unique needs of the HHS setting.
Primary Research
On-site Visit
Explore Government Service Design at Chatham County DFCS
We conducted firsthand, primary research by visiting the Chatham County Health and Human Services office in Savannah, Georgia, to observe the current service flow and user journey within the lobby space. We documented the physical layout and organizational setup to understand how users navigate and utilize the space. Additionally, we assessed signage effectiveness with a focus on accessibility and language barriers impacting users.
From these detailed notes, we extracted key observations and identified pain points to target with design solutions intended to improve the user journey and create a more unified and holistic lobby experience. These research findings provide the foundational insights guiding our redesign for the Kentucky HHS office lobby.
Sketch of the lobby layout
Inside Photos
Digital layout of the lobby & User flow map
What We Learned from Users
A synthesized view of user needs
We synthesized all of our research into an organized list of insights.
Application and Qualification Confusion
Need clearer descriptions for eligibility pre-screening and application. Digital kiosks or eligibility check tools in the lobby may help.
Long Waiting Times and Red Tape
Need for tracking systems, automated updates, and real-time information displays in the lobby.
Reliance on Libraries and Others
Consider on-site digital kiosks or “apply here” pods with accessibility tools for those without personal devices.
Accessibility and Disability Considerations
Invest in accessible design (voice-assisted kiosks, multilingual support) and staffed tech help zones.
Limited English
Proficiency
Low Digital Literacy
People with
Disabilities
Parents
with Children
SYNTHESIS & INSIGHTS
Vulnerable User Groups
Although all users face challenges, some are more vulnerable because of their circumstances. Our research identified four vulnerable groups most impacted by long wait times. These groups follow the same journey as others, yet the same issues pose greater challenges for them due to their circumstances.
A Lobby That Truly Cares
Patient Centered Care Model
The Patient-Centered Care Model emphasizes emotional and relational support through “I feel” statements, ensuring patients feel guided, informed, respected, and prepared within an experience that is efficient, fair, reliable, and transparent.
Our vision is to design future lobbies that are accessible, efficient, and emotionally supportive—helping users get the services they need without long waits or repeat visits.
Start to Develop Our Solution Directions
6 "How Might We" Questions
With the root causes identified, we shifted our focus toward opportunity areas — framing a series of “How Might We” questions to guide our solution development.
Process Transparency
Make both the application process and in-office waiting more transparent
and trackable?
Efficiency Triage
Improve screening and triage so users are routed to the right service early?
Reduce Staff Workload
Mitigate workload bottlenecks so staff can handle both calls and in-person visits effectively?
Technical Support
Guide users to confidently use kiosks and online portals?
Space & Emotional Experience
Make the lobby experience
less stressful and more
supportive while waiting?
Inclusive Access
Design the lobby to support users with language, literacy, childcare, or accessibility challenges?
Ideation & Solution Development
Explore the idea — freely and fearlessly
Creative Concept Exploration
To ensure clear storytelling throughout the user journey, we adopted a new method of presenting ideas by visualizing our solutions as a simple flow map, linking each design decision to a specific pain point. Each session contains a number of rough ideas, and the arrows help us visualize how those ideas connect together.
Where Digital and Physical Care Become One
Finalized Solutions
In this phase, we combined the integrated digital and physical blueprint for the redesigned office. The digital component introduces a suite of tools including a pre-visit app for form submission and real-time case tracking, alongside self-service booths for in-office tasks. The physical redesign features an optimized layout with clear wayfinding, a streamlined queueing system, and private counters equipped with AI translation technology.
This holistic solution addresses the core challenges of wait times, operational inefficiency, and accessibility; creating a modern, scalable model that promotes dignity and accessible equality.
Digital Solutions
Physical Solutions
Design, Refinement & Delivery
Tickets Driven by Task Completion
Cross-Platform User Flow
After discussions with Deloitte, we identified three key areas — the mobile queue, the check-in kiosk, and the self-service kiosk. To reduce overall waiting time, the system routes applicants based on their task completion status.Those who have all the required documents can obtain a ticket number directly at the check-in area, while those who are missing documents are guided to the self-service area to complete their forms before receiving a number.
Design, Refinement & Delivery
Final Deliverable - Seamless Digital Experience
No More Stress Over Unnecessary Waiting
Inquiry & Preparation
HHS Mobile Queue
AI Chatbot Consultation for getting quick answers.
Document Pre-Screening, users can check if all required documents are complete before visiting.
Virtual Queue, users can join and track the service line remotely through the app.
Check-In System
Check-In Terminal
Check In Terminal allowing for check-in, pre screening, and line conformation.
AI Chatbot Consultation, ask FAQ questions and get instant answers, or call for employee.
Gathers data of HHS for future reference.
Check-In System
Personalized Physical Ticket
Issues a personalized physical ticket that shows place in line.
QR code on ticket brings user to online app to view live wait times.
Unique tracking number issued on ticket that can reference your place in line.
Waiting Process
Queue Display Screen
Live, fully digital queue display posted large within the offices.
Creates a fully transparent view of the wait time and queue placement.
Audio and visual cues when a new number is served for those with impaired sight/hearing.
Forms and Paperwork
Dedicated Form Station
Document scanner for user to place and fill official HHS documents.
Uses AI Natural Language Processing (NLP) to recognize form, pre fill, and look for missing sections.
Multilingual support, voice/text chatbot that speaks multiple languages, guides step-by-step
Reflection & next step
Final Deliverable - Seamless Digital Experience
Reflection
Looking back at what we built, what we learned, and where this solution can grow next, this project became one of the most meaningful parts of my journey at SCAD. In just ten weeks, our team partnered with Deloitte to reimagine what a modern government lobby could be. What began as a complicated, overwhelming problem gradually turned into a clear, human-centered vision—one that Deloitte recognized and valued.
More importantly, this proposal gives the Kentucky government a new lens to understand their current challenges and a blueprint for building a more accessible, dignified, and efficient service experience. While our focus so far has been on reshaping the service flow, the next chapter lies in empowering the people behind the system. We imagine future work expanding into staff-training strategies—such as a structured training manual or even AI-assisted training tools—to help frontline workers confidently operate within this redesigned ecosystem.
With that, this project doesn’t feel like an ending. It feels like the beginning of a larger, long-term transformation—one that continues to grow beyond the classroom.
Lobby Walkthrough video
A First Look at the Future Lobby Experience
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