The problem
Legal processes such as filing for a consent order are often inaccessible without legal education or professional guidance. The existing PDF applications were not intuitive, filled with jargon, and prone to errors—leaving many people unable to complete them confidently on their own.
Project Goals
Accessibility:
Make the legal process of filing for consent orders and parenting affidavits accessible to non-legal professionals.
Collaboration:
Enable users to collaborate with others and manage their progress within the portal.
User-Friendly Design:
Create an intuitive online platform to replace the existing PDF forms.
Efficiency:
Streamline the submission and management of legal forms to save time and reduce errors.
Research and Insights
To gain a deep understanding of the users' needs and pain points, we conducted a series of workshops and user interviews. The insights gathered from these sessions were instrumental in shaping the design and functionality of the online portal.
Key Insights from User Interviews:
Pain Points with Existing Process:
Users found the current PDF forms complex and difficult to navigate. Lack of guidance and support led to frequent errors and incomplete submissions. Submission frequently have incorrect calculations. The necessity of legal assistance added financial and emotional strain.
What They Liked in User Testing:
The proposed online form's intuitive layout and clear instructions. The ability to save progress and return later to complete the forms. Easy access to help text and examples for each section. Auto calculations.
Observations:
Users appreciated the progressive disclosure of information, which prevented them from feeling overwhelmed.The inclusion of tooltips and validation messages significantly reduced errors. Clear, jargon-free language improved comprehension and confidence in completing the forms.
Solutions:
Implementing an online portal with user-friendly forms and collaborative features .Providing contextual help and real-time validation to guide users through the process. Ensuring the platform is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Creating calculation tools to divide assets.
