Field Office Visitor Experience Products (VEP)
January 2019 - Current
Users: Members of the Public and Internal SSA Field Office Representatives
Project Background
On March 18, 2020, the pandemic shut down 1230 SSA Field Offices. Employees were sent home to work remotely and the offices were closed to all walk in visitors/customers, leaving the general public without a way to conduct business with the Social Security Administration. Eventually, offices moved to an "appointment only" model for dire need and limited critical situations.
What I did:
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Conducted qualitative customer research
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Participated in survey analysis
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Participated in focus group research
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Created and presented focus group findings
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Created user personas and related journey maps
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Designed high-fidelity functioning Axure Mobile prototype to be used in usability studies
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Created user task scenarios
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Created usability study plans, facilitation guides, consent forms
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Analyzed usability study results
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Presented usability study findings
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Prepared screen design documentation with screen shots and explanation of interactions for developers
Business Process Flow Diagrams
I was asked to create flow diagrams in April 2021, to help illustrate the process of checking in to a field office. These diagrams showed the status of the agency Pre-COVID, the current state, and the future state, once the Field Offices were to reopen (March of 2022). No one really knew when the offices would reopen, or if they would be using the walk-in model, or if they would be open by appointment only. These flow diagrams helped the Product Owners and Stakeholders understand the changes that needed to take place.
Quantitative Research
In June 2020, SSA released a Mobile Check-in application that was not well received. In May 2021, they sent three members of the User Experience Group (myself included) out to find out why. Using Qualtrics, we conducted an Online Survey of Nationwide Field Office management employees and received 1,356 responses. Additionally, in June 2021, we conducted 13 one-hour focus group sessions with 105 Field Office Managers from all regions of the US. Results of both were analyzed and a Findings Report was presented to Executives, Upper Management, and Stakeholders. It was determined that the primary cause for the lack of use was a marketing issue, and that the majority of dire need appointments were for visitors coming in to get their first social security number. The mobile check-n process required that the user enter their (non-existent) social security number.
Mobile User Interface Design
The Mobile Check In project, under the Visitor Experience umbrella, allowed customers to check-in for their in-office, in-person appointments and certify to certain COVID requirements, all through the use of their own mobile device. I suggested the use of a unique identifier to be used in the Mobile Check In to assist the visitor in checking in. My suggestions were implemented in the April 2022 release.
