USDA
Overview
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) website is a critical national resource serving a diverse audience—from individual farmers to global corporations. As the Lead Product Designer, I spearheaded a comprehensive redesign to transform a functional but fragmented legacy site into a modern, accessible, and intuitive digital experience that honors the department’s scale and importance.
Challenge
Despite its wealth of information, the existing platform suffered from several structural and visual failures:
Navigational Friction: User research revealed significant frustration with excessive click-paths and a confusing form submission process.
Engagement Loss: Data analysis showed a 10% abandonment rate due to navigational frustration, with 90% of users requiring 5-8 clicks to reach their goal.
Visual Inconsistency: An outdated aesthetic and a lackluster color palette undermined brand credibility and failed to provide a clear guide for information hierarchy.
Holistic Process & Implementation
User-Centered Research: Conducted comprehensive interviews and card-sorting exercises to restructure the site’s information architecture for efficiency.
Iterative Testing: Developed multiple iterations, utilizing A/B testing to optimize accessibility and contrast (selecting a white background with dark text by a 60-40 preference margin).
Atomic Design System: Implemented a new design methodology, including a revitalized color palette and a modernized layout, to ensure long-term consistency across the platform.
Strategic Layout: Prioritized a high-visibility department directory near the top of the page based on direct user feedback to ensure quick access to popular topics.
Key Improvements Introduced
Enhanced Global Navigation: Restructured to minimize clicks and streamline the user journey from the homepage.
Atomic UI Elements: Developed a comprehensive UI style tile featuring unified button states, iconography, and responsive cards to create a clear visual guide.
Streamlined Search Access: Designed a prominent hero section with clear CTAs and a refined search bar for immediate user action.
Responsive Architecture: Fully optimized the landing slider and navigation for seamless tablet and mobile animations.
Deliverables
Results & Strategic Impact
The redesigned platform was met with overwhelming positive feedback, proving the value of a user-centered approach:
Reduced User Frustration: Post-launch evaluations showed users were twice as likely to find their desired location quickly.
Positive Qualitative Feedback: 90% of users commented positively on the improved aesthetics, describing the new look as 'nice' and 'open.'
Validated UX Strategy: The successful restructuring led to a significant decrease in user frustration, turning an expansive public resource into a highly usable tool.
The Soul
Redesigning a government entity like the USDA requires a delicate balance between 'Serious' and 'Fresh.' I applied my 'System & Soul' philosophy to create a site that feels as vast as the mountains it represents, yet as precise as the data it serves. By using an Atomic Design System, we didn't just fix a website; we built a scalable visual language for the future of public service.
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