Summary
I took on the redesign of Maine’s Unemployment Insurance website to explore how human-centered design could simplify a complex, high-stakes public service. The existing experience made it difficult for claimants to understand where to start, how to file, or what was required of them. My goal was to create a clearer, more accessible, and more trustworthy pathway for people navigating unemployment especially those facing uncertainty or time-sensitive needs.
This project focuses on improving information architecture, plain-language content, and mobile usability, while establishing a foundation for a scalable, service-oriented design system.
This is a passion project I executed by myself, however, I have included next steps for a full redesign at the end of this page.
The Challenge
Claimants described the process as confusing, unintuitive, and stressful. Even basic tasks, like knowing whether they were eligible, required navigating long paragraphs, inconsistent terminology, and missing steps.
Key demographic user information
Age 25-54 years old
Most unemployment claimants in Maine are considered “prime working age”
Education
High school diploma or GED
Most claimants have at least a high school diploma or GED, and a sizable portion have some college education but no degree.
Geography
Unemployment rates are highest in northern and rural counties (Aroostook, Somerset, Washington), lower in southern coastal regions (Cumberland, York, Sagadahoc).
Industry and occupation
Recipients are distributed across all industries, but higher claim rates occur in sectors affected by seasonal shifts: hospitality, food services, retail, construction, and manufacturing.
Household and economic status
Most recipients are actively seeking work and are available for employment, as required. A significant subset are caregivers, students, or individuals with health barriers.
Approach
I grounded my redesign in human-centered design principles and rapid prototyping, combining public demographic research and real user feedback to clarify the most urgent needs.
I needed some quotes and qualitative data about the current site. People are frustrated with reemployme.gov, the current unemployment website where claims are submitted. Below are some poignant quotes from users.
"The system isn't user-friendly; it's user-adversarial. It's difficult, time-consuming and counter-intuitive, and it was designed that way."
An opinion piece in the Bangor Daily News (BDN) discussing the failings of the ReEmployME system installed in 2017.
“I get upset and infuriated when I think of everybody who needs this right now, the new people trying to navigate this for the first time — the panic they must feel.”
A claimant named Lake expressing the emotional impact of the confusing system on first-time users during a high-stress economic period. (Source
"I'm using my phone to try to apply for unemployment. Why can't I see the whole page? It's best to use a desktop, laptop or tablet to file for unemployment rather than a cell phone."
A question and answer provided in an official resource guide, acknowledging that the website is not fully mobile-responsive, which excludes many users who rely on phones for internet access.
"I can't do it online. I made profile maybe 10 years ago. And I forgot my user name and password. I can't start a new profile with my SS#. When I click (I forgot my username/password) it tells me to call. I was hoping it would send me an email. I gotta call or go in person I guess."
A user describing a poor password/username recovery flow that forces users off the website and onto the impossible-to-reach phone system is a major accessibility barrier.
Core problems
Critical information buried in dense, policy-heavy pages & insider jargon
No clear path to file a claim or understand requirements
Inconsistent formatting and terminology
Mobile users struggled to scan, navigate, and complete tasks
High call-center burden due to lack of clarity on the site
It looked to me like the site could easily meet people's usability expectations by starting with fixing any heuristic issues. So I did a quick Heuristic evaluation. Here are my findings (click on the image for full size details)
Putting it all together
Key insights and needs for the improved site
Simplify and clarify application language
Use plain language throughout forms, instructions, and messages. Avoid jargon and legalese, allowing users with varied literacy levels to understand and complete the process independently.
Enhance accessability compliance
Ensure full WCAG 2.1 AA compliance: support screen readers, keyboard navigation, contrast modes, and adjustable text size for users with disabilities and older adults.
Mobile-First Responsive Design
Redesign site for mobile responsiveness, ensuring all features (forms, support, claim status) work seamlessly on smartphones and tablets—critical for low-income and rural users.
Transparent Claim Status Tracker
Integrate a real-time status tracker that lets users see exactly where they are in the claims process, reducing uncertainty and minimizing calls for updates.
Step-by-Step Guided Workflows
Implement intuitive, step-by-step guidance through the core application, with smart prompts, tooltips, and error explanations at every stage—helping users avoid common mistakes[3][6].
Multilingual Support and Interpretation Services
Offer site information and support in Maine’s prevalent languages (English, French, Somali, Spanish), including live interpreter services for forms and support calls to serve new Mainers and BIPOC communities.
Getting to work
I used an AI-augmented workflow to quickly analyze reemployme.gov and realize a prototype using open source UI components.
The outcome
While this was a self-directed redesign, the improved experience demonstrated the impact of applying service-oriented design principles to a public system:
A streamlined task flow that reduces reliance on call centers.
A more consistent and accessible foundation aligned with WCAG guidance.
A content structure that helps claimants understand what to do and why.
A clearer, more navigable experience for first-time and returning users.
A flexible component set that could scale across additional UI pages and features.
A standardized UI using the USWDS (U.S. web design system).
What I Learned
This project reinforced the idea that unemployment services are not simply “digital products.” They are lifelines. When content is unclear or the experience is confusing, real people feel the consequences.
Plain language is a trust-building tool.
Service design thinking must guide digital design in public programs.
Clarity and structure reduce emotional burden
A strong design system isn’t a “nice to have” it’s keeps a public service adaptable
Government content should be crafted not to overwhelm people, but rather to support them while they are in need
Next steps
While this case study demonstrates the transformative potential of human-centered, accessible digital design, it is just a starting point. To transition from concept to a genuinely impactful government service.
What should come next:
Deeper User Research and Co-Design: Conduct structured, inclusive research with a broader spectrum of claimants, staff, and community advocates. Use participatory design methods to surface unique pain points, lived experiences, and equity gaps that might not be captured in an individual prototype.
Stakeholder Alignment and Policy Review: Collaborate with state UI staff, legal advisors, and cross-agency partners to ensure the solution meets both operational and policy requirements, and identify areas for policy modernization in support of improved service delivery.
Iterative Prototyping and Testing: Co-create and test interactive, production-aligned prototypes with real users (especially underserved and BIPOC communities), iterating rapidly based on usability RITE testing and behavioral analytics.
Technical Feasibility Assessment: Partner with technical leads to evaluate integration needs, system constraints, and security/privacy requirements, designing an implementation roadmap that respects legacy tech realities.
Accessibility and Multilingual Auditing: Engage specialists and representative users to verify compliance with WCAG standards and language inclusion best practices through rigorous audits.
Implementation Planning: Define milestones, risks, staffing, and change management strategies. Develop a phased rollout plan driven by measurable impact goals—always centering claimant success and trust as north stars.
By following these next steps, the vision for a simpler, more trustworthy unemployment insurance experience can move from idea to reality, creating meaningful outcomes for the people who need it most.
See a detailed breakdown of the next steps