CT Paid Leave
Designing a Statewide SaaS Through Human-Centered Discovery
Project Overview
I led discovery and human-centered design activities for Connecticut's new Paid Leave Authority, helping to launch a statewide SaaS product built on Salesforce. The initiative supported the rollout of a new government benefit by designing intuitive, accessible digital services for multiple user groups including employers, self-employed workers, and third-party administrators.
Human-Centered Design Approach
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As the design strategy and research lead, I:
Designed and facilitated the discovery phase with internal and external stakeholders
Conducted interviews and synthesized insights into personas and user journeys
Led co-creation workshops focused on empathy mapping, feature prioritization, and service navigation
Translated findings into user flows, prototypes, and usability tests
Helped inform phased go-live planning based on user needs and complexity
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Interviewed:
Internal agency staff responsible for compliance and support
External users including employers, self-employed workers, and third-party administrators (e.g., accountants)
Identified key experience gaps around:
Eligibility understanding
Navigation through the claims process
Differing needs between enterprise users and individuals
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Created personas for:
Employers managing leave across teams
Self-employed individuals with limited time and tech-savviness
Third-party administrators balancing multiple business accounts
Employees submitting claims or checking eligibility
Focused deeply on the employer journey to streamline onboarding, reduce documentation burdens, and clarify responsibilities
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Led collaborative workshops using Miro to:
Conduct affinity mapping and cluster insights
Build empathy maps around core user challenges
Prioritize features through voting and scenario walk throughs
Encouraged transparency and co-ownership across the project team
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Co-created early wireframes and tested in Figma
Facilitated usability and comprehension testing with a mix of user types
Incorporated feedback into design sprints and phased rollout planning
Validated that flows matched real-life employer responsibilities and reduced confusion around compliance
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Supported the successful launch of CT’s Paid Leave program, serving thousands of users statewide
Delivered a Salesforce-based SaaS product tailored to diverse stakeholder needs
Created a scalable research and design framework the Authority can continue using post-launch
Why It Matters
This project demonstrated how government services can be designed with empathy, not just efficiency. My focus on user voices — especially employers and self-employed users — ensured the system could serve a broad population equitably and clearly. It’s a prime example of public sector innovation done right through human-centered design.