City of Philadelphia Digital Service Transformation
Field research and information architecture consolidating 300+ city services for 1.5 million residents
“Everything we build should be as inclusive, legible and readable as possible. If we have to sacrifice elegance — so be it. We’re building for needs, not audiences....the people who most need our services are often the people who find them hardest to use. Let’s think about those people from the start.” — Gov.uk Design Principles
Challenge
Philadelphia's digital services created barriers to accessing essential government services. The phila.gov website organized information around internal government structure rather than how residents actually thought about services, leading to frustrated residents, increased call center volume, and inefficient operations. The city needed a comprehensive redesign serving all residents — including those with low digital literacy, limited internet access, and varying education levels.
Approach
Led field research across diverse Philadelphia neighborhoods using card sorting exercises, contextual inquiry, and usability testing with 25+ residents recruited through convenience sampling in libraries, diners, nonprofits, and city offices. Developed comprehensive research plan with three areas of inquiry: usability barriers, resident mental models, and improvement opportunities. Created information architecture for 300+ city services based on how residents actually search for services, not how government departments are organized.
Key Research Findings
Navigation terminology was unclear to residents (words like "explore," "initiatives," "publications")
Font sizes and colors in mega-menu didn't meet accessibility standards
Predictive search overwhelmingly preferred over directory filtering
Left-side in-page navigation created confusion when navigating content-heavy pages
Outcomes
Established usability testing protocols and accessibility standards for phila.gov platform
Created research-driven information architecture serving 1.5 million residents
Developed design frameworks continuing to guide multi-year digital transformation
Improved service accessibility for hundreds of thousands of residents, especially those with limited digital literacy
What Made This Work
Comprehensive Surface Scan field research across diverse communities not just tech-savvy residents revealed the disconnect between government language and resident understanding. Starting with actual resident mental models prevented costly design assumptions and ensured solutions worked for ALL Philadelphians, including those who most needed city services but found them hardest to access.
Unclear language noted based on participant feedback
Participants found the left navigation (circled) confusing to navigate