At a Glance
At a Glance
Role
UX/UI Designer, UX Researcher
Timeline
5 Weeks +
Iterations
Team
3 Collaborators + Solo Redesign
Tools
Figma, Miro,
Research, User Interviews,
User Testing
At a Glance
Role
UX/UI Designer, UX Researcher
Timeline
5 Weeks +
Iterations
Team
3 Collaborators +
Solo Redesign
Tools
Figma, Miro,
Research, User Interviews,
User Testing
Role
UX/UI Designer, UX Researcher
Timeline
5 Weeks + Iterations
Team
3 Collab +
Solo
Redesign
Tools
Figma, Miro,
Research, User Interviews,
& Testing
The Problem
The Problem
The Problem
Inconsistent navigation, duplicated content, and unclear user pathways across an outdated system
Essential services were not prominently surfaced—creating a perceived imbalance in how resources were prioritized across user groups
Forms buried across fragmented systems
Inconsistent navigation, duplicated content, and unclear user pathways across an outdated system
Essential services were not prominently surfaced—creating a perceived imbalance in how resources were prioritized across user groups
Forms buried across fragmented systems
Inconsistent navigation, duplicated content, and unclear user pathways across an outdated system
Essential services were not prominently surfaced—creating a perceived imbalance in how resources were prioritized across user groups
Forms buried across fragmented systems
⟶
⟶
The Solution
The Solution
The Solution
Guided by USDA’s 2024–2026 Strategic Plan, user research, and a focused persona, the redesign supports accessibility and more equitable access.
Replaced inconsistent menus with a shared top navigation
Added explicit agency labeling to reduce confusion
Improved grouping of programs, forms, and resources
Guided by USDA’s 2024–2026 Strategic Plan, user research, and a focused persona, the redesign supports accessibility and more equitable access.
Replaced inconsistent menus with a shared top navigation
Added explicit agency labeling to reduce confusion
Improved grouping of programs, forms, and resources
Guided by USDA’s 2024–2026 Strategic Plan, user research, and a focused persona, the redesign supports accessibility and more equitable access.
Replaced inconsistent menus with a shared top navigation
Added explicit agency labeling to reduce confusion
Improved grouping of programs, forms, and resources
Project Overview
Project Overview
Project Overview
Redesigned the USDA and NRCS homepages—primary entry points within a 29-agency ecosystem.
During a 5-week team sprint, I led user research to understand navigation challenges across fragmented systems. This included heuristic evaluations to identify usability issues, along with user interviews and follow-up testing to validate improvements and capture public perception.
I designed the NRCS Conservation and Forms Library pages and created a focused persona (“Stacey”) representing internal administrative users to guide decision-making.
Post-sprint, I continued the work independently:
Refined information architecture and navigation
Expanded the USDA homepage redesign
Introduced a mobile experience for internal staff
Result
A cohesive 2026 experience shaped through iterative, system-level design.
Redesigned the USDA and NRCS homepages—primary entry points within a 29-agency ecosystem.
During a 5-week team sprint, I led user research to understand navigation challenges across fragmented systems. This included heuristic evaluations to identify usability issues, along with user interviews and follow-up testing to validate improvements and capture public perception.
I designed the NRCS Conservation and Forms Library pages and created a focused persona (“Stacey”) representing internal administrative users to guide decision-making.
Post-sprint, I continued the work independently:
Refined information architecture and navigation
Expanded the USDA homepage redesign
Introduced a mobile experience for internal staff
Result
A cohesive 2026 experience shaped through iterative, system-level design.
Redesigned the USDA and NRCS homepages—primary entry points within a 29-agency ecosystem.
During a 5-week team sprint, I led user research to understand navigation challenges across fragmented systems. This included heuristic evaluations to identify usability issues, along with user interviews and follow-up testing to validate improvements and capture public perception.
I designed the NRCS Conservation and Forms Library pages and created a focused persona (“Stacey”) representing internal administrative users to guide decision-making.
Post-sprint, I continued the work independently:
Refined information architecture and navigation
Expanded the USDA homepage redesign
Introduced a mobile experience for internal staff
Result
A cohesive 2026 experience shaped through iterative, system-level design.
Design Preview
Design Preview
Design Preview
Core System Improvements
Core System Improvements
Core System Improvements
Unified digital ecosystem
Unified digital ecosystem
Unified digital ecosystem
Centralized forms library
Centralized forms library
Centralized forms library
Improved access to public services
Improved access to public services
Improved access to public services
Clearer information architecture
Clearer information architecture
Clearer information architecture
Educational, mission-driven content
Educational, mission-driven content
Educational, mission-driven content
90-Second Video Overview
90-Second Video Overview
90-Second Video Overview
Focuses on the 2024–2025 design process.
Focuses on the 2024–2025 design process.
Focuses on the 2024–2025 design process.
Turning Complexity Into Clarity
Turning Complexity Into Clarity
Turning Complexity Into Clarity
Unifying fragmented government services into a seamless, user-centered experience.
Unifying fragmented government services into a seamless, user-centered experience.
Unifying fragmented government services into a seamless, user-centered experience.
IMPACT & STRATEGIC VALUE
IMPACT & STRATEGIC VALUE
IMPACT & STRATEGIC VALUE
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
This redesign demonstrates how research-driven information architecture, navigation, and content strategy can transform complex federal systems into more intuitive, accessible, and educational and educational experiences.
This redesign demonstrates how research-driven information architecture, navigation, and content strategy can transform complex federal systems into more intuitive, accessible, and educational and educational experiences.
This redesign demonstrates how research-driven information architecture, navigation, and content strategy can transform complex federal systems into more intuitive, accessible, and educational and educational experiences.
