Mandated by Congress through the SECURE 2.0 Act, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) was tasked with launching a public-facing digital tool to help Americans locate unclaimed retirement funds by January 1, 2025. Funded by the Technology Modernization Fund, the initiative required user experience (UX) research and testing with members of the public to be integrated throughout the project lifecycle. As the lead UX strategist and researcher, I ensured the project met its aggressive timeline while maintaining a high standard of usability, accessibility, and federal compliance.

As Lead UX SME and Research Strategist:

STRATEGIC PLANNING

• Designed research approach aligned with congressional and contractual mandates.

• Authored PRA-approved protocols (first public research at DOL).

• Navigated OMB Paperwork Reduction Act clearance as Program Manager

OVERSIGHT & EXECUTION

• Led all UX testing efforts and vendor management.

• Provided authoritative, data-backed recommendations.

• Managed cross-agency collaboration (50+ stakeholder orgs).

STANDARDIZATION

• Created reusable testing protocols now used agency-wide.

• Established precedent for public UX research at DOL.
  

Timeline: 14+ months (2023-2025) Recognition: Two DOL Merit Awards

Challenges

• High-stakes, congressionally mandated project with hard public launch date.

• First public-facing product to mandate UX testing with the public, throughout project lifecycle and post-launch, requiring Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Paperwork Reduction Act clearance.

• Complex multi-agency coordination, privacy and security constraints, and shifting infrastructure and data ownership.

Opportunities

• Funded by the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF), with strong executive-level support for UX research.

• First DOL project to formally embed user research from discovery through implementation and provide need for standardized UX research and testing specific PRA clearance.

• Established a precedent for public UX research at DOL by delivering reusable, PRA-cleared testing protocols and templates now available agency-wide.

Outcomes

• First-ever PRA-approved public UX testing conducted by DOL

• Informed and standardized the UI, content, and logic of a high-impact national tool.

• Recognized with two DOL Merit Awards for leadership in digital transformation and public research.

• Helped establish new research review protocols and cross-agency collaboration standards.

Key Takeaways

• UX in the public sector demands creative, compliant strategies to reach and research real users.

• Leadership in design includes advocating for infrastructure and policy change, not just visual polish.

• Collaborative, cross-agency research requires strong storytelling, clear documentation, and persistent diplomacy to succeed.