Civis is a concept platform exploring how fragmented government services could be redesigned as a single, clearer citizen experience. The goal was to reduce cognitive load, improve accessibility, and create consistent patterns across payments, identity, appointments, documents, and service access.
The challenge
Government services are often spread across different departments, websites, logins, and mental models. Users are expected to understand the structure of government before they can complete a task.
- Services fragmented across departments
- Multiple websites and inconsistent experiences
- Inconsistent terminology
- Complex forms and unclear requirements
- Poor accessibility foundations
- High cognitive load
- Users forced to think like institutions
How I approached it
The process focused on creating a shared service framework instead of isolated screens. The aim was to define consistent patterns for navigation, forms, validation, error states, progress feedback, identity, documents, submissions, and service updates.
Mapped common public-service tasks
Grouped services by user needs and life context
Created a shared navigation model
Defined reusable form and validation patterns
Designed identity, wallet, documents, and update flows
Prioritised accessibility and clarity
Reduced cognitive load through progressive disclosure
Trade-offs
The main challenge was designing for trust without adding friction. Government services need security and credibility, but if every step feels intimidating, people lose confidence.
- Trust without intimidation
- Security without excessive friction
- Accessibility across complex flows
- Clear language for service requirements
- Consistency across different service types
- Adapting one model to many departments
Final direction
The final concept organised services around user needs rather than government departments. The proposed structure included home, services, wallet, updates, and profile. This created one connected experience instead of a maze of separate portals.
Outcomes
Because Civis is conceptual, impact should be framed as a validated service model rather than measured live performance. The concept demonstrates how fragmented public services could become clearer, more accessible, and more scalable.
Group services around life context, not institutional ownership.
Public services should not require users to understand institutional complexity. The best service design hides organisational mess and gives citizens a clear path to completion.