Government
Ontario Digital Service
Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
Sarah Brown, Shannah Segal
Lucia Hsieh, Lyndsey Fonger (content)
I was responsible for prototyping user flows for two COVID-19 product teams that focused on website, data and procurement. Due to high demand, a group of designers worked on multiple COVID-19 products at different points in time.
This project only showcases the work from COVID-19 procurement team when I was the lead UX designer.
2020
Cover photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash
When we started:
Given that there was a shortage of supplies everywhere, our team was formed to ask for help from businesses to supply emergency products and innovative solutions in response to COVID-19.
We were working on all the procurement of PPE, and the digital tools that would help source and distribute all of those [...] I’m helping get this sanitizer and masks and, unfortunately, heart machines and body bags from factories to hospitals.
— Shannah Segal. Public Service Heroes. Interview with Sean Boots.
We collaborated with ministry partners who were responsible for supply chain and business development while our team was focused on building the digital platform to enable their work. Our digital team included:
We worked with user researchers for ad-hoc support to continuously solve immediate problems.
We had daily stand-ups and collaborative work sessions to make sure we were all aligned as a team.
Interviews with businesses revealed that their top concerns were:
We transferred to 100% virtual, including our board of directors, and they are not necessarily technologically friendly. We’re known as on-the-ground local people helping local businesses. It created huge challenges not only for us, but also for our clients.
— Business and community development
Provide quick options upfront so the experience is relevant to what businesses are looking for.
We only displayed necessary information one at a time to help guide the users better.
Prototyping this user flow on Figma helped us collaborate, pinpoint requirements and see the flow from the user’s perspective.
We mapped out possible error states that could occur to better guide users on what is required.
When businesses were able to supply more PPE (personal protective equipment) than required, the ministry partners wanted to create another channel for businesses to distribute directly to the public.
From the data that ministry partner collected from businesses with their consent, our team created a directory for anyone to find companies that can provide PPE and other supplies that they needed.
The directory started with around 650 companies and it has been growing ever since.
The Amethyst Awards recognize individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions in client service, innovation, valuing people and professional achievement.
COVID in a way has been helpful. It has forced attorney general to use technology... It’s a system based on paper, rules, rigidness. So with the emergency orders, suddenly we can file everything by email, set up things by phone.
— Law office
2020
2021
2021