Challenge
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees at the Arizona Department of Health Servicesstruggled with the process of booking COVID-19 vaccination appointments. The sign-up, booking, and password resetting procedures were cumbersome and frustrating, even for those within the department who were among the first to test a new portal. Recognizing the urgent need for a quicker and easier system, the department, in collaboration with the governor’s office, sought to improve the Vaccine Patient Portal to better serve Arizona’s 7 million residents.
By March 2021, the Department had launched the initial version of the Vaccine Patient Portal, designed to handle registration, eligibility determination, and appointment scheduling. However, the portal still required enhancements to make it more user-friendly. My team and I were brought in to conduct usability testing with the department’s employees to identify key pain points and provide actionable recommendations for improving the booking process.
Approach
As the Project Lead and Experience Researcher, I led a team of researchers in collaboration with the department’s project manager and UX designer. We developed research protocols, including screener surveys to select participants, facilitation guides, and communication materials for leadership. I coached researchers on effective interview techniques to reduce bias during usability assessments and provided feedback throughout the research process.
Citation
@online{ali2026,
author = {Ali, Elham},
title = {Closing {NY’s} {Rooftop} {Solar} {Gap}},
date = {2026-01-03},
url = {https://www.elhamyali.com/featured-work/test.html},
langid = {en}
}