%201.png)
TAMM - Government Citizen Portal
As part of the IBM iX team in Dubai, I played a pivotal role in advancing the Abu Dhabi Government’s mission to modernize citizen portals and websites through the TAMM initiative, led by the Abu Dhabi Smart Solutions & Services Authority (ADSSA). Our goal was to digitise a comprehensive range of services provided by various government entities in Abu Dhabi, enhancing accessibility and efficiency.
Objectives & Contributions
Utilizing the refined DLS, I developed an intuitive school-finding process tailored for both expatriates and Emirati families. This tool simplified the school selection process, integrating seamlessly with the broader citizen portal to provide a user-friendly experience.
I contributed to the design of a comprehensive portal that manages various aspects of civic life—including schooling, property, and business dealings. By integrating a structured DLS that employs atomic design principles, we ensured that all components were fully utilized to build a robust and accessible platform.
Design Language System (DLS)
The Design Language System (DLS) encompassed all areas of TAMM’s extensive website. Understanding the problem requires familiarity with the project team structure.
IBM assigned two designers to work on various sections of the TAMM site, including business applications, visas, employment, and education. The initial stage of the project involved research and ideation, with each team wireframing their respective journeys. Positioned above these teams were the UI and Design System teams, who would receive these wireframes and begin crafting the components needed to support the UX team. Herein lay a significant challenge: the DLS quickly became convoluted due to the diverse personalized styles developed across the eight UX teams.
Upon joining the project, my primary task was to resolve this issue and implement new processes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Malesuada proin libero nunc consequat. Urna porttitor rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium.
New Operational Processes
The new procedures involved submitting applications for the creation of new components. All UX Design Leads were required to thoroughly review the existing DLS to confirm that their needed component was not already available.
Following this review, the UI team would evaluate the application to determine if the requested component indeed existed in another form or if it should be created anew.
Any rejections were returned to the UX team, who could either accept the suggested component from the DLS team or provide justifications for why their original request was necessary, which would then be escalated to higher management for a decision.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Malesuada proin libero nunc consequat. Urna porttitor rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium.
ATOMIC DESIGN
While the new processes significantly enhanced the workflow across the creative team, we encountered additional irregularities within the UI team’s output. New components were being developed simultaneously, often with overlapping functions.
To address this issue, I implemented an Atomic Design methodology, breaking down all components into fundamental elements—atoms. This approach not only maintained consistency across all components but also expedited the assembly of new components, saving both time and costs.
Due to pressing deadlines to transition from design to development, we decided to divide the UI and DLS teams. One team focused on developing new components, while the other concentrated on deconstructing older components and reconstructing them using the new atomic structure.
The result was profoundly successful. The atomic design approach streamlined operations and is still in use at TAMM today, with many of these components actively functioning within the system.
https://www.tamm.abudhabi/wb/get-education/schoolsSchool Finder
To revolutionize the school discovery and selection process for families in Abu Dhabi, our project aims to cater to the diverse needs of both expatriates and Emiratis by developing an intuitive, comprehensive digital tool. This platform is designed to simplify the often complex process of finding the right school, making it accessible and user-friendly for all families.
Research & Discovery
User Research and Insights
Through a series of ethnographic studies, user interviews, and surveys, we gathered extensive data on the preferences and concerns of parents when selecting schools. The surveys, distributed via personal emails by the government and incentivized with discount tokens for various government-owned entities, provided valuable insights into family needs and expectations.
Proto-Personas
From our initial research and ongoing interviews, we developed several prototype personas that represent the diverse user base of our digital tool. These personas, integral to our design thinking workshops, guide our design decisions and help ensure the tool meets the varied needs of our user base. They serve as foundational elements during ideation sessions, helping to simulate real-world usage scenarios and refine our design approach.
Key Insights
Our research highlighted several critical factors that influence school choice among parents:
Proximity: The importance of the school’s location, with a preference for schools near home or work to ease daily commutes.
Curriculum Offerings: The availability of diverse curricular options that cater to different educational philosophies and career pathways.
Extracurricular Activities: Access to a variety of extracurricular programs that support holistic child development.
Fee Structures: Transparent and flexible fee structures that accommodate family budgets.
School Performance: Academic and extracurricular performance of schools, which reassures parents of the quality of education.
Sitemap
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Malesuada proin libero nunc consequat. Urna porttitor rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium.
