From Feedback to Fixes: Addressing Key Pain Points in Utah’s Login

January 21, 2025
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UtahID is a cornerstone of Utah’s digital infrastructure, providing citizens with a single, secure login for a wide range of state services. From obtaining professional licenses and applying for benefits to searching for employment opportunities, UtahID streamlines access to vital resources. As one of the first states to implement a unified login system, Utah has been a leader in digital service delivery. 

The UtahID team is undertaking a significant technological upgrade to enhance UtahID’s overall functionality. But the current system still has gaps that become a bottleneck for members of the public attempting to access essential services. Imagine losing Medicaid coverage or missing a week of unemployment support because you can’t log into your account. This is a serious problem; even a few people experiencing it is too many.

Recognizing the importance of a seamless user experience, the UtahID team has been working closely with the Customer Experience (CX) team at the Department of Government Operation (DGO) to address and resolve key areas for improvement. While the UtahID team is overhauling UtahID’s overall functionality, the CX team focused on addressing immediate pain points that prevent users from completing their tasks.

More than 500 people per month share feedback about their login experience through the website. Responses indicated two primary areas of concern: difficulties with account access and challenges locating appropriate support channels. Users reported encountering issues that, while not widespread, could completely prevent them from accessing their accounts. Additionally, users expressed confusion about where to seek assistance when encountering technical difficulties. This often led to contacting agency call centers, which, while capable of addressing user errors, were not equipped to troubleshoot complex technical issues related to the UtahID system itself.

We began by thoroughly analyzing user feedback to identify the most frequently reported issues. This provided a data-driven foundation for our improvement efforts. After identifying the most common issues, we enhanced our website survey by adding two key elements:

  • A question listing each of the user issues we had identified as a multiple-choice question, allowing us to quantify the prevalence of each problem.
  • A direct link to the DTS help desk, providing users with a clear and accessible path to technical support for UtahID-specific issues.

After a few weeks, the UtahID team could quantify the most common challenges and begin addressing them.

The most commonly mentioned issue regarded the system failing to recognize user accounts. 18% mentioned being unable to log in despite believing they entered the correct username and password, and 5% said the system didn’t recognize their account after a password reset. While a comprehensive solution to this issue requires case-by-case investigation to understand the underlying causes, adding a direct link to the DTS help desk provides users with a crucial support channel, ensuring they are not left without assistance.

The second most common issue involved a redirect problem occurring after users created new accounts or changed their passwords. In a given week, approximately 30% of respondents (typically about 20 people) reported logging in but not ending up where they expected, and many more selected “Other” and referred to this problem in their comments. The UtahID team quickly resolved this issue in direct response to feedback, and in the last week of November 2024, the problem was mentioned only five times.

Based on what they’ve learned in feedback, the UtahID team is completely revamping the help area, to more quickly help users who can’t log in find a solution. Every month, 22,829 unique users refer to these pages to learn how to successfully log in, and improvements will ensure they can help themselves before reaching out by phone. Beyond that, the team is changing the requirements for a password reset, to make sure people don’t get tripped up on spelling and hyphenation errors.

This proactive approach to user experience, combining strategic system upgrades with data-driven improvements, underscores the State of Utah’s commitment to providing a seamless and efficient digital experience for all UtahID users. By meticulously addressing these details, even while the system overhaul is underway, we demonstrate our commitment to creating a seamless and positive experience for all UtahID users, ensuring they can easily access the vital state services they need.