Redesigning a Federal Compliance Manual for Simplicity and Speed: Streamlining regulatory workflows through user-centered design
The Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) Health Center Program Compliance Manual
Don’t feel like reading this whole case? Here’s a summary:
As the lead UX designer on HRSA BPHC’s Compliance Manual redesign, I worked with a cross-functional discovery team to modernize a complex and outdated federal workflow. Through collaborative research, process flow mapping, and interface design, I proposed a scalable, intuitive solution to streamline the annual manual update process. Although development was paused due to external circumstances, this foundational design work will significantly improve usability, reduce redundancy, and accelerate future implementation. This project demonstrated my ability to lead discovery, translate insights into wireframes, and align design goals with federal priorities.
My Role: Lead UX Designer
Timeline: January 2025 – February 2025 (Paused)
Tools: Miro, Figma, MS Teams
Team: Business Analysts, Technical Architect, Software Engineer, UX Designer (solo)
Project Overview
Client: The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Bureau of Primary Health Care (HRSA BPHC)
Product: Health Center Program Compliance Manual
The HRSA BPHC Compliance Manual supports health centers in meeting federal program requirements. It consolidates legal and regulatory guidance and outlines how HRSA determines eligibility for participation and Public Health Service (PHS) employee status. However, the internal process for updating the manual each year had become cumbersome and inefficient—relying on outdated workflows and redundant form entry.
Our goal was to reimagine this update process with a streamlined, user-centered digital workflow that would simplify task completion, reduce complexity, and proactively support future regulatory updates.
UX Goals
Streamline the compliance update process by identifying inefficiencies and proposing a simplified user flow.
Create a scalable, intuitive solution that allows non-technical users to manage updates with minimal friction.
Collaborate proactively with business and technical stakeholders to ensure alignment and feasibility.
Lay the groundwork for future development despite the project being paused.
My Role & Process
I served as the sole UX designer and worked in close collaboration with Business Analysts and the Technical Architect to:
Map the existing manual update process
Identify key user pain points and inefficiencies
Propose a restructured, user-friendly system through detailed flows and mockups
Deliver clear, developer-friendly designs that could guide future implementation
This project deepened my experience with discovery-phase UX, especially within regulated government environments.
Research Driven Design & Understanding the Problem
We began by reviewing the Compliance Manual’s update protocol and interviewing internal stakeholders to understand their current workflow, technical constraints, and user frustrations.
Key Findings:
Manual updates were time-consuming and error-prone
Redundant data entry and unclear handoffs caused delays
The interface lacked intuitive navigation, especially for less technical users
No centralized dashboard or progress tracking existed
Insights in Action:
We used these insights to define clearer roles, reduce unnecessary steps, and introduce guided workflows through a new dashboard and form experience.
User Flows
I created process flow diagrams in Miro to illustrate both the current state and proposed future state. This visual mapping helped clarify task ownership, reduce ambiguity, and support decision-making across the team.
Mapped out key actions: adding program requirements, creating elments and conditions, reviewing, and approving edits
Proposed simplifications: pre-filled fields, status indicators, contextual tooltips
Ensured flexibility to handle exceptions or policy changes
These flows laid the foundation for wireframes and high-fidelity mockups, which I developed collaboratively with the BA.
Finalized Process Flow Created in Figma
Reference Diagram
Initial Miro Process Flow
Design Process
Low-Fidelity (Miro → Figma):
Started with sketched flows in Miro to align with the BA and architect, then transitioned to Figma for wireframes.
High-Fidelity (Figma):
Created dashboard and form mockups that visually represented the streamlined process. Designed for clarity, task tracking, and future scalability.
Design Highlights:
A centralized dashboard for tracking manual update progress
Clean, minimal form layouts with logical step-by-step guidance
Language designed for clarity and compliance ease—not technical jargon
Although the project was paused before usability testing or development began, the first round of mockups were shared with internal stakeholders and received positive initial feedback.
Dashboard Design for Primary User
Form Page for Primary User
Final Impact
Before the redesign, the manual update process was disjointed and heavily reliant on repetitive data entry, with little to no visibility into task progress or ownership. The proposed solution introduces a streamlined workflow supported by a centralized dashboard for real-time tracking, along with a clearer form hierarchy and contextual guidance. These improvements are expected to significantly reduce errors, save time, and enhance staff engagement once implemented.
My UX Journey
This project reinforced my passion for simplifying complexity and collaborating with others. It challenged me to lead discovery efforts, advocate for users, and translate ambiguous problems into structured, collaborative solutions.
What I gained:
Confidence leading discovery for a federal system redesign
Deepened skills in flow mapping and stakeholder alignment
Practice navigating project uncertainty with clarity and intention
What I bring to future work:
A methodical approach to untangling process-heavy systems
Strong communication with technical and business stakeholders
Designs grounded in user empathy, structure, and usability