Veteran experience & onboarding
Challenge
The landscape of post-military life can be overwhelming and confusing, and Veterans must piece together isolated transactions and communications from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to understand and access benefits and services.
Approach
150 in-depth interviews and ten prototypes tested with Veterans across the country to create an “onboarding” tool. This new “Welcome Kit” provides a manageable, yet broad, overview of VA organized from Veterans’ point of view. The guide helps Veterans more easily identify benefits, programs, and services relevant to them both now and in the future.
Role
discovery research, prototyping, usability testing, change management, design ops and implementation support
You may see just another brochure, but I see a fundamental shift in how the second largest federal agency understands the Veteran experience and begins to design solutions aligned to their needs and expectations.
Quick Start Guides
While the main part of the Welcome Kit is a broad introduction to VA, the Quick Start Guides are one page deep-dives, with step-by-step guidance to applying for (or getting started with) specific benefits and services. The original Kit launched with three Guides: health care, disability rating, and education benefits.
In a second research and design sprint, the team created two additional Guides to mental health care services, and services for Veterans aged 65+.
Role
project lead, research
Note: This work, as part of the Insight + Design team, was integral to VA adopting human-centered design as a tool for change and standing up the Veterans Experience Office in 2016. Between 2016 and 2011, the agency measured a 24% increase in Veterans’ trust.