CDC | National Public Health User Research
Role
Principal UX Researcher
Areas
Research, Design, Strategy
During the COVID-19 pandemic, this federal health agency became one of the most trusted sources of public information in the country. With new visibility came a critical mandate: ensure that content remains accurate, accessible, and usable for diverse audience groups with unique information needs.
I led a comprehensive mixed-methods user research initiative to understand how key audiences search for, interpret, and engage with public-health information. My work informed content strategy, topic categorization, and long-term improvements to information architecture and accessibility.
The assignment 🗂️
This project focused on understanding audience needs within one of the agency’s major divisions. Working closely with internal stakeholders, I led the research from:
project scoping
methodology design
recruitment + compliance
data synthesis
stakeholder alignment
insight delivery
The goal was to develop actionable recommendations grounded in real user behaviors and needs—supporting the agency’s broader mission to deliver clear, equitable, and trustworthy health information.
Foundational Research 🧩
To begin, we reviewed internal materials, previous personas, analytics, and existing stakeholder knowledge. This became the foundation for:
selecting appropriate research methods
defining segment criteria
determining recruitment strategy
shaping our early hypotheses
Because the project operated under strict federal requirements, all methods had to be clearly justified, appropriate, and fully documented.
Heuristic Evaluation
We conducted a large-scale heuristic review with 20+ internal staff and external users.
Using Nielsen Norman Group (NNG) usability heuristics, we gathered:
early indicators of usability barriers
perceptions of clarity, trust, and organization
priority areas for deeper investigation
This allowed us to enter the formal research phase with a grounded understanding of known issues.
Stakeholder Interviews
We interviewed internal teams, content owners, and division leads to understand:
past research
internal knowledge
content workflows
pain points related to content creation and maintenance
Key Learning
Early stakeholder involvement is essential. Their insights ensured our research plan aligned with operational realities and existing constraints.
Method.
Working Within Federal Requirements
Because this was a federally regulated study, every artifact—methods, instruments, scripts, outreach messaging—required approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
This process typically takes 1–3 months and can result in rejection if materials are incomplete or misaligned. I can proudly say my team received approval on our first submission! 🥳
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IDI: Conducted in-depth interview sessions with 8 user segments, gathering valuable feedback and insights into their experiences, content preferences, and motivations. We explored their needs, preferences, and sought to understand how, where, and why they seek information.
Card Sort: Moderated card sorting sessions were conducted to gain user perceptions and insights into how they organize the website's content. This method provided valuable input on user-driven categorization and helped inform content organization strategies.
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Eight distinct segments were previously identified based on their roles and interactions with the CDC. The study's total sample size was N=34, which included a pilot study with N=8 participants. This comprehensive approach ensured a diverse representation of participants, allowing for a thorough exploration of insights across various user segments.
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To achieve our ambitious goal of N=32 participants, we employed a myriad of recruitment strategies. Collaborating with a recruitment partner, we invested tremendous effort in extensive outreach, tapping into professional networks and targeted groups. The relentless pursuit of our goal ensured the successful completion of our research with a robust participant pool.
Although I cannot share raw data, the research outcomes significantly advanced the agency’s understanding of its audiences.
The work:
shaped updated audience profiles used across the division
informed content strategy and IA improvements
supported ongoing internal modernization initiatives
helped teams adopt a more user-centered approach to content development
strengthened the agency’s long-term ability to deliver accessible, trusted information
The insights continue to guide internal improvements today.
More Projects
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Clinical Service Management System