Client
Tag It DMV
Category
Services
UX Design
Timeline
Q1, 2024
Product Duration
3 Months
NJ Official DMV Website (Vehicle Registration)
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Tag It DMV was growing fast across 8 states but lacked a centralized system. Staff and partner dealers bounced between state portals, spreadsheets, email threads, and legacy tools, leading to duplicate data entry, missed steps, and inconsistent outcomes.
Core issues
Fragmented workflows across states (different rules, names, and exception paths).
Inconsistent UI and unstructured forms caused avoidable errors and rework.
Compliance risk: mandatory language and document checks were easy to miss.
Operational drag: high support volume; title clerks escalated routine edge cases; accounting reconciled by hand.
Business impact
Task abandonment and “phone-a-human” behavior from dealers under time pressure.
Over 40% of tickets tied to interface issues (unclear next steps, ambiguous language).
Slow onboarding of new states due to one-off UI patterns and lack of a reusable system.
This case study focuses on one challenge:
Redesign key DMV workflows (e.g., registration, Real ID document handling, transfers) to reduce user error and increase completion rates, while staying within state-by-state legal and accessibility constraints.
Early System Build (Design 1.0)
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Information Architecture + Task Flows
Reduced IA depth by ~30% to surface the top actions immediately.
Built structured flows for Register a Vehicle, Plate Transfer, Real ID doc handling, and Out-of-State transfers.
Introduced state-aware branching so steps and language adjust automatically to local rules.
Partnered with compliance to transform policy-heavy content into plain-language microcopy with inline citations for auditors.
Increased comprehension scores by 42% (Cloze test - a test in which one is asked to supply words that have been removed from a passage in order to measure one's ability to comprehend text) in validation rounds.
Wireframes + Validation
Produced 60+ low-fi wireframes; tested over 3 rounds with dealers/title clerks.
Tree testing + heatmaps to locate flow bottlenecks; simplified or reordered steps accordingly.
Simulated edge cases with live data (e.g., VIN mismatches, multi-owner vehicles, out-of-state records not found).
Established a “stoplight” next-step model (clear “ready to proceed” vs. “needs document x” states).
High-Fidelity UI + Accessibility
Built a responsive, WCAG 2.2–compliant design system from scratch.
Key features:
Real-time form validation with localized, actionable errors.
Progressive disclosure for complex steps (ID uploads, multiple owners).
Dynamic checklists tied to state, vehicle type, and ownership scenario.
Sticky status + audit trail for accounting and compliance review.
Solved critical edge cases:
Multi-state rules changing field requirements mid-flow.
VIN not found / database mismatch recovery paths.
Document mismatches during Real ID verification.
Within 1 month of soft launch, the consolidated platform delivered measurable improvements:
Key Metrics:
Metric | Before | After | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
Task Success Rate | 56% | 92% | ↑ +36 pts |
Avg. Completion Time | — | −35% | faster |
System Usability Score (SUS) | 57 | 85 | ↑ +28 pts |
Support Tickets | — | −40% | drop |
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Preparation For Ongoing Maintenance
I organized the Figma files and design system for long-term use.
Each component included usage notes, responsive behavior, and accessibility guidance directly in Figma.
Design tokens and component names matched the codebase to simplify development and prevent inconsistencies.
A dedicated overview page documented structure, hierarchy, and updates, allowing new designers and developers to onboard quickly and maintain the system without guesswork.
