Overview: Low-income and disabled Alaskans are often left to navigate the public benefits system with little or no help. Geography and poor connectivity provide additional barriers. State public benefits workers are also understaffed with high caseloads. Together, with Alaska Legal Services and PBN, we conducted a 5 day Google Sprint workshop to develop and test a web app tool to support community advocates.

Advocacy Agency: Alaska Legal Services Corporation
In partnership with: Pro Bono Net (PBN)
Role: User Experience, Co-Design Workshops, User Testing
Featured: 2021 Innovations in Technology Virtual Conference
Team size: 8+

“It is difficult to submit a successful initial SSD application through the existing online process because it does not provide assistance or explanations to the applicant. There is no explanation or feedback for applicants in the application process to know the objective evidence to help their case. It is possible to accidentally submit an incomplete application, leading to delays.

Without a successful initial application, an applicant may be denied and forced to face an arduous appeals process, or be frozen out of SSD benefits entirely at a great cost to their financial stability, health, and quality of life.” - PBN

A Tool for Equity

A simplified case management web app for community advocates to create a personalized checklist for disability applicants.

Using Google’s 5 Day Design Sprint, a small team of community advocates, members of Pro Bono Net, and myself facilitated a process to conceptualize, design, prototype, and test the potential solution.