💼 Role

TaxAct is a leading name in online tax preparation, trusted by over 3 million consumers and professionals. Driven to simplify tax filing without the high costs, it empowers first-time filers with the tools and confidence to navigate the process.

• Redesigned the desktop and mobile self-employment filing experience and updated key sections of the federal filing process (Oct–Jan 2021).
• Collaborated with engineers, tax experts, designers, and product managers to refine designs through user testing.
• Led customer feedback sessions to identify pain points and improve user interactions.
• Compiled data reports to guide design decisions and strategic enhancements.
• Presented research findings to stakeholders, securing funding for key initiatives.
• Monitored tax season performance data, analyzing completion rates, drop-offs, and user feedback for continuous improvement.

The self-employment section of the federal tax filing process was confusing and difficult to navigate, leading to incomplete filings, drop-offs, and lower user satisfaction. The existing design lacked clarity and intuitive navigation, especially on mobile, making it challenging for self-employed users with complex tax situations. Without a user-centered approach and continuous feedback, the product risked falling short of user needs. A comprehensive redesign and real-time performance monitoring were essential to improve usability, streamline the experience, and boost user confidence.

During the discovery phase, I conducted interviews with self-employed individuals (ages 25–45), including freelancers, gig workers, and small business owners, to understand their tax filing experiences and challenges.

I explored their attitudes toward tax filing, their experience with self-employment taxes, and common pain points. Participants then navigated the existing self-employment section, allowing me to observe their interactions and identify usability issues. Afterward, I gathered feedback on their overall impressions and specific obstacles they encountered.

• Identified patterns in user behavior, pain points, and preferences.
• Developed a user persona to guide the design process

• Enhance Usability and Clarity- Redesign the self-employment section of the federal tax filing experience to provide clear, intuitive navigation and guidance, especially on mobile platforms.
  
• Improve User Completion Rates- Minimize drop-offs during the tax filing process by ensuring the experience is seamless and frustration-free, addressing common pain points for self-employed individuals.
  
• Increase User Satisfaction and Confidence- Build trust and confidence in the product by providing a streamlined and supportive filing experience tailored to the needs of self-employed users.

• Lack of Familiarity with Tax Terminology- Many users are overwhelmed by technical jargon and unfamiliar tax terms, making it difficult to understand what is required or how to proceed confidently.
  
• Lengthy and Tedious Process- Tax filing feels like a never-ending task, requiring users to gather numerous documents and repeatedly input information, which leads to fatigue and frustration.
  
• Unclear Instructions for Self-Employment Taxes- Instructions for self-employment tax sections often lack clarity, leaving users confused about what forms they need, what deductions they qualify for, and how to calculate taxes accurately.
  
• Complexity of Self-Employment Situations- Self-employed individuals face additional challenges, such as managing multiple income streams, understanding estimated taxes, and determining which expenses are deductible.
  
• Fear of Errors or IRS Penalties- Users worry about making mistakes that could result in financial penalties, audits, or delayed refunds, further increasing stress and hesitation.
  
• Non-Intuitive Navigation- Existing interfaces can be challenging to navigate, especially on mobile devices, where limited screen space exacerbates the difficulty of accessing critical information and forms.
  
• Insufficient Guidance and Support- Users often feel unsupported, with limited access to clear explanations, step-by-step help, or personalized guidance, especially when dealing with unique or complex tax scenarios.

If we ...
• Develop a streamlined path to orient users' and organize information in a manner that resonates with users' mental models.

• Reduce the number of clicks required for users to access the information they seek. 

• Revise the code to optimize loading times for enhanced performance.

Then we... 

• Will empower users so that they can find all the information necessary to carry out their mission. These updates will result in increased user adoption and less help tickets.     

Through extensive research, I identified key pain points hindering the user experience, including disorientation while navigating the interface and frustration with unclear or irrelevant questions. Users often felt uncertain about the accuracy of their tax returns, with many citing the time-consuming and confusing nature of unrelated prompts as a significant barrier.

Common feedback included:

• “Your product is tedious to navigate, and the questions leave me confused about what to select.”
• “Why am I being asked all these questions that don’t apply to me?”

These findings highlight the need for a streamlined, user-centered design that focuses on clarity, relevance, and efficiency to build confidence and improve the overall experience.

Following five months of intensive design and development, we unveiled the redesigned self-employment experience to a select group of users in January 2021. Throughout this phase, we documented user feedback via post-filing surveys, tracking all user sentiments. Upon confirming that the redesign had no adverse effects on metrics, we proceeded to gradually extend the new design to all users.

The outcomes surpassed our expectations, delivering an impressive 41% increase in completion rates as compared to previous metrics. This remarkable achievement left us elated and profoundly satisfied. It stands as a testament to the collaborative efforts of our dedicated team, including developers, quality assurance personnel, and product specialists, all of whom played integral roles in realizing this success.

Looking back on this project some I gained some important take aways:

• Embrace simplicity: Avoid overwhelming users with excessive text; concise content minimizes confusion.
  
• Facilitate search options: When presenting numerous selections, empower users with the ability to search, streamlining their experience.
  
• Form clarity is paramount: Users swiftly identified forms by name when readily available, while ambiguity arose when dealing with self-reporting or unfamiliar forms.
  
• Assume zero tax knowledge: Maintain simplicity in content to cater to users with minimal tax understanding.
  
• Establish clear patterns: Consistency in the initiation, conclusion, and progression of tasks aids user navigation.
  
• Prioritize upfront information: Users prefer pertinent descriptions upfront rather than concealed behind tooltips when making decisions.
  
• Manage task complexity: Keep tasks on a page minimal or progressively reveal information to prevent overwhelming users.