benefits journey
Finding and Applying for Benefits can be Difficult
We first sought to understand the benefits application process and noticed that many potential benefits applicants face problems in the discovery and application phases.
We first sought to understand the benefits application process and noticed that many potential benefits applicants face problems in the discovery and application phases.
Quickly, we realized there was a gap between those that learn about benefits and those that continue into the application process.Our solution, VESPA, is a screening tool that can be used to inform, encourage, and reach thereby bridging the gap between the discovery and application process.
In order to reach as many people as possible, our team created an ecosystem, where people can use voice or SMS to be screened for eligibility and thereafter receive a follow-up email that details why they received specific results. People can use our voice only tool for natural, accessible interaction while our SMS tool may be more convenient for those that may not have smartphones/speaker devices or are simply not comfortable interacting through voice.
We decided to focus on first-time applicants that want to feel more supported and educated as they begin to go through the process of applying for benefits.
From a survey of over 250 current, former, and potential benefits applicants, we identified three main groups of people most needing SNAP assistance in Pennsylvania - students, single parents, and senior citizens. Students may not know that they qualify, even if they identify their situation as one that needs help. Single Parents need the money to support their families, while seniors can have significant medical and/or disability expenses, often on fixed incomes.
In a short amount of time potential applicants can learn about what kinds of questions you should be prepared for during the processs, how much you qualify for from SNAP and what other programs you may be eligible for, and have a detailed understanding of how eligibility is evaluated.
Our primary goal was to improve our designs based on experiences real applicants may experience with our tools. We had two key insights come from our testing:
01. Keep it linear and literal
02. Give applicants reason to trust the tools and process.
Using these insights, we iterated on our designs to ensure we were really meeting the needs and expectations of potential benefits applicants.
In order to build trust with benefits applicants, we created a professional color scheme and logo that applicants could associated with their benefits process. In our follow-up email, we used the SNAP logo the VESPA logo to continue building trust even after screening.
We wanted to incorporate Pennsylvania and decided to make a portmanteau with Vesta - one of the goddesses of home, hearth, and family and the state’s abbreviation to land on VESPA, which lends itself well to the acronym 'Voice-Enabled Services, PA."
We liked the name’s simplicity and ease of understanding for anyone reading it and the connotation with a light and simple method of getting from point A to point B, incorporating meaning into an easy-to-remember word that captured the spirit of the project.
