Role: UX Designer
Timeline: 3 weeks
Team:  2 Department Directors, Executive Advisor, 4 Engineers
Type: Public Facing | Government
Tools: Figma, WordPress

Project Overview

The Board of Supervisors directed a multi-departmental effort to promote equity, diversity, and local economic recovery through DHS contracting. This includes increasing inclusion, implementing high-road training, and exploring additional strategies to advance ARDI, EDIA, and local economic goals. The CEO will provide semi-annual updates.

Problem Statement

On September 12, 2023, the Board directed the Department of Health Services (DHS), in collaboration with Anti-Racism, Diversity, & Inclusion (ARDI), to provide recommendations on how DHS could ensure its sole source and other contracts advance the Countywide strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. In response, DHS submitted a report back on December 14, 2023, with several strategies, including efforts to:

▪ Improve the solicitation process and contract language
▪ Unbundle contracts
▪ Conduct outreach and marketing; and
▪ Provide technical assistance and training.

1. Simplifying the Process: Guiding vendors with standardized information, clear requirements, and faster contracting timelines.

2. Providing Training & Support: Offering training and technical assistance to improve proposal quality and service provision.

3. Building Through Community Partnerships: Collaborating with stakeholders to make the contracting process transparent and easier.

4. Driving Economic Growth: Empowering diverse vendors to tap into the public sector’s purchasing power to grow their businesses.

5. Expanding Best Practices: Increasing small, local, and diverse vendor participation through innovative methods.

5. Smaller Contracts for Greater Opportunities: Creating more opportunities by breaking down large contracts and establishing contracting tiers for small businesses.

Goals

Design Toolkit

Figma

WordPress

Design Process

Internal Services—Purchasing & Contracting Services and the Chief Executive Office provided content. The Executive Advisor and I collaborated on a prototype.

In collaboration with the Internal Services Department and Executive Advisor, we developed a prototype. This prototype will be presented to Internal Services and Chief Executive Office Directors for review and approval before deployment to production.

Low-High Fidelity Prototype

Improvements

1. We enhanced user experience by improving graphic design and consolidating information to provide clear guidance for emerging small businesses.

2. We incorporated visually appealing photos highlighting the diverse businesses and organizations the county supports, inviting users to explore and engage with our community.
   

3. We implemented immediate call-to-action features upon website entry, allowing users to quickly access essential information, such as contract details and event calendars.

Project Success

1. Showcased our impacts, including $1.1 Billion in contract awards to preference program-certified firms in 2023-24.

2. Created a call-to-action for users entering the website to access information right away.

3. By featuring photos of business owners, we created a visually appealing and personally engaging website that fosters a warm and inviting atmosphere, resonating with our audience and driving user engagement.

Next Steps

Next Steps Anti-Racism, Diversity, & Inclusion (ARDI) will work with the Department of Health Services (DHS), the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), and the Internal Services Department (ISD) and other appropriate departments to discuss other recommendations that promote Anti-Racism, Diversity, & Inclusion (ARDI) and Department of Health Services - Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Antiracism(DHS’ EDIA) goals and the local economy through contracting and other means.