Public service UX discovery
Transforming public funding management for MyPobal
Pobal needed to move from fragmented funding portals and manual document-heavy processes toward a single, accessible, self-service grant management platform for communities across Ireland.
Client
Pobal
Scope
UX Discovery
Audience
Grant teams
Outcome
Portal blueprint
A national funding system with real-world consequences
Pobal works on behalf of Government to support communities and local agencies across Ireland. With more than 500 staff, 9 regional offices, and around 28 funded programmes, the digital experience had to serve both internal teams and external organisations under pressure.
The challenge
Separate programme portals created siloed experiences, inconsistent forms, disjointed reporting, and a heavy dependency on manual Word and PDF processing. Users managing multiple grants had to relearn layouts, requirements, and workflows every time.
Discovery method
A rigorous audit of forms, journeys, language, and accessibility.
01 · Heuristic and accessibility evaluation
Reviewed existing portals against usability criteria and WCAG expectations, surfacing buried CTAs, duplicated links, long forms, hidden fields, and opportunities for inclusive tools like contrast modes and text resizing.
02 · Persona and journey mapping
Mapped journeys for users like low-confidence volunteers and time-constrained finance officers across onboarding, funding applications, and financial returns to identify the anxiety points hidden between system steps.
03 · Remote usability testing
Ran 60-minute Microsoft Teams sessions with internal and external participants using think-aloud walkthroughs of core administrative flows, then synthesised findings into actionable design directives.
Key friction points
The research exposed how legacy workflows made users feel uncertain before they even began. The team translated those findings into practical UX priorities that reduced ambiguity, prevented errors, and rebuilt confidence.
• Form fatigue from long, unclear flows and late-stage validation errors.
• Language obstacles caused by internal terms like “Web Roles” and “PAU Form.”
• Process anxiety caused by time-outs, missing preparation cues, and physical signature delays.
• Browser and legacy system constraints that weakened user trust.
Strategic blueprint
A unified portal designed around confidence, completion, and clarity.
The redesigned MyPobal experience centred on single-column forms, progress wizards, inline validation, input masks, calmer optional field treatment, proactive microcopy, and clearer system architecture for application, appraisal, contract, permissions, and reporting workflows.
Operational flow improvements
Complex tasks became shorter, clearer, and easier to complete.
20 → 14
Primary Authorized User registration flow compressed into fewer digital actions.
9 → 6
Progress and financial reporting reduced from clunky operations into a clearer submission path.
7 → 5
User permission management simplified to support smoother self-service access.
Projected impact
A foundation for faster submissions, fewer support tickets, and real-time programme reporting.
The discovery and scope phase gave Pobal a practical blueprint for replacing fragmented portals with a more reliable, scalable, accessible public funding experience — one designed to reduce administrative burden and help community organisations focus on impact.
Get in touch