Enhancing Public Access to Technical Resources (USDA FOTG)
Background
The USDA's Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) is the primary resource for conservation practices across all 50 states. Our goal was to modernize access and usability through responsive design to improved search accuracy, speed, and trust.
Check out the product at https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/#/
How do we empower farmers engage in sustainable agriculture while protecting the environment?
Farmers, planners, landowners, and field staff rely on the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) for decades of critical agricultural and environmental guidance. However, its complex taxonomy, limited search functionality, and lack of mobile support make it difficult to access the information they need, hindering the adoption of sustainable farming practices.
Role: Me (UX Designer + Mentor), Amber Chen (UX/UI Lead on the project) and an Agile team of 12
Timeline: October 2022 - March 2023
Methods + Tools: User Flow Diagrams, User Interviews, Usability Testing, Figma
Since launch, we've seen:
• 37% increase in mobile usage
• 33% decrease in search page bounce rate
• 21% increase in average session depth
• Lower rate of repeated searches per session
More Details + Diagrams Below↓
User Needs + Pain Points
Initial User Flow Diagram
A mobile first lo-fi prototype of existing user flow.
Expanded prototype integrating existing design language.
User Research (Usability Testing)
Post Research Prototype
