Grant File Management
The Grant File Management System is part of the broader Grants Administration initiative, aimed at transforming and unifying grant management into an intuitive, user-centered experience. The system helps reduce administrative burden, automate tasks, and streamline grant workflows, allowing users to focus on program impact.
As part of this effort, the UX team collaborated with Funding Partners and stakeholders to design solutions that address real user needs while aligning with agency goals.
Resources
UX Designer
Mural, Sketch, InVision, Zeplin
UX Designer
Product Owner
Product Strategists
Engineers
Federal Agencies
Partner Services Teams
Helpdesk Team
Salesforce Team
Communications Team
$5M
My Contribution
I joined the project following the Unified Experience Lead Designer and took the lead on advancing the grant file management system. Starting with early high-fidelity mockups, I refined the designs to ensure they were development-ready for upcoming sprints. My focus was on aligning UX with user needs, technical feasibility, and post-award workflows across multiple agencies.
Goal
The system is designed to:
Upload, store, and organize artifacts efficiently
Support standard and custom folder structures
Automatically map and store generated/retrieved files
Enable bulk downloads across grants
Notify users through a centralized notification center
Together, these features support a more efficient, intuitive, and compliant grant file management experience.
A selection of MVP screens covering key workflows (blurred and zoomed out for confidentiality)
Unified Experience (UE) & Classic: A Hybrid User Experience
One of the first high-fidelity mockups I worked on demonstrates how grant files would integrate into the Unified Experience (UE) while maintaining a connection to the GMM Classic interface. This approach creates a hybrid experience, bridging old and new systems for users.
Activities
Requirements Gathering
Worked with strategy and product teams to define business needs
Client Collaboration
Participated in feedback and strategy sessions
Technical Feasibility
Collaborated with developers to ensure alignment
UI Design
Created low-, mid-, and high-fidelity designs and prototypes
Sprint Activities
Story mapping, grooming, sprint planning
VQA, bug fixes, 508 reviews, UAT
Design Documentation
Tracked design decisions and delivered training prototypes
User-Centered Design Process
I supported User Engagement Sessions by providing mockups and prototypes to guide discussions, refine requirements, and support iterative improvements. Integrated testing and feedback through Public Preview demos to ensure the designs met user needs.
User Engagement Sessions
These sessions were held throughout the lifecycle to preview features (e.g., application reviews) and gather focused feedback. I supported Product Owners by preparing prototypes that helped users visualize concepts and surface key insights early—improving alignment between users and developers.
Progress and Impact
This project supports multiple federal agencies by modernizing post-award grant file workflows. The hybrid approach improves usability while easing the transition from legacy systems. Our focus on organization, automation, and usability reduces the admin burden on grant managers.
Lessons Learned
• Collaboration was key to aligning solutions
• Adaptability in design supports future scalability
• Early prototypes support user adoption and training
Conclusion
This project enhances post-award grant management by reducing burdens and supporting strategic outcomes. Once fully implemented, it will provide a standardized yet flexible system that improves efficiency and supports meaningful results for users and stakeholders.