CASE STUDY 02 — GSA / HR LINKS
HR Links Transformation.
Large-scale HR systems are often difficult to navigate, leading to “administrative fatigue.” My goal was to consolidate a complex, multi-agency HR backend into a frictionless employee portal across gsa.gov and internal intranets.
- Role
- Project Manager · Service Designer · Content Strategist
- Scope
- IA · Content · Accessibility
- Tools
- MS Office · Drupal CMS · Miro · ChatGPT · Google Meet · Google Analytics · Mouseflow · Siteimprove
Problem
A dying server, non-negotiable deadline.
The legacy server was scheduled for permanent decommissioning, creating an urgent deadline to save critical HR training assets. These resources were essential for organizational continuity but were trapped on a dying platform.
A simple "lift-and-shift" migration was impossible. The assets in their current state were non-compliant, bloated, and fundamentally incompatible with the modern Drupal environment on gsa.gov.
01
UX & accessibility
- PDFs are difficult to navigate, slow to load, and require extra steps to access.
- Interacting with PDFs is hard — clicks and visuals don't behave well.
- Building new Section 508-compliant PDFs for assistive tech is complex.
02
Content management & data
- PDFs aren't search-friendly.
- Current format complicates content updates.
- Dual access requirements need two platforms reading from one repo.
- Reusable patterns required to save time and ensure consistency.
- Google Analytics can't capture engagement data with PDFs.
03
Project & technical workload
- All PDFs had to be converted to HTML.
- Images required web-optimized re-export.
- New screenshots and content reviews across the board.
- HTML wouldn't replicate PDF layout — patterns redesigned.
- Videos replaced (legacy system shown).
02 / Approach
Reframing accessibility as a core business requirement.
I identified that to exist in the new ecosystem, the assets had to be fundamentally re-engineered. I successfully convinced the Product Owner that there was immense value in replacing outdated, non-compliant PDFs with optimized, accessible HTML pages.
By framing accessibility as a core business requirement rather than a secondary task, I aligned leadership around a vision that de-risked the federal profile while improving clarity for every user.
Approach in four moves
03 / Systems & IA
Minimalist aesthetic, maximum impact.
Consolidated 125 scattered assets into a searchable hub built on reusable design patterns — an HTML gateway page with section summaries and download links, indexed across gsa.gov and the employee intranet via task-based navigation.
The new UI removed clutter and helped users concentrate on what matters most — content and usability. Thoughtful white space and clean typography improved readability while maintaining a premium feel.
Beyond aesthetics, the UI is optimized for high performance — fast load times, responsive interactions, and a flawless experience across devices. The streamlined structure keeps navigation effortless.
04 / Leadership
Managed end-to-end product design across three workstreams.
Owned discovery through launch across three parallel workstreams — aligning cross-agency stakeholders around shared accessibility, content, and IA goals.
01
Discovery & strategy
- Led discovery and strategy
- Identified platforms meeting users' dual access needs
- Mapped content types to user journey; defined structure & hierarchy
- Designed and implemented MVP testing, launch, and post-launch iterations
02
Cross-agency alignment
- Conducted multiple workshops on Section 508 mandates
- Facilitated usability tests and assistive technology demos
- Co-authored and revised key content pages
- Aligned cross-agency stakeholders around shared goals
03
UX & content discovery
- Consolidated scattered assets into a searchable hub
- Built an HTML gateway page with section summaries and download links
- Implemented design patterns to standardize design, content & terminology
- Re-architected employee intranet & gsa.gov as task-based navigation
Measurable outcomes
Federal-grade outcomes, employee-grade ease.
By transitioning vital training content from static files to optimized HTML, I secured a 100% compliant launch. The most critical HR datasets are now accessible to every employee and partner, regardless of ability — fully indexed and searchable across gsa.gov.
Engagement increase
Higher trust and adoption of HR tools
Bounce-rate decrease
Employees finding answers faster
Section 508 compliant
Federal risk eliminated through HTML
Assets consolidated
Simplified maintenance for gsa.gov teams
Top 5 pages — engagement rate
- 01Benefits90%
- 02Training videos89%
- 03Self service86%
- 04Gain access and get support83%
- 05HR Links user guides — landing78%
Top 5 pages — lowest bounce rate
- 01Benefits10%
- 02Training videos11%
- 03Self service14%
- 04Gain access and get support17%
- 05HR Links user guides — landing22%
- • Centralized 125 assets in a searchable hub
- • Section 508 and USWDS compliance achieved
- • Indexed and trackable with analytics
- • Faster updates via SME access
- • Dual coverage: secure intranet for employees and the public; controlled access for partner agencies