Centers of Medicaid and Medicare (CMS)
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, administers major healthcare programs including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
From November 2023 to June 2025, I served as an end-to-end designer on this project. My responsibilities included:
Creating low- and high-fidelity wireframes and presenting designs to stakeholders
Collaborating with Business Analysts, Developers, and the 508 compliance team
Conducting user research through prototype walkthroughs, surveys, and scripted prompts
Context
Process
01 Collection: Manually Triggered Validations
As a designer involved in discovery and user research, I iterated constantly—using Mural to organize insights and gather feedback on wireframes.
Users reported confusion from error messages triggering mid-typing, disrupting form completion and causing missed deadlines that affected insurance coverage.
To address this, we gathered user pain points, client requirements, and developer constraints. I then identified the affected CMS screens and prioritized solutions.
Solution
I proposed revised interaction flows that introduced manually triggered validations (MTV)—a new feature where errors appear only after a field is completed or at form submission.
During solution walk-throughs, clients noted reduced submission friction and fewer interruptions.
Key Takeaways:
Validation timing plays a critical role in usability.
In multi-feature systems, even small fixes require a system-wide lens.
Visual and interactive communication is essential.
Context
The CMS lacked a central way to track application status, leaving users unclear on progress, ownership, and required actions.
Solution
Deliverable
02 Collection: Reviews Dashboard
I worked on discovery with developers and analysts to understand review logic and user needs, resulting in a Reviews Dashboard with:
Spreadsheet-style layout for quick scanning
Step-by-step status indicators
Tooltips for clear next steps
Consistent labeling for transparency
View Results Justification Required
Reviews Dashboard