WA State DCYFWA

For this project, I worked with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYFWA) to improve their online resources for parents and guardians seeking preschool and childcare providers. I began by conducting research to understand the pain points and needs of users, including interviews with parents, staff, and website users, as well as product reaction cards and web analytics. This research allowed me to identify three key problems with the website: a confusing preschool application process, difficulty finding childcare providers by neighborhood, and an outdated website design that didn't reflect the organization's brand.

To address these issues, I developed a series of research questions and methods to investigate them. For the preschool application process, I conducted semi-structured interviews with parents and staff, as well as in-person user tests with prototypes to improve usability. For the difficulty finding childcare providers, I organized focus groups and conducted unmoderated remote user testing, and also created a prototype with a redesigned search feature. For the outdated website design, I used product reaction cards and competitive analysis to understand user perceptions, and created new designs to address pain points.

Overall, my process involved a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, and included a focus on understanding user needs and pain points. Through this process, I was able to develop targeted solutions to the problems faced by DCYFWA users, resulting in a more user-friendly website that better meets the needs of parents and guardians seeking preschool and childcare providers.