For this 14-week workshop, we were tasked by the Cook County Assessor’s office to identify opportunities to improve their services and better serve Cook County property owners. After about five weeks of primary and secondary research, interviews and observations, mapping, analysis, and synthesis, we divided into teams and began developing insights and identifying opportunity areas. Our team was focused on the physical space of the CCAO’s offices. Our research led us to insights around the lack of signage causing confusion and uncertainty when navigating the physical services and we initially began developing concepts around spatial orientation. However, when COVID-19 came into the picture and shut down all the offices, we pivoted our attention to develop strategies for reopening the office within three months before their peak busy season starts in July.

Our approach to this was twofold. First, we wanted to manage the flow of visitors by introducing an appointment and flow management system. Second, we developed comprehensive communication, signage, and navigation strategy to ensure transparency and clarity through each step of this new on-site visitor journey.

To develop this concept, we worked with the CCAO leadership team to understand their constraints and concerns, and met with multiple appointment management vendors to understand technology capabilities. Our final presentation included a comprehensive view of the end-to-end journey experience including communications and prototypes for each key touchpoint along the way.

To view our full final presentation, click here.

“With the changes coming with COVID, we realized the new space-related challenges awaiting CCAO. We learned to pivot our research findings to address these needs and challenges. Not to be able to visit CCAO offices starting the synthesis stage of our work, we learned to leverage our existing research and materials, as well as forming connections with new stakeholders. As a result, we were able to collect the key information to develop and present our idea. Lastly, working with CCAO during their busy periods, we learned to present our ideas and questions in a short time frame. This helped us in becoming crisp storytellers. ”

— Jessica Bogart Kasper