Michigan.gov

Michigan.gov is the official website for the State of Michigan. This large portal helps citizens, business owners, and job seekers navigate to the information and resources they need. Maintained by DTMB, Michigan.gov is an enterprise website with many involved project stakeholders including 17 departments. We teamed up with the State of Michigan to build a clean, user-focused web presence.

Highlights

  • Branding Design
  • MiPage Mobile App
  • Information Architecture
  • User Testing
www.michigan.gov
Michigan.gov website viewed on a desktop

Awards

We applied our knowledge of mobile design, information architecture, and web accessibility to build a website for Michigan.gov that met the needs of all Michigan citizens. Our team transformed a complex collection of disconnected sites into a fluid, intuitive experience that everyone could use. As a result, Gravity Works was named a finalist for the 2015 Best of the Web Award!
2015 Best of the Web finalist
2015 Best of the Web finalist
The new Michigan.gov logo

Brand Design

As with other large enterprise websites, each department existed in its own silo. With no design patterns established, every page and application lacked consistency. The disconnect in design frustrated users and hurt the State of Michigan brand. Through multiple design sprints, we worked closely with DTMB and SOM departments to create a new look for the Michigan.gov home page and subpages. These initial design sprints encouraged DTMB to continue valuing UX, design, and research.

The design phase also included the introduction of a new color palette, typography style, and logo redesign. With a revamped style guide in place, Michigan.gov could create pages with a consistent look and feel. This guide included branding direction for adding buttons, icons and other interface elements.

A style tile with the new Michigan.gov logo and brand

Making Michigan Mobile

Our team helped DTMB break the silos that departments work in by creating a mobile app where users can access information in a single location. MiPage serves users with information about Michigan activities, events, and policies. Users can personalize their accounts by favoriting the Michigan locations they most care about. The app connects users with information about job openings, voter information, state campgrounds and parks, hunting, fishing, upcoming events and more.

Architecture

This information-heavy website required a large architecture overhaul to simplify navigation and direct people to relevant resources. Our team collaborated with DTMB on information architecture for the Michigan.gov site on high-traffic department pages, and new audience-specific landing pages. We created wireframes and content priority for all Michigan.gov landing pages, including UX wireframes for many of the tools that are found on these pages.

User Testing

We conducted various user tests with lead content managers for the departments including cart sorting workshops and other internal activities. We collected public feedback as well by conducting online reverse card sorting and click tests. Our research focused on at-risk groups, including low literacy users, to gather a large range of feedback.
Events from the Michigan.gov homepage on a laptop

Moving Forward

Since launching the new Michigan.gov, Gravity Works has collaborated with DTMB on a number of additional projects. We continue to develop software solutions and provide web consultation to foster an environment where design and user experience are at the forefront.

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