Driving Strategy & Design for Micro Engineering

A mobile-first redesign of civic issue reporting in Chicago. The premise: Chi311 collects reports at city scale but never shows you the city, or what your report changed.

APPLICATION

WEBSITE

ROLE

WEB DESIGNER

DELIVERABLES

DESIGN & STRATEGY

DURATION

2020-2021

BACKGROUND

Chi311 is Chicago's official system for reporting potholes, graffiti, broken streetlights, abandoned buildings, and dozens of other issues, and it processes a huge volume of requests every year. The gap isn't whether the city responds. It's that the app gives a resident no way to see, feel, or return to that response.

Research & Discovery

I began with a comprehensive site audit to understand the current user experience and identify conversion barriers. My analysis revealed three critical issues

Visual Design

I worked with the Micro Engineering team to redesign their layout, refreshing the content while keeping their key messages and showcasing what they offer. I created several design options that improved visual clarity and made the user experience more engaging, making sure everything fit with both what users needed and METI's brand identity.

Simplifying Navigation

The original menu structure was cluttered, with too many options and redundant pages. Most services could be consolidated into four main categories. With this in mind, I prioritized emphasizing "Services" and "Contact"— highlighting Micro Engineering's unique selling points and guiding users toward reaching out.

Refining Voice & Tone

The site’s content was overly technical and lengthy, a common user complaint. With many visitors from finance or government sectors, we needed to simplify messaging for broader accessibility by distilling complex ideas into concise language. I aimed to create a consistent tone that aligned with Micro Engineering’s brand identity.

Project Outcomes

Improved Layout & Design

I streamlined content-heavy sections using visuals, condensed text, and strategically linked to technical pages. Typography was updated with better font weights for improved readability and hierarchy. Generic stock photos gave way to high-resolution images and custom illustrations, while a refreshed color palette featuring bright, bold tones and METI's signature deep blue created a vibrant, cohesive brand experience.

Refining Navigation Layout

Services are now organized into 4 main categories - allowing visitors to quickly get to the sections they want, reducing frustration and improving overall usability. A prominently displayed call-to-action (CTA) now stands out on every page, encouraging users to take action—whether booking a service, submitting an inquiry, or learning more — making it easier for customers to connect with the business and achieve their goals.

Key Takeaways

This project exemplified how strategic design can transform not just user experience, but business outcomes—turning a website from a digital brochure into a powerful marketing asset.

Content is strategy

The most impactful changes came from reimagining how METI communicated their value proposition. By transforming technical specifications into business benefits, we created messaging that resonated with decision-makers and drove action.

Planning for the future

Creating a set of content documents could help in further redesigns and content creation. Providing a voice and tone for future iterations would ensure a smoother transition between designers and content writers.