Homeless Support Program
- for the Mayor's Office
Homeless Support Program
- for the Mayor's Office
The Homeless Rehabilitation Management System (HRMS) was envisioned as a city-level digital infrastructure connecting policy makers, NGOs, CBOs, and case workers under one ecosystem.
The platform enables:
Centralized registration and tracking of individuals
Program matching and participation monitoring
Evidence-based reporting and outcome analysis
Transparent collaboration between city offices and partner organizations
The Problem
Without a centralized system, city administrations struggle to measure outcomes, NGOs duplicate efforts, and real human progress goes untracked. Governance without visibility leads to inefficiency — and lost impact.
The Challenges
1. Fragmented Systems
Multiple agencies managed disconnected records, causing duplication, data loss, and poor coordination across programs.
2. Role Confusion
City admins, NGOs, and case workers lacked role-specific tools — leading to misaligned workflows and inefficient communication.
3. Manual, Paper-Heavy Processes
Registrations and reports were handled manually, delaying interventions and creating data entry errors.
4. Limited Visibility
The Mayor’s Office couldn’t track outcomes or funding impact due to inconsistent reporting and siloed data.
5. Adoption Barriers
Varying digital literacy and unreliable connectivity made traditional platforms unusable for field workers.
Research and Discovery
identifying the ecosystem,Field Interviews, Process Audits.
Ideation and Wireframing
Synthesis & Opportunity Areas identified, Centralized Data System,Role-Based Dashboards.
Hi - Fi Prototype
This phase reframed the project from a “system redesign” into a citywide collaboration platform — one that empowers every level of user, from the Mayor to the street-level case worker.
Solving Design Challenges
Unified Data Architecture
Implemented a centralized identity system assigning each individual a unique ID, ensuring data consistency and eliminating duplication across all agencies.
Role-Based Dashboards
Designed tailored dashboards for each user persona:
Mayor’s Office: citywide insights & resource allocation
NGOs/CBOs: program performance & case data
Case Workers: quick registration & daily task tracking
This personalization reduced cognitive load and improved efficiency.
Adaptive, Inclusive UX
Built guided, linear flows with icons, smart defaults, and minimal text for users with varied digital literacy — enabling faster, error-free inputs.
Offline-First Experience
Enabled data entry without internet, with automatic sync when online — ensuring reliability for field workers and boosting system adoption.
Design Response
Login & Access Screen
Registration Flow
Needs Assessment Form
Role-Based Dashboards
Report Dashboard
Centralized Data System
Role-Based Dashboards
Adaptive UX
Offline-First Design
Implementation Impact
Reduced Registration Time
40% faster onboarding
Duplicate Records -Rare✅
Reporting Accuracy increased
Reduction in manual inputs leading to accurate data auto - sync.
Iterative Design
Iterative Design
Layout Idea:
🟩 Principle: Human before Data
💬 Then: Focused on form simplicity
✨ Now: Designed with empathy — every interaction speaks human, not system.
🟦 Principle: Clarity over Complexity
💬 Then: Tried to include all functions in one flow
✨ Now: Reduced scope and built clear, action-oriented steps.
🟨 Principle: Transparency builds Trust
💬 Then: Relied on hidden data logs
✨ Now: Added visible consent prompts and user accountability cues.
Empathy Alongside Efficiency
Early flows were data-focused. But Case Worker / field handlers' interviews revealed people weren’t just filling forms — they were telling stories.
→ Shifting language, tone, and flow towards empathy increased both data accuracy and trust.
Role-Based Design Drives Clarity
One-size dashboards confused users.
→ Creating persona-specific dashboards (Mayor’s Office, NGOs, CBOs, Case Workers) reduced clutter and improved completion rates across every role.
Inclusion by Design
Offline access, simple language, and guided flows made the system usable for everyone, everywhere.
TAKEAWAYS
Homeless Support Program
- for the Mayor's Office
The Homeless Rehabilitation Management System (HRMS) was envisioned as a city-level digital infrastructure connecting policy makers, NGOs, CBOs, and case workers under one ecosystem.
The platform enables:
Centralized registration and tracking of individuals
Program matching and participation monitoring
Evidence-based reporting and outcome analysis
Transparent collaboration between city offices and partner organizations
The Problem
Without a centralized system, city administrations struggle to measure outcomes, NGOs duplicate efforts, and real human progress goes untracked. Governance without visibility leads to inefficiency — and lost impact.
The Challenges
1. Fragmented Systems
Multiple agencies managed disconnected records, causing duplication, data loss, and poor coordination across programs.
2. Role Confusion
City admins, NGOs, and case workers lacked role-specific tools — leading to misaligned workflows and inefficient communication.
3. Manual, Paper-Heavy Processes
Registrations and reports were handled manually, delaying interventions and creating data entry errors.
4. Limited Visibility
The Mayor’s Office couldn’t track outcomes or funding impact due to inconsistent reporting and siloed data.
5. Adoption Barriers
Varying digital literacy and unreliable connectivity made traditional platforms unusable for field workers.
Research and Discovery
identifying the ecosystem,Field Interviews, Process Audits.
Ideation and Wireframing
Synthesis & Opportunity Areas identified, Centralized Data System,Role-Based Dashboards.
Hi - Fi Prototype
This phase reframed the project from a “system redesign” into a citywide collaboration platform — one that empowers every level of user, from the Mayor to the street-level case worker.
Solving Design Challenges
Unified Data Architecture
Implemented a centralized identity system assigning each individual a unique ID, ensuring data consistency and eliminating duplication across all agencies.
Role-Based Dashboards
Designed tailored dashboards for each user persona:
Mayor’s Office: citywide insights & resource allocation
NGOs/CBOs: program performance & case data
Case Workers: quick registration & daily task tracking
This personalization reduced cognitive load and improved efficiency.
Adaptive, Inclusive UX
Built guided, linear flows with icons, smart defaults, and minimal text for users with varied digital literacy — enabling faster, error-free inputs.
Offline-First Experience
Enabled data entry without internet, with automatic sync when online — ensuring reliability for field workers and boosting system adoption.
Design Response
Login & Access Screen
Registration Flow
Needs Assessment Form
Role-Based Dashboards
Report Dashboard
Centralized Data System
Role-Based Dashboards
Adaptive UX
Offline-First Design
Implementation Impact
Reduced Registration Time
40% faster onboarding
Duplicate Records -Rare✅
Reporting Accuracy increased
Reduction in manual inputs leading to accurate data auto - sync.
Iterative Design
Layout Idea:
🟩 Principle: Human before Data
💬 Then: Focused on form simplicity
✨ Now: Designed with empathy — every interaction speaks human, not system.
🟦 Principle: Clarity over Complexity
💬 Then: Tried to include all functions in one flow
✨ Now: Reduced scope and built clear, action-oriented steps.
🟨 Principle: Transparency builds Trust
💬 Then: Relied on hidden data logs
✨ Now: Added visible consent prompts and user accountability cues.
Empathy Alongside Efficiency
Early flows were data-focused. But Case Worker / field handlers' interviews revealed people weren’t just filling forms — they were telling stories.
→ Shifting language, tone, and flow towards empathy increased both data accuracy and trust.
Role-Based Design Drives Clarity
One-size dashboards confused users.
→ Creating persona-specific dashboards (Mayor’s Office, NGOs, CBOs, Case Workers) reduced clutter and improved completion rates across every role.
Inclusion by Design
Offline access, simple language, and guided flows made the system usable for everyone, everywhere.
TAKEAWAYS