GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN
COVID-19 & Homepage
January 2024
Timeline
UX/UI Designer
Role
Valencian Citizens
Audience
WHAT'S SO WRONG ABOUT THIS PAGE?
By the end of 2020, we realized that the infamous COVID-19 was here to stay. At least for a little longer than expected.
With that in mind, Governments were aware of the increasing demand from citizens to improve funding & support, not just financially but also emotionally.
OK - BUT PEOPLE STILL USE IT, RIGHT?
Yes, that doesn't mean they might not heavily struggle finding resources or give up going through the process.
WHY ARE THEY UPSET THEN?
One of the first impressions when immersing myself in this topic was noticing how similar people’s answers were when it came to receiving help from the Valencian Government (GVA).
"I applied a couple months ago, but I'm not sure if I got it".
"I haven't been able to find any help online".
"I wasn't aware there was help for people like me".
SKIP TO RESULTS?
RESEARCH
PARTICIPANTS
8 Valencian citizens from a variety of etchnic backgrounds, ages and professional industries to understand each perspective clearly.
The structure of the interviews was a mix of open-ended questions and 2 exercises where they would complete tasks in the GVA website and a competitor website (Comunidad de Madrid).
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
The most effective way to analyse trends and user behaviour was through a competitive analysis of 5 Government websites yielding these results:
Clear search in homepage
4/5
Provide COVID specific info
3/5
Offer mental health support
1/5
When I realized how much I had to search and read to understand how to apply for a scheme, I got overwhemed and left it for the day.
PIVOTING INTO REALITY
CAPTURING THE REALITY OF RESEARCH
I realized I had to change the direction of research when users corroborated they sometimes weren't even going on the website.
This meant it didn't matter how wonderful and user friendly the COVID 19 page was designed if users didn't even step foot online.
VISUAL SYSTEM
COLOUR PALETTE
TYPEFACE
INTER
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REDESIGN
ICONOGRAPHY
BUTTONS
TEXTURES
BEFORE
JOB SEARCH
AFTER
IMPLEMENTATIONS
From testing prototypes to researching different avenues with participants, here are some of the biggest changes adhered to the new GVA website:
UNSURE, LOST & NEW USERS
As mentioned during the observation phase, many participants did not know how to navigate the website or felt overwhelmed trying so. A short survey that guided users through tailored content was implemented to alleviate such struggles.
ACCESIBLE MENU
Research showed how imperative it was to have a visible, accesible menu at all times. Therefore, both desktop & mobile have sticky menus hovering at all times with clear tags.
SEARCH NAVIGATION
4/5 participants decided to use the head search bar or make a quick search from the menu at least once in the observation phase. This meant having a search option always available for those who felt like searching instead of exploring through the page.
SPECIALIZED COVIDE PAGE
Initial research highlighted how topics such as emotional support, financial struggles & seeking help studying or working from home were in demand during the pandemic. Providing a COVID-19 page that answered and attended those requests was happily welcomed during final testing.
FEATURING COMMON SEARCHES
Although original designs included a "cloud" with the most common searches. It did not seem that useful for participants through initial testing. Alternatively, a reel showing common searches with images and descriptions instead of only words was deemed more favourable for users.
MOBILE & DESKTOP FRIENDLY
To familiarize and maintain continuity for users on mobile & desktop, most of the scrolling actions, spacing and overall feel of the website was purposely similar to avoid constant exploration and making the users feel rewarded on their return.