MyVote
As part of IBM’s Design Assessment, I created MyVote, a personalised and accessible web tool designed to help people prepare for voting with confidence.
The project began with identifying key pain points among first-time voters and those with visual impairments, who often feel unsure or excluded from the process. My goal was to design a solution that simplifies complex information, promotes independence, and ensures everyone feels informed, empowered, and ready to vote.
Research
My primary user is Hannah Lewis, a 28-year-old first-time voter with a visual impairment. She’s digitally capable, socially aware, and eager to participate, yet finds the voting process unclear and inaccessible.
In the UK, an estimated 12% of the population doesn’t vote in general elections, often due to confusion around eligibility or barriers to access. This issue disproportionately affects first-time voters and those with visual impairments.
My understanding deepened through my weekly support sessions with Lilia, a partially blind woman who frequently struggles with inaccessible government websites and unclear instructions. Her experiences directly informed my design approach for Hannah, emphasising empathy, simplicity, and inclusivity.
Hannah’s main frustrations include not knowing:
Whether she’s eligible to vote
Which elections apply to her
How to register or access support
How to make an informed decision
The design challenge extended beyond technology, it was about fostering clarity, independence, and trust.
This led me to ask:
How might we help users like Hannah easily check their eligibility, understand their options, and feel confident about their vote, all in an accessible and empowering way?
User Feedback & Iteration
I tested the prototype with three participants, including one user with a visual impairment, to gather insights on clarity, accessibility, and overall user experience.
What users liked:
“It feels calm and easy to follow, I didn’t feel overwhelmed like I usually do on government websites.”
“The ‘Can I vote?’ flow was super clear. I like that it’s step-by-step.”
What could be improved:
“I don’t remember if I’m registered to vote or to which address, it would help if the tool showed that and allowed me to edit it.”
“I wish I could save this information.”
Key iterations:
Displayed voter registration details within the interface, with an option to edit or update them.
Added a ‘Send this information to my email’ feature at the end of the process for easy access later.
Tweaked headings and microcopy to make each step feel more action-oriented and engaging.
Reflection & Future Improvements This solution was designed with intentionality, grounded in accessibility-first thinking and built to meet users where they are. It not only simplifies complex processes but also empowers people to take part in something that should feel inclusive by default: voting.
Future improvements could include:
Integrating real-time election data to provide live updates and deadlines
Offering more personalised guidance based on user profiles and voting history
Supporting multiple languages and accommodating cognitive accessibility needs
Collaborating with local councils or GOV.UK to explore official integration and scalability
What I’d test next:
Accessibility performance across screen readers, adjustable text sizes, and colour contrast
Clarity of messaging around eligibility and next steps, particularly for users who’ve recently moved to the UK or changed visa status
Ease of discovery and use of the “Email this page” feature to ensure users can retain and revisit key information easily
