IDOC
The Indiana Department of Correction operates across more than 20 facilities and multiple parole districts, supporting a complex network of staff, systems, and public-facing services.
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As digital needs expanded, the organization faced challenges related to accessibility compliance, fragmented content structures, and inconsistent user experiences across platforms. Addressing these challenges required a systems-level approach, balancing policy, operations, and human-centered design at scale.
My Role
As Lead UX Strategist & Digital Experience Manager, I led experience strategy across enterprise platforms. Focusing on accessibility, governance, and long-term sustainability rather than one-off solutions.
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My responsibilities included:
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Defining and implementing enterprise UX and accessibility standards
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Establishing content and information architecture systems
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Partnering with senior leadership and cross-functional teams
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Translating operational and policy constraints into usable, scalable experiences
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This role required aligning diverse stakeholders while maintaining clarity, compliance, and momentum across multiple initiatives.
Approach
Rather than treating digital work as isolated projects, I focused on building shared systems and standards that could scale over time.
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Key focus areas included:
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Accessibility-first design: Shifting teams toward proactive WCAG-aligned decision-making
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Governance & consistency: Creating shared patterns for content, structure, and experience
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Measurement & optimization: Using analytics to inform prioritization and continuous improvement
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Cross-functional alignment: Supporting clarity and shared understanding across teams
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This approach emphasized sustainability, not speed. Ensuring improvements could be maintained long after launch.
Outcomes & Impact
This work resulted in measurable improvements across accessibility, usability, and adoption:
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Accessibility scores improved from approximately 60 to 85 through standards and remediation
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Website bounce rates reduced from 28.6% to 10.9%
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Increased engagement across key internal and public-facing platforms
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Reduced rework through clearer standards and shared systems
More importantly, teams gained a clearer framework for making experience decisions moving forward.
Reflection
Designing for government systems requires balancing regulation, operations, and human needs at scale. This work reinforced my belief that strong digital experiences are built through systems, clarity, and collaboration, not just interfaces.
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By focusing on governance, accessibility, and outcomes, this work created a foundation for long-term impact while supporting the people who rely on these systems every day.
“My job as a digital experience leader is to question assumptions and dispel “self-evident” truths to steer companies towards a UX-driven culture. My success depends on my ability to make other people successful.”
