Business Context

Why this project mattered: PFMS is one of India's most important public financial platforms, serving millions of users across government departments and citizens. A modern, accessible, and user-centric experience was essential to improve information access, strengthen digital governance, and support long-term platform scalability.

Problem

The existing PFMS website had evolved over time, resulting in complex navigation, fragmented information architecture, and an outdated user experience that made information discovery and access to public financial services difficult.

Objective

Modernize the digital experience by improving usability, accessibility, information architecture, and content discoverability while ensuring compliance with GIGW standards.

Success Metrics
  • Improved information discoverability
  • Simplified user navigation
  • Enhanced accessibility compliance
  • Scalable digital foundation

The Challenge

Complex Information Structure

Legacy User Experience

Accessibility Compliance

Diverse User Groups

Content Discoverability

Implementation Consistency

My Role & Responsibilities

  • Defined and led the UX strategy for the digital modernization initiative.
  • Restructured the information architecture to improve navigation and content discoverability.
  • Facilitated stakeholder workshops to align business, policy, and user requirements.
  • Guided the UX/UI team throughout the design lifecycle and review process.
  • Coordinated with development, QA, and government stakeholders to ensure successful implementation.
  • Governed implementation through design reviews, UAT, and accessibility validation.
  • Established design consistency aligned with GIGW standards and enterprise UX best practices.

Stakeholders

Ministry of Finance: Business & Policy Owners
NIC: Technology Partner
Government Departments
Citizens (Beneficiaries)
Development & QA Team

Design Process (Our Approach)

Discover

Understand goals, stakeholders, and context

Research

User research, journey mapping, competitor study

Strategize

IA, user flows, prioritization, and experience strategy

Design

Wireframes, UI exploration, design system creation

Validate

Usability testing, feedback, and refinements

Govern & Evolve

Implementation support and continuous improvement

Enterprise Design Strategy

Information Architecture Optimization

Restructured navigation to improve information discoverability.

Accessibility-First Design

Designed experiences aligned with GIGW accessibility standards.

User-Centered Navigation

Simplified complex content into intuitive user journeys.

Design Governance

Maintained implementation quality through continuous reviews.

Scalable Design System

Established reusable UI patterns for consistency and future scalability.

Key Design Decisions

Information Hierarchy

Restructured content around user priorities.

Impact
Faster information discovery.
Simplified Navigation

Reduced complexity through logical grouping.

Impact
Improved usability.
Accessibility Integration

Applied GIGW-compliant interaction patterns.

Impact
More inclusive user experience.
Responsive Experience

Optimized layouts across multiple screen sizes.

Impact
Consistent cross-device usability.
Reusable components

Standardized interface patterns.

Impact
Improved implementation efficiency.

Design Constraints & Decisions

Legacy Content Structure

Modernized the experience while preserving essential content.

Government Standards

Balanced usability with mandatory compliance requirements.

Multiple Stakeholders

Aligned diverse business and technical expectations.

Decisions
  • Refined the existing information architecture instead of replacing it completely.
  • Prioritized accessibility and usability while adhering to GIGW standards.
  • Standardized reusable UI patterns to support scalable implementation.

Outcomes & Impact

Modern User Experience

Improved usability across the platform.

Better Discoverability

Simplified navigation and information access.

Accessibility Compliance

Aligned with GIGW guidelines.

Scalable Foundation

Established reusable patterns for future enhancements.