Build Better Government Apps
As the sole Designer-Developer, I created the foundational tools for UX operations in Utah County Government.
What does the Utah County Government do, digitally?
From Real Estate Tax System to Public Health Dashboard, these services are lifelines for residents.
Some numbers for context
25
Departments with digital solutions
30+
Public Web Applications
700k
Citizens and Non-Citizens Users
Context
Our web services were a patchwork of inconsistent designs, accessibility failures, and endless post-launch UX fixes. As departments rushed to digitize services, the public’s trust was eroding fast—while frustrated department heads questioned their ROI.
After leading the overhaul of our county main site↗, I was approached by the IT department head with a seemingly simple solution—train a group of UI-interested developers to double as UX designers.
I hesitated. This approach might patch a few gaps, but it ignored that sustainable user-centered design requires a systemic foundation—not just individual heroics. In follow-up meetings, I reframed the goal—
Instead of turning coders into UX unicorns, let’s build a system where good UX is inevitable.
Key Metrics
Improve compliance with WCAG 2.2 across all applications
Minimize post-launch re-work due to poor user-experience
Reduce support call volume
Increase departments adoption rate to the design guidelines
What we learned
I interviewed 20+ residents, developers, PMs, and department heads, and found that our tools and workflows were fighting against us.
Major Issues
Design Guidelines were unusable
Developers dismissed the 30-page guidebook as too abstract, lacking code and template examples.
Developers kept reinventing wheels
Team silos forced devs to reconstruct existing solutions. Even when reuse is possible, departments demanded endless tweaks to retain control.
Inefficient workflow compromises quality
Our Waterfall process required heavy upfront design work without user feedbacks, causing expensive late-stage rebuilds. As the sole design approver, I became a bottleneck.
Distrust in Shared Solutions
Past projects left departments and developers skeptical of “one-size-fits-all” fixes failing their unique user needs.
Strategy
To fix our tools, workflow, and cultural problems, we developed a four-part phased approach that would transform how we build applications.
Design System Creation
As the design lead, I want to establish styling consistency while providing flexibility for department branding and functional needs.
As a developer, I want to have concrete design examples of our new branding for all of our project use cases.
Modular Components
A modular design system that allows for department customization and developer’s ease of use (no longer guessing how to implement design guides)
Pattern Templates
We identified the most common block & page types across our existing services and created templates for them. Fully customizable in Figma and built with Next.js & React.
I want to share and reuse common UI solutions across the entire organization.
Component Library
Library with code snippet copy & paste, provided built-in WCAG compliance, allowing for the maximum ease of customization.
Shared Theme Package
Allowing for batch theme update, lite installation (compare to a full component library), and easy override.
Design Operation
I formed and led a cross-functional committee to delegate quality control. It consisted of one representative from each development team, plus a PM and a designer.
The UX committee reviewed high-impact patterns (e.g., new components, complex flows) via async governance—resolving most requests in <72 hours.
I want to ensure UX accountability without becoming a bottle-neck.
I want to receive usability feedbacks sooner and eliminate late-stage rebuilds.
I want to create accurate project roadmaps with established UX requirements.
Hybrid Workflow
The integration of UX validation points within an agile structure. To support implementation, we also created a detailed process flow-chart.
Impact
2024 Q3
4.2
/5
Average user satisfaction
From Qualtrics
150%
Increased web service utilization
From Google Analytics
Reduce prototyping time by 40% and saved over 2400 hrs of developer time.
240k+
Budget saved
0%
Post-launch rebuild
All departments onboarded the design system with 80% completed adoption.
100%
New projects WCAG compliance
From Accessibility Checker
