IT’s Service Catalog Redesign

About the Program

Category: Information Technology (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

After the redesign of the County Executive website, the Department of Technology and Communication Systems (DTCS) team noticed major design flaws with the new Service Catalog, the tool that allows constituents to review services and resources offered in Howard County. The original design overwhelmed users with an excessive number of categories, a dense interface that was difficult to navigate without existing knowledge, and no intuitive path for users to follow through the catalog. This combination of issues made users have to jump through hoops to use one of the most important sections of the County site and made it difficult for departments to reach their intended audiences. Service categories were heavily condensed, and the interface of the catalog was completely rebuilt into a system resembling a “wizard,” a frequently used tool designed to guide a user through a process. The new service catalog – officially launched on September 13, 2022 – now guides users at every step, allowing new and previous users to easily find what they need and presenting the wide range of County services in a friendly, easy-to-navigate framework.