Content Designer & Strategist | UX Writer
SJ311 App Icon_v02.png

San Jose 311, a mobile app on city services

UX CONTENT DESIGN | USER RESEARCH | multilingual strategy

As the second most linguistically diverse city in the country, how can the San Jose’s 311 reporting app better serve residents with a low proficiency in English? User research informed a ‘simplified English user flow’ prototype: one with easier-to-understand language and more visuals (see examples below). After multiple iterations, this led to the implementation of the latest version of San Jose 311: simpler labels, intentional icons, additional text to improve clarity, and user-tested emails so resident’s can better understand the status of their reports.

Users preferred a simplified English version of the app even when compared to the current app translated into their native language.

Users preferred a simplified English version of the app even when compared to the current app translated into their native language.

Improved messaging helps ‘guest users’ understand the advantages of creating an account.

Improved messaging helps ‘guest users’ understand the advantages of creating an account.