Government · United Nations · National Security
Human-Centered Design for a UN-Funded Sensitive Data Platform
Designing a secure platform for tracking gender-based violence data while prioritizing victim safety and cultural sensitivity.
Designing a secure platform for tracking gender-based violence data while prioritizing victim safety and cultural sensitivity.
Designing a government data platform for tracking gender-based violence presented a unique challenge: how do you collect critical policy data while ensuring absolute victim anonymity and psychological safety?
Trust was everything — one design misstep could put vulnerable people at risk.
I was responsible for balancing complex data requirements with human safety needs. My approach went beyond technical specifications to understand the emotional and cultural context of both victims and caseworkers using the system.
I established "anonymity by design" as our core principle after discovering that trust was the primary barrier to data collection. I created user flows where all identifying information was encrypted and compartmentalized from the point of entry. The interface prioritized simplicity and reassurance, creating a safe digital environment for caseworkers.
During stakeholder workshops, the Guyanese team expressed the importance of reflecting national identity in the platform. Through collaborative design sessions, I developed a color palette that honored the national flag while maintaining accessibility standards and appropriate gravitas.
I advocated for remote user testing to validate design assumptions in real-world conditions. Using interactive prototypes and Maze testing, I gathered feedback from caseworkers performing key tasks. This revealed critical workflow improvements around incident report creation.
The final platform design was approved by all stakeholders and successfully handed off to development. The system was deployed in Guyana, providing organizations with a trusted tool while maintaining the highest standards of data security and cultural sensitivity.