The sitemap for the TAMM school application portal is structured to guide users through various services efficiently. It includes sections for educational services overview, user profile management, detailed school application processes, payment services, and additional educational resources. Each section is designed to provide intuitive access to necessary services, enhancing the user experience for both expats and Emiratis.
Task-Flow
The task flow for the school application process on the TAMM platform involves several key steps. Starting with initial login and user verification, users navigate to the school application service where they select and fill out the appropriate application form. The process includes uploading required documents, selecting preferred schools, and submitting the application, followed by payment (if applicable), and ends with tracking the application status and receiving final school assignment notifications. Each step is designed to be user-friendly, ensuring that all necessary information is accurately captured and processed.
User Testing Overview
Testing sessions were a core part of our development process, conducted regularly throughout the wire-framing and interface design stages. Each SCRUM team allocated several days every two-week sprint cycle to user testing. In these sessions, 3-5 users engaged with prototypes or developed features in a controlled environment, providing valuable feedback. The insights gained were synthesized by UX team members and communicated to key stakeholders, with any identified bugs or usability enhancements added to the sprint backlog.
The transition to an atomic design framework initially led to some inconsistencies, causing delays in task completion. This was initially perceived by senior management as a flaw in the new design direction. However, instead of resisting these concerns, we engaged in discussions about potential issues with the existing design patterns and advocated for additional time to acclimate users to the new approach. Subsequent testing showed significant improvements in user completion rates and efficiency.
Users showed a strong preference for minimalistic and clean designs, reflecting the serene aesthetic of Abu Dhabi’s environment. This feedback underscored the importance of simplicity in user interface design.
Feedback indicated that users found horizontal navigation in filters time-consuming and less intuitive. Considering that both English and Arabic users scan more efficiently vertically, we implemented a left-hand filter system to enhance usability and speed up interaction.
Screen-Flows
Final Screenflows and User Experience
My integral role in developing the Design Language System (DLS) provided me with unique insights, almost like a superpower, that enabled me to seamlessly transition components from wireframe to UI. This efficiency was crucial, allowing us to bypass wireframes except where absolutely necessary, such as during strategic meetings and workshops.
Design and User Experience Enhancements
My integral role in developing the Design Language System (DLS) provided me with unique insights, almost like a superpower, that enabled me to seamlessly transition components from wireframe to UI. This efficiency was crucial, allowing us to bypass wireframes except where absolutely necessary, such as during strategic meetings and workshops.
Impact and Feedback
The implementation of the School Finder tool markedly decreased the time and effort required by parents to find suitable schools, as evidenced by user feedback surveys. This enhancement led to a 30% increase in school application submissions, indicating a significant rise in user engagement and satisfaction. The School Finder is part of a broader initiative by the Abu Dhabi government to promote digital transformation across the emirate. This effort underlines the government’s dedication to leveraging technology to improve public service delivery and streamline interactions with government services, contributing to a more efficient and accessible public sector.
Awards & Recognition
In 2019, the TAMM project, a unified online service platform by the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, contributed to the authority’s recognition with the “Innovation in implementing API Management in Government” award by Software AG.
This accolade celebrates TAMM’s significant role in enhancing the delivery of government services through a single, comprehensive portal, marking a key milestone in Abu Dhabi’s digital transformation journey.
https://wam.ae/en/details/1395302796693
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Malesuada proin libero nunc consequat. Urna porttitor rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium.
Project Takeaways
Working with a diverse, international team introduced complexities such as language barriers and cultural differences. The experience highlighted the necessity of maintaining a clear and universal design language system that accommodates global standards, ensuring all team members, regardless of location, could collaborate effectively.
The project’s scale required coordination across multiple government agencies, demanding rigorous organization and flexible planning to align various stakeholders. Staying adaptable was crucial to assimilate a wide range of insights, which was essential for making informed decisions that served a broad spectrum of needs.
In large-scale government projects, patience is critical. It’s vital to allow the project to evolve at its own pace and avoid rushed decisions influenced by internal or external pressures. Regularly stepping back to view the project holistically helps in identifying where real impacts are being made.
Engaging with the Design Language System taught the importance of efficiency and a lean approach to design. It is important to periodically reassess goals and methods to ensure they remain effective under the pressures of high-stakes government projects. Setting aside time each week to plan and evaluate progress is essential for meeting deadlines and maintaining quality.
I led the overhaul of the Design Language System, collaborating closely with the UI design team to streamline and refine the system, ensuring it remained lean and free from redundant components. This foundational work was crucial in supporting the broader goals of consistency and efficiency across government digital services.