My Role
UX Researcher
UX Designer
Client
USCIS
Timeline
Toolbox
Screaming Frog
Figma
Miro
The USCIS website serves over 1.4 million weekly users. However, its Citizenship Resource Center (CRC) section suffered from overwhelming information and inconsistent navigation, leading users to abandon the site and rely on external resources for critical information.
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“I’m confused of many terms. I couldn’t find the right section, so I just Googled it.”
“There’re a lot of overlap between Learner and Educator. I couldn’t really tell the difference.”
“Not sure what “Grants” are for? The four categories seem disconnected to me.”
These insights revealed three core usability challenges within the CRC section:
01
Overwhelmed Information
Users felt overwhelmed by dense content and redundant pages, which increased cognitive load and made navigation time-consuming.
02
Ambiguous Navigation
Scattered content and unclear role-based categories didn’t match users’ mental models, leading to frustration and wasted clicks.
03
Complex Terminology
Labels like “Grants” and “Civic Integration” were too technical, confusing both native and non-native English speakers and limiting accessibility.
The Applicant
Priya
27
Software Engineer
Green Card Holder
“I want to build a stable and successful life in the U.S., where my family can join me.”
Goals & Needs
Clear guidance on family visa sponsorship
Simplified immigration guidance and forms
Efficient, intuitive website navigation
Frustrations
Confusing and lengthy instructions
Hard to find clear visa information
Overwhelmed by complex processes
The Educator
James
65
Retired Teacher
U.S. Citizen
“I want my mentees to feel fully prepared for the citizenship test and confident in their new role as U.S. citizens.”
Goals & Needs
Easy access to citizenship study resources
Clear, plain-language explanations of policies
Easy navigation to find materials quickly
Frustrations
Poorly structured or outdated study resources
Confusing menus and technical jargon
Long, overwhelming webpages
More than 50% of users struggle to navigate the CRC due to unclear labels, scattered content, and ambiguous navigation. This confusion, especially among non-native English speakers, hinders their ability to find information, leading many to rely on third-party sources and lose trust in the USCIS website.
Simplify navigation so users can find information intuitively?
Use clear, accessible language to support diverse audiences?
Reduce cognitive load by organizing content more logically?
We replaced self-identify categories with task-focused navigation, guiding users by actions instead of role.
💡 Impact: Improved task completion and matched user mental models, making navigation more intuitive.
Before: Learners, Educators, Organization, Grants
After: Apply for Citizenship, Learn About Naturalization, Help Future Citizens
We merged overlapping pages and simplified the page hierarchy to streamline navigation.
💡 Impact: Reduced cognitive load and unnecessary clicks, helping users reach key information faster.
Before: Separated Pages
After: Combined Page
We replaced technical or unclear labels with plain-language terms that better reflect user expectations.
💡 Impact: Increased content clarity and accessibility, especially for non-native English speakers.
Rename Highlights
Before
After
We conducted multiple rounds of card sorting to test and refine the proposed IA. By continuously adjusting different label names and information structures, we increased the overall success rate from 35% to 67%.
Iterations
1st Iteration: Success rate 35% → 45%
Final IA Design: Success rate 67% (+32%)
Users expressed greater confidence in finding information.
Confusion decreased as fewer participants placed cards in the “I am not sure” category.
Stakeholders praised the improved clarity and usability of the redesigned IA.
01
Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration
Collaborating with teammates from varied backgrounds taught me to bridge communication gaps between researchers, designers, and stakeholders, ensuring alignment and efficiency.
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Mental Models Drive IA
Understanding mental models helped me design an IA aligned with user expectations, making navigation more intuitive and reducing confusion.
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Future Opportunities
Though UI design was beyond scope, users expressed interest in improved visuals. With more time, I’d explore aligning IA, content, and UI for a seamless government website experience.
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Validate with Tree Testing
Conduct large-scale testing to confirm the redesigned IA’s findability.
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Enhance Accessibility
Perform a full accessibility audit to ensure WCAG compliance and inclusivity.
03
Expand Multilingual & Mobile Support
Localize content and optimize navigation for mobile devices to reach broader audiences.