TUX Solutions acquired a major project for which they did not have a design team, so we were hired to help redesign the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) website. Our goal was to understand the client’s objectives and their capacity for improvement, aiming to create a user-friendly and efficient website.
The project required thorough research and discovery. We benchmarked other LA government websites and major cities for reference. We interviewed 5 LADBS agents from different departments and 5 recent platform users to create user personas and journey maps. The website had significant issues with information architecture, being overloaded with information that was difficult to navigate. Forms, permit requirements, and other crucial information were hard to find, leading users to call customer service. The search engine was ineffective without exact wording. Using Google Analytics, we identified the most visited pages and areas where users spent the most time.
After gathering insights, we prioritized redesigning the homepage to include more shortcuts for easier navigation through the building process. We worked on the information architecture, eliminating duplicate pages and information. We then created low-fidelity wireframes for consistent page layouts and branding. We reviewed this initial UI work with stakeholders before proceeding to high-fidelity designs. A UI kit and set of templates were developed to maintain consistency. User testing with community members revealed mostly successful prototypes, with minor adjustments made based on feedback. The final designs were presented to and approved by stakeholders. Our last task was to create design specifications for the development team and hand off the project for development.
