U.S. Department of Agriculture | Animal and Plant Health Inspection
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) protects our nation from invasive pests and diseases. Through proactive and reactive measures, APHIS responds to these threats, maintaining animal and plant health and preventing large-scale agricultural, environmental and economic losses. Established in 1972, APHIS is a child agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Deliverables
Our team redeveloped aphis.usda.gov to create a user-centric experience and meet digital standards imposed by the U.S. government. I rewrote and edited more than 200 webpages for the new website, which launched January 2024.
Challenge and Solution
The existing website was a recipe for cognitive overload: poor navigation, cluttered layout, complex language, insufficient links. We learned users felt lost and frustrated as they combed through page after page, searching for the information they needed.
Following extensive user research, including interviews, surveys and questionnaires, we conducted a site audit to pinpoint challenges and solutions. With these actionable insights, I was able to rewrite webpages in consistent, plain language. I decoded legalities and formalities using a sentence structure that prioritized comprehension.