DMV Redesign: Speculative UX Case Study
Going to the DMV seems to be a commonly dreadful experience across all 50 states of America. Have you ever seen the way people cringe at the very mention of it?
Last Spring I took a 10 week, part-time, UX Design course, and my objective was to fix this. My goal was to improve the overall DMV site experience by creating easy-to-use online tools for drivers, and by giving the site a more modern, trustworthy interface.
I hope that by improving the online experience, drivers will feel more comfortable completing these tasks at their convenience, and less likely to have to make a trip to the DMV in-person. If successful, I also hope this will mean that drivers will feel more positively, (or at least less negatively) about the DMV.
User research
Based on my research, drivers would prefer to skip a trip to the DMV altogether. If they have to go, they would like the option to schedule an appointment in advance, and know exactly what they’ll need to be prepared for their visit. The common perception of the current DMV site is that it’s outdated and doesn’t feel secure. If drivers are going to use these online tools rather than go in-person, they need to feel that their information is safe and secure.
"Drivers need a way to complete basic DMV tasks online because going in-person takes too long and conflicts with their busy schedules."
Persona
Competitive research
User goals and user flows
My MVP is solving the most common pain-points shared by drivers first. The user goals that I am making possible in this initial design phase are:
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Modern and trustworthy interface. This new homepage design will be clean, intuitive, and will heavily feature the self-service tools. By feeling more modern, drivers will trust the site and feel more inclined to utilize the tools being offered to them.
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Online driver license renewal. A tool that will allow drivers to renew their driver license online from start to finish. The process will include account creation, a checklist of documents needed to complete this process, a fully interactive online form and finally, a pay-by-card checkout.
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Appointment scheduling. An appointment scheduling tool for in-person DMV visits. The tool will allow drivers to compare appointment availability for various locations, choose one that works with their schedule, and upon confirmation will provide a checklist of documents needed for their scheduled visit.
Feature prioritization: Now, Next, Later
Now
1. Homepage redesign
2. Online Driver License renewal tool
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Account creation
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Document checklist
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Pay by card
3. Online appointment
scheduling tool
Next
1. Educational pieces:
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Redesign direct mail and email communications to advertise online tools available
2. Display current DMV wait times
3. Auto-renewals based on saved
account info. Drivers would be prompted to confirm/update information and pay.
Later
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DMV chat bot
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Transferring info from state-to-state
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Disputing ticket/penalties
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Global site redesign
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Improvements to in-person experience
Card sort results
In my card sort, I had users do a feature prioritization exercise to help me determine whether or not I was focusing on the right features. It turned out, they cared much more about a wait time feature than I expected.
IA/Sitemap
Based on these results, I revised my sitemap to include current wait times.
Key screens
