Puget Sound Energy Payment Redesign

Puget Sound Energy Payment Redesign

Puget Sound Energy Payment Redesign

Redesign of User Billing Payment Process

Client

Client

Class Project

Class Project

Services

UX Designer

UX Designer

Industries

Figma Adobe Suite Miro

Figma Adobe Suite Miro

Date

3 Months

3 Months

Overview:

As a class project focused on real-world UX challenges, I redesigned Puget Sound Energy's online payment experience to eliminate user friction and create a more intuitive, personalized interface. This academic exercise involved analyzing PSE's existing system, identifying critical UX issues, and developing comprehensive solutions that prioritized smart user recognition and clear information hierarchy to reduce cognitive load during bill payment tasks.

Challenge:

The Real Challenge


The central problem wasn't technical—it was that PSE's payment system reflected their internal service organization rather than user task flows.

How do you redesign a system that fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between user intent and interface design?


Solution: Redesigned Payment Experience


Rather than treating this as a simple UI cleanup exercise, I approached it as a comprehensive information architecture and user flow redesign that would work with users' natural task completion patterns—demonstrating the kind of systems thinking required in real-world UX practice.


Core Design Strategy


1. Eliminate False Choices Through Smart Recognition Instead of forcing users to choose between "guest" and "signed-in" paths, I designed a unified entry point that adapts based on user context and history.


2. Prioritize Task Completion Over Service Discovery Separated time-sensitive payment tasks from exploratory assistance browsing, using progressive disclosure to maintain access while reducing cognitive load.


3. Leverage User Data for Personalization Created a system that remembers user preferences and payment history to reduce repeated data entry and decision-making.

Solution: Career Compass Platform

Instead of fighting every constraint, I designed a comprehensive web platform that addressed both individual exploration and systemic equity gaps:


Core Features


1. Inclusive Career Quiz System

  • Cultural context considerations accounting for different family career expectations

  • Individual values assessment helping students make personal decisions beyond peer influence

  • Progressive profiling allowing comprehensive exploration over time


2. Structured Peer Messaging System

  • Alumni integration enabling graduated students to mentor current students

  • Cultural affinity groups helping students find peers who understood their challenges

  • Conversation prompts facilitating meaningful career discussions beyond casual influence


3. Proactive Resource Discovery

  • Opportunity alerts based on student profiles and academic stage

  • Plain-language descriptions removing institutional jargon barriers

  • Mobile-optimized design ensuring accessibility across economic situations

Solution: Career Compass Platform

Instead of fighting every constraint, I designed a comprehensive web platform that addressed both individual exploration and systemic equity gaps:


Core Features


1. Inclusive Career Quiz System

  • Cultural context considerations accounting for different family career expectations

  • Individual values assessment helping students make personal decisions beyond peer influence

  • Progressive profiling allowing comprehensive exploration over time


2. Structured Peer Messaging System

  • Alumni integration enabling graduated students to mentor current students

  • Cultural affinity groups helping students find peers who understood their challenges

  • Conversation prompts facilitating meaningful career discussions beyond casual influence


3. Proactive Resource Discovery

  • Opportunity alerts based on student profiles and academic stage

  • Plain-language descriptions removing institutional jargon barriers

  • Mobile-optimized design ensuring accessibility across economic situations

Solution: Career Compass Platform

Instead of fighting every constraint, I designed a comprehensive web platform that addressed both individual exploration and systemic equity gaps:


Core Features


1. Inclusive Career Quiz System

  • Cultural context considerations accounting for different family career expectations

  • Individual values assessment helping students make personal decisions beyond peer influence

  • Progressive profiling allowing comprehensive exploration over time


2. Structured Peer Messaging System

  • Alumni integration enabling graduated students to mentor current students

  • Cultural affinity groups helping students find peers who understood their challenges

  • Conversation prompts facilitating meaningful career discussions beyond casual influence


3. Proactive Resource Discovery

  • Opportunity alerts based on student profiles and academic stage

  • Plain-language descriptions removing institutional jargon barriers

  • Mobile-optimized design ensuring accessibility across economic situations