The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Office of Disaster Recovery (ODR) partnered with HUD's Customer Experience (CX) team to simplify access to resources for disaster survivors on hud.gov. The team recognized the challenges survivors face in navigating recovery services across multiple federal agencies. Taking a customer-centric approach, they aimed to provide a design solution that directs survivors to the right resources based on their needs.

 

Through extensive research, usability testing, and interviews with customers and subject matter experts, the team gained insights into survivors' needs and challenges. They redesigned HUD's disaster recovery resource page and created topic-centric pages for survivors. The new website prioritizes usability and content-based best practices, providing survivors with actionable information without overwhelming them.

 

The team's efforts have resulted in a website that streamlines access to immediate help and empowers survivors to navigate the recovery process. By pointing survivors to the right resources, the redesigned website simplifies the process and reduces confusion. It optimizes the use of time and resources for disaster survivors, ensuring they can access the assistance they need efficiently.

 

The benefits of these achievements are significant for the public. The new website improves access to resources and support, aiding faster recovery and easing the burden on survivors. It provides valuable information and directs survivors to available resources at HUD and other federal agencies. The team's commitment to a customer-centric approach and incorporating feedback has resulted in a user-friendly tool that serves the needs of disaster survivors effectively.