A Clearer Path to Disability Benefits
How might we redesign the SSA.gov pre-application process to reduce confusion and help users feel more confident applying for disability?
Snapshot
Role: UX Researcher & UI Designer
Timeline: 4 weeks
Goal: Improve the user experience of SSA.gov’s disability pre-application process by simplifying navigation, reducing information overload, and empowering users with clear next steps.
Key challenges: Designing for users with low digital literacy and physical limitations while working within the constraints of a complex government system.
The problem
Navigating SSA.gov’s disability benefits application can be frustrating—especially for users with limited mobility or low tech confidence. The existing interface is packed with jargon, repetitive instructions, and unclear navigation. Users feel overwhelmed, lost, and fatigued before they even begin the full application process.
User Persona & Heuristic Evaluation
To understand user needs, I created a persona based on Social Security demographic data and conducted a heuristic evaluation using Jakob Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics.
Users struggled with repeated data entry and confusing language.
Many felt disoriented without a clear sense of where they were in the process.
Cognitive overload was a major issue.
Wireframing & A/B Testing
I mapped out a simplified user flow that prioritized:
Step-by-step guidance through a progress bar
Fewer clicks to reach essential information
Optional exploration through a self-assessment tool
Key Design Decision:
I replaced early account creation with a self-assessment tool, so users could get benefit estimates without commitment—building trust and reducing friction.
To validate the redesigned flow, I conducted A/B testing using a think-aloud protocol with users of varying digital literacy levels. Participants were split between the original SSA.gov interface and the redesigned version. Each participant completed key tasks like navigating steps, estimating benefits, and locating eligibility information—all while verbalizing their thought process.
The left column represents the current SSA website, while the right column represents the revised version.
Challenges & Iterations
Challenge 1: Some users misread the progress bar as tracking the entire application, not just the pre-application.
Solution: Added clearer labeling and supporting text to define what the progress bar represented. Challenge 2: Users had mixed feelings about expandable menus. Solution: I tested variations—some with visible full content, others with expandable sections—to assess preferences. Future versions could offer a toggle option.
Challenge 3: Estimating benefits without full user data created skepticism. Solution: Added contextual messaging about how estimates are calculated, including influencing factors and ranges.
Improved Designs & Features
The revised prototype focused on clarity and ease of use. Core updates included:
Progress Bar – Clearly shows where the user is in the pre-application process Navigation Buttons – “Next” and “Previous” options to reduce anxiety around making a mistake Expandable Menus – Reduced cognitive load by chunking information into collapsible sections Self-Assessment Tool – Gave users immediate benefit estimates without needing to create an account
Results & Imact
📈 Users reported feeling more confident and less overwhelmed using the redesigned version.
💬 Participants appreciated the sense of control and clarity, especially from the progress indicators and navigation buttons.
🔍 The study highlighted how even minor design changes—when grounded in user needs—can dramatically improve trust and usability in government platforms.
Final Thoughts & Next Steps
This project showed the power of thoughtful design in reducing barriers to access. While it focused on the pre-application stage, the same approach could scale to other government processes. Future iterations could incorporate real-time chat support, mobile responsiveness, and adaptive accessibility features for a wider range of users.