1. Unified Navigation Across Agencies
1. Unified Navigation Across Agencies
Created a consistent navigation framework across USDA and NRCS, reducing complexity and improving cross-agency discoverability.
Created a consistent navigation framework across USDA and NRCS, reducing complexity and improving cross-agency discoverability.
2. User-Centered Service Access
2. User-Centered Service Access
Reorganized homepage content around user needs, surfacing critical programs, resources, and services more effectively.
Reorganized homepage content around user needs, surfacing critical programs, resources, and services more effectively.
3. Centralized Forms & Resource Discovery
3. Centralized Forms & Resource Discovery
Consolidated fragmented forms into a searchable library that supports faster task completion and easier information retrieval.
Consolidated fragmented forms into a searchable library that supports faster task completion and easier information retrieval.
4. Educational Conservation Experience
4. Educational Conservation Experience
Transformed static conservation content into a more engaging learning experience that improves understanding and exploration.
Transformed static conservation content into a more engaging learning experience that improves understanding and exploration.
5. Foundation for Internal Workflow Support
5. Foundation for Internal Workflow Support
Explored mobile-first tools for federal staff, highlighting opportunities for task management, resource access, and cross-agency coordination.
Explored mobile-first tools for federal staff, highlighting opportunities for task management, resource access, and cross-agency coordination.
1. Unified Navigation Across Agencies
Created a consistent navigation framework across USDA and NRCS, reducing complexity and improving cross-agency discoverability.
2. User-Centered Service Access
Reorganized homepage content around user needs, surfacing critical programs, resources, and services more effectively.
3. Centralized Forms & Resource Discovery
Consolidated fragmented forms into a searchable library that supports faster task completion and easier information retrieval.
4. Educational Conservation Experience
Transformed static conservation content into a more engaging learning experience that improves understanding and exploration.
5. Foundation for Internal Workflow Support
Explored mobile-first tools for federal staff, highlighting opportunities for task management, resource access, and cross-agency coordination.
Reflection
Reflection
Reflection
This project strengthened my ability to simplify complex systems into clear, testable workflows grounded in user feedback. It also reinforced the importance of triangulating design decisions across heuristic evaluations, user research, a focused persona, and USDA’s Strategic Plan—ensuring alignment between user needs and organizational goals.
While the design leveraged a focused persona (“Stacey”), future iterations would expand to better represent the full ecosystem, including farmers and USDA staff.
It also marked a shift in my approach—from broad exploration to focused, high-impact solutions—driven by iterative refinement and collaboration during the team sprint.
This project strengthened my ability to simplify complex systems into clear, testable workflows grounded in user feedback. It also reinforced the importance of triangulating design decisions across heuristic evaluations, user research, a focused persona, and USDA’s Strategic Plan—ensuring alignment between user needs and organizational goals.
While the design leveraged a focused persona (“Stacey”), future iterations would expand to better represent the full ecosystem, including farmers and USDA staff.
It also marked a shift in my approach—from broad exploration to focused, high-impact solutions—driven by iterative refinement and collaboration during the team sprint.
This project strengthened my ability to simplify complex systems into clear, testable workflows grounded in user feedback. It also reinforced the importance of triangulating design decisions across heuristic evaluations, user research, a focused persona, and USDA’s Strategic Plan—ensuring alignment between user needs and organizational goals.
While the design leveraged a focused persona (“Stacey”), future iterations would expand to better represent the full ecosystem, including farmers and USDA staff.
It also marked a shift in my approach—from broad exploration to focused, high-impact solutions—driven by iterative refinement and collaboration during the team sprint.
Next Steps
Next Steps
Next Steps
While the 2024–2025 phases included extensive prototyping, the 2026 redesign expands to a broader system and would benefit from validation through a working prototype.
While the 2024–2025 phases included extensive prototyping, the 2026 redesign expands to a broader system and would benefit from validation through a working prototype.
While the 2024–2025 phases included extensive prototyping, the 2026 redesign expands to a broader system and would benefit from validation through a working prototype.
Focus areas:
Focus areas:
Focus areas:
Interactive Navigation Prototype
Interactive Navigation Prototype
Interactive Navigation Prototype
Build on the working NRCS navigation to test and scale core patterns across USDA.
Build on the working NRCS navigation to test and scale core patterns across USDA.
Build on the working NRCS navigation to test and scale core patterns across USDA.
Secondary Menu Refinement
Secondary Menu Refinement
Secondary Menu Refinement
Refine and align NRCS secondary navigation with USDA to create a consistent cross-agency system
Refine and align NRCS secondary navigation with USDA to create a consistent cross-agency system
Refine and align NRCS secondary navigation with USDA to create a consistent cross-agency system
Usability Testing
Usability Testing
Usability Testing
Test how users move between programs, forms, and services across agencies, and refine navigation based on real-world use.
Test how users move between programs, forms, and services across agencies, and refine navigation based on real-world use.
Test how users move between programs, forms, and services across agencies, and refine navigation based on real-world use.
Explore the Full Case Study
Explore the Full Case Study
Explore the Full Case Study
From 2024 research to 2026 redesigns—see the full evolution of the USDA digital ecosystem, including strategy, system mapping, and a full video walkthrough.
From 2024 research to 2026 redesigns—see the full evolution of the USDA digital ecosystem, including strategy, system mapping, and a full video walkthrough.
From 2024 research to 2026 redesigns—see the full evolution of the USDA digital ecosystem, including strategy, system mapping, and a full video walkthrough.
Designing thoughtful, human-centered experiences.
© 2026 Amanda Sahaida’s Artistry, LLC
Designing thoughtful, human-centered experiences.
© 2026 Amanda Sahaida’s Artistry, LLC