NYC MyCity Business
Problem: New York City's system for accessing services and information is overly complex, resulting in a poor customer experience for small business owners.
Timeframe: 9 months
Role: UX Designer
Team: I worked on a design team consisting of two UX Designers, one UX Analyst, and one Visual Designer.
Industry: State and Local Government
Project Background
New York City offers numerous services, benefits, and resources to both City and non-City residents who own and operate small businesses across the five boroughs. However, the existing system is overly complex, resulting in a poor customer experience when business owners need to access forms and information.
To address these challenges, the Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) was tasked with creating MyCity, a one-stop shop portal designed to enhance the customer experience for all city services and benefits, including Childcare, Small Business Services, Jobs, and Benefits.
Our team was specifically responsible for implementing MyCity Business, a streamlined NYC Business portal that consolidates all applications, permits, and licenses into a single platform. This digital transformation aims to simplify the process for small business owners and improve their overall experience with City services.
Role in the Discovery Phase
Audited Old Site and Built IA Map
The other UX Designer and I audited the existing website’s structure to understand its current organization. This analysis helped us build an information architecture that would guide our card sorting sessions with users.
Card Sorting
We conducted a card sorting study with small business owner participants, holding 30-45 minute moderated open card sorting sessions with 18 participants from various industries across all five boroughs. The card sorting study led to a new proposed information architecture, offering a clear and intuitive structure for the site’s content.
Role in the Design Phase
Created Page Templates
The other UX Designer and I created five page template designs for the new version of MyCity. These templates were intended to serve different areas of the site, each providing various types of information. We presented the templates to the clients to obtain final approval before beginning user testing. Once approved, the designs were handed over to the Visual Designer, who applied the design system to our templates to bring them to life.
Role in the Testing Phase
Prioritization: What to Test
Our team conducted a prioritization workshop before each round of usability testing with stakeholders to determine what they wanted to test with users during usability testing.
Preparation for Usability Testing
I collaborated with the other UX Designer to create high-fidelity, clickable wireframes for user interaction during usability testing. We also prepared moderator guides and set up all the tests.
Conducted Usability Testing
We conducted five rounds of usability testing sessions using Figma wireframes to validate the customer experience, usability, and information architecture before final design and development. These sessions involved small business owners from all five boroughs of NYC, ensuring diverse feedback.
After the tests, we analyzed the data and provided recommendations to the clients, which significantly influenced the final product of the site.
Final Product
Most of the recommendations from our testing were implemented in the initial launch of MyCity Business. The website's launch in August 2023 marked a significant milestone in making city government more accessible through the MyCity portal.
Lessons Learned
Gained experience with Card Sorting
This was my first experience conducting a card sorting activity with users. I learned how to use OptimalWorkshop and interpret the card sorting results.
Got comfortable with Usability Testing
This was also my first project where I had the opportunity to conduct usability testing—and I dove in headfirst. After running five separate rounds, I became confident in guiding sessions, asking the right questions, and creating space for users to complete tasks naturally.
The importance of diversity
This project was especially impactful as it served a large population. I recognized the importance of selecting a diverse group of users for testing, including different languages and regions. This approach revealed a lot of challenges that small business owners face and highlighted how important it is to have a diverse group of users for testing.