Colorado Secretary of State Website Transformation: Setting New Standards in Government Digital Accessibility

Led a comprehensive redesign of the Colorado Secretary of State's website, implementing a user-centered design system that prioritizes accessibility, responsiveness, and intuitive navigation. This large-scale government digital transformation project delivered a new standard for public sector websites, organizing vast amounts of data into an accessible, user-friendly interface.

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Setsail Team has hit everything on our deliverables, the whole team was supportive of the entire process end-to-end. The cross-department workshops & ongoing iterations were stuck to deadlines and made the big project feel organized and successful.

Jeff Oliver

Deputy CIO for the Secretary of State of Colorado

Achievements

Digital Accessibility Excellence

Achieved WCAG 2.1 AA compliance across all pages, verified through external audits and user testing with diverse ability groups, establishing new benchmarks for government website accessibility.

Complex Information Architecture

Successfully organized and structured thousands of government documents and forms into an intuitive navigation system, reducing average task completion time by 45%.

Design System Implementation

Created and deployed a comprehensive design system spanning 200+ components, ensuring consistency across all digital touchpoints while maintaining ADA compliance.‍

Comprehensive Design System Development

The transformation of the Colorado Secretary of State's digital presence began with creating a foundational design system that would serve as the blueprint for all digital interactions. This system needed to balance strict government requirements, accessibility standards, and user needs while handling an extensive amount of complex information.

Our team developed a comprehensive color system that not only met WCAG 2.1 AA contrast requirements but also aligned with the state's visual identity. Typography selection focused on maximum readability across devices, with careful consideration for users with visual impairments. The responsive grid system ensures content remains accessible and well-organized across all screen sizes, from mobile devices to large desktop monitors.

Component development focused on creating versatile, reusable elements that would maintain consistency throughout the site. Each component underwent rigorous testing to ensure accessibility compliance and usability across different scenarios and user needs.

Key System Elements:

Color system with accessibility-verified contrast ratios
Standardized typography hierarchy with optimized readability
Responsive grid system supporting all device sizes
Documented component library with usage guidelines

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User-Centered Implementation Strategy

The implementation phase transformed our design system into a fully functional government website that serves Colorado's diverse population. This process required careful attention to both technical excellence and user experience, ensuring that every feature effectively served citizen needs while maintaining the highest standards of government web accessibility.

We established a robust technical foundation that prioritizes performance and security while maintaining accessibility. The site architecture was designed to handle thousands of documents and forms while providing intuitive navigation and search capabilities. Regular performance optimization ensures fast page loads even during high-traffic periods, such as election seasons or business filing deadlines.

User experience remained at the forefront of implementation decisions. We developed clear task-based navigation paths that help citizens quickly access needed services and information. Forms were streamlined to reduce complexity while maintaining necessary government requirements. The help system was integrated throughout the site, providing contextual assistance when users need it most.

Critical Implementation Features:

Advanced search functionality with filtered results
Multi-language support infrastructure
Real-time form validation
Secure document management system

Throughout the implementation process, we maintained close collaboration with government stakeholders, conducting regular reviews and user testing sessions to ensure the site met both technical requirements and user needs.