Overview 

• Client: B2B & B2C - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

• My Role: UX Researcher and Strategist - I led the research, design, and strategies from start to finish

• Duration: April – May 2023

• Methodologies: Online Survey, User Interview, Usability Testing

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Background

HARP (HCQIS Access Roles and Profile) is a secure identity management portal provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). It allows users to register, manage their profiles, and gain access to various CMS applications that require role-based authorization.

 

Since the initial MVP launch, the default landing page after HARP login was the "Profile Information" screen regardless of user type. However, internal feedback and support desk data indicated this generic approach was not aligned with user priorities or workflows. Many users, especially Security Officials, logged in regularly to manage role requests or access CMS systems not to update profile information.

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The Problem

The default HARP landing page lacked task relevance and contextual alignment. Users were met with account profile information, even though most logged in to manage access requests or reach connected applications. This one-size-fits-all experience led to inefficiencies, user frustration, and avoidable support requests.

 

Security Officials, in particular, expressed difficulty in quickly navigating to high-priority functions like role approvals. Many users described the experience as disjointed, requiring multiple clicks to "get to work." It became clear that the landing page needed to evolve from a static screen into a dynamic, role-aware dashboard that matched real user behavior.

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Approach

 

Before jumping into testing solutions, I needed to understand the broader context of why the default HARP landing page was underperforming. Instead of assuming the issue was purely visual, I took a behavior-first approach—one that investigated how users interpreted the landing experience in the flow of their actual tasks.

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I began by aligning with CMS business owners and developers to understand the intent of the current design and known challenges based on help desk inquiries and user feedback. While the existing landing page was designed to support account management, most users were logging in with different priorities such as managing roles or accessing applications.

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This insight led to a research strategy grounded in three goals:

• Diagnose the gap between what users expected and what the landing page delivered.

• Design and test a more intuitive, task-focused dashboard-style experience.

• Validate that the new concept reduced friction and surfaced relevant content more effectively.

 

To do this, I led a two-phase research plan: a large-scale survey to capture directional feedback, followed by in-depth 1:1 usability testing with a working prototype. This hybrid approach allowed us to map out both strategic gaps and tactical opportunities for redesign.

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Process

1. Planning & Preparation​

• Defined research objectives, study questions, and success criteria in collaboration with CMS.

• Designed a two-phase research strategy combining large-scale input and in-depth feedback.

• Developed a detailed research plan outlining methodology, timeline, and participant targets.

• Drafted survey questions and usability testing scenarios specific to post-login behaviors.

• Created an interactive prototype of a new dashboard-style landing page for testing.​​

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2. Survey Development & Analysis

• Deployed an online survey to collect wide-reaching feedback on users' login behaviors and experiences with the current HARP landing page.

• Received responses across user types, gathering data on frequency of use, task frustration, and desired changes.

• Analyzed quantitative and qualitative responses to identify themes and segment participants for follow-up.

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3. User Interviews & Usability Testing

• Recruited participants from the survey pool based on role diversity and relevance to target user groups.

• Conducted remote 60-minute task-based sessions via Zoom using think-aloud protocol.

• Observed user interaction with the prototype to evaluate usability, task clarity, and perceived value.

• Captured direct feedback and identified points of friction and improvement.

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4. Synthesis & Findings

• Analyzed transcripts and observational notes to extract behavioral patterns and usability trends.

• Consolidated insights into a structured findings report outlining pain points and user priorities.

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5. Reporting & Design Recommendations

• Created annotated wireframes of the proposed landing page, supported by direct user quotes.

• Developed actionable UX recommendations addressing layout, content prioritization, and feature visibility.

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6. Presentation, Follow-Up & Integration

• Presented findings to CMS leadership and cross-functional teams.

• Converted prioritized recommendations into Jira tickets to inform the product backlog.

• Facilitated working sessions to align product, design, and engineering around implementation scope and next steps.

• Presented findings to CMS leadership and product teams.

• Logged validated user needs as backlog user stories for future design iteration and development.

• Supported discussions on the application of dashboard-style access across CMS platforms.

 

Key Findings

• Users wanted to "get to work faster": The existing page added friction by showing generic content rather than actionable shortcuts.

• Role-specific applications were not surfaced effectively: Users often had to search or click through several menus to reach their tools.

• The layout did not reflect user priorities: Frequently used applications were buried, while irrelevant links dominated the screen.

 

Recommendations

• Introduce role-based dashboards that surface relevant tools upon login.

• Allow users to customize shortcuts or prioritize applications based on frequency of use.

• Add task-based widgets such as “My Applications” or “Pending Actions.”

• Minimize cognitive load by removing or deprioritizing irrelevant sections.

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Impact

• CMS stakeholders adopted the role-based dashboard concept for further development.

• Feedback from this research informed conversations around personalized access within the HARP ecosystem.

• The findings also influenced future IA planning for other CMS systems beyond HARP.

 

Deliverables

• Research Plan
  Outlined research objectives, participant criteria, methods, timeline, and success metrics to guide decision-making. Ensured alignment across UX, product, and policy stakeholders.

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• Survey Design and Analysis Summary
  Designed and deployed a structured questionnaire to gather broad input on user frustrations and landing page expectations. Analyzed data from responses to identify trends and target interview participants.

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• Dashboard Prototype (Figma)
  Created an interactive, mobile-responsive prototype reflecting role-specific tasks and layout hypotheses. Used to support user testing and stakeholder walkthroughs.

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• Usability Testing Script & Notes
  Developed moderator guide, task flows, and behavioral probes for consistency across sessions. Collected qualitative data through 60-minute remote interviews with participants.

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• Research Findings Report
  Synthesized insights from both the survey and usability testing phases. Highlighted usability gaps, prioritized user needs, and outlined UX opportunities.

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• Annotated Design Recommendations
  Documented visual and functional improvement areas with contextual rationale. Delivered annotated wireframes and improvement notes for CMS development leads and the development team.

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• Stakeholder Readout Deck
  Delivered a concise, visually supported summary of research insights, participant quotes, and high-priority design recommendations. Presented to CMS leadership and cross-functional delivery teams.

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• Jira Ticket Mapping
  Converted validated insights into actionable development backlog items with supporting rationale and implementation guidance.

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Reflection

This project reminded me how even seemingly simple screens like a login landing page can significantly impact user experience when misaligned with real tasks. The goal was not just to make HARP more efficient but to make it more purposeful. Most users were not logging in to edit their profile—they were there to take action.

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Designing a single, role-aware dashboard was a strategic decision to serve diverse user needs without fragmenting the experience. I sought to surface high-priority tools up front and reduce unnecessary effort. Role-based design gave users a sense of relevance and control, especially for those managing access approvals. But it also raised an important tension: how do I personalize a system without sacrificing consistency or usability for others?

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I proposed a balanced approach. Default modules and task-based widgets provided guidance without being rigid. Global navigation remained accessible to all roles. And content was prioritized, not hidden. Ultimately, I planted the seed for deeper personalization—where future iterations could dynamically adapt to users’ history, frequency, and intent.

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That level of customization was beyond the immediate scope. But my findings and framework created a long-term vision. As a UX researcher, I was proud to push beyond cosmetic fixes and advocate for systems that flex intelligently to user context. Good personalization is not about tailoring surfaces to preferences. It is about minimizing distraction, reducing barriers, and giving users faster access to what matters most.

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* Due to the NDA restrictions, the final outcomes of this project are confidential and cannot be posted on this website.   Please contact me if you are interested in learning more about this project.

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