OPM Retirement Services Online Portal

Overview

Contributed to UX design improvements within the live OPM Services Online retirement portal, a platform used by federal employees to manage retirement-related information and actions.

This work focused on improving clarity, usability, and accessibility across key workflows involving sensitive personal and financial data.

Live Product

View the live platform: https://retire.opm.gov/portal

Note: Work shown reflects the live system. Specific contributions are outlined below.

Problem

The platform supports critical, high-stakes tasks but introduced friction through unclear navigation, inconsistent interaction patterns, and high cognitive load.

Key challenges included:

Complex, multi-step workflows involving sensitive data
Inconsistent navigation and UI patterns
Limited accessibility and outdated interaction structures
Reduced user confidence when completing important actions
My Role
Contributed to UX improvements across key workflows within the platform
Identified usability issues through evaluation and testing
Redesigned user flows and interaction patterns
Collaborated with developers and stakeholders on implementation
Operated across multiple workstreams while maintaining consistency and quality
Approach
User Research & Usability Analysis
Conducted usability testing to identify friction in key workflows
Evaluated how users navigated and completed tasks
Prioritized improvements based on user needs and system impact
UX & Interaction Design
Simplified complex workflows into clearer, structured steps
Improved navigation and information hierarchy
Designed updated wireframes and interface patterns
Focused on clarity, readability, and ease of use
Design Decisions
Prioritized clarity and predictability over visual complexity
Simplified workflows while preserving required system depth
Reduced cognitive load in high-frequency interactions
Focused on increasing user confidence in completing sensitive tasks
AI-Assisted Workflow
Used structured prompting to explore layout and interaction patterns
Generated variations in controlled, scoped iterations
Validated outputs against accessibility standards and design system components
Ensured consistency between design and implementation
Accelerated iteration while maintaining quality
Execution
Delivered high-fidelity UI aligned with modern UX standards
Collaborated closely with engineering during implementation
Iterated designs based on testing and stakeholder feedback
Improved consistency across components and workflows
Outcomes
Improved clarity across key retirement workflows
Reduced friction in high-stakes task completion
Strengthened accessibility and consistency
Increased user confidence in completing critical actions
Reflection

Designing for high-trust systems requires clarity, consistency, and restraint. Even small usability improvements can significantly impact user confidence and task completion in sensitive workflows.