MODERNIZING DC.GOV’S
PERMITTING SYSTEM

TRANSFORMING A LEGACY PLATFORM INTO AN ACCESSIBLE, SCALABLE DIGITAL SERVICE

The United States Capitol building at sunset with cyclists and cars on the street lined with trees.

Modernizing Public
Space Permitting

Transforming a legacy platform into a scalable digital service.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) set out to modernize its Transportation Online Permitting System (TOPS)—a mission-critical platform supporting 25+ permit types across public space, construction, emergency work, and commercial vehicle operations.

In partnership with CODICE, YUGATECH reimagined TOPS as a flexible, accessible, and future-ready digital service designed around real user workflows.

Project Overview

Client
District Department of Transportation (DDOT)

Program
Modernized Permitting System (MPS)

Partner
CODICE
Design
YUGATECH LLC
Duration
06 Months
Scope
End-to-end redesign of a legacy permitting platform
Focus
Accessibility • Efficiency • Scalability • Inclusive experience
The Challenge

Navigating complexity across users, workflows, and compliance

TOPS supported a diverse ecosystem—from residents submitting one-time permits to professional expediters managing high volumes, and internal DDOT reviewers coordinating across agencies. Over time, the system became difficult to navigate, costly to maintain, and inaccessible to many users.

The challenge extended beyond interface redesign — it required systemic modernization
Orange icon of three people on a beige circular background.
External Users
  • Confusing navigation and unclear permit pathways
  • Limited mobile usability
  • Minimal transparency into application status
  • Accessibility barriers for users with disabilities and LEP
Icon of two people with a speech bubble containing three dots above them, representing communication or conversation.
Internal Users
  • Fragmented review workflows
  • No inline markup or cross-permit linking
  • Heavy manual coordination
  • High administrative overhead
Computer monitor icon with two gear icons representing settings or system configuration on a peach circular background.
System Constraints
  • Not compliant with Section 508
  • No multilingual support
  • Rigid workflows unable to adapt to regulatory change
  • Limited analytics to identify bottlenecks
Strategy & Execution
Our Role

Leading UX strategy through research, design, and validation

YUGATECH led UX strategy, research, interaction design, and enterprise UI system design for the Modernized Permitting System.

Embedded within the CODICE delivery team, we translated complex regulatory and operational requirements into intuitive, scalable workflows across 25+ permit types.

Our work spanned the full design lifecycle—from discovery and information architecture through high-fidelity prototyping, accessibility validation, and implementation-ready documentation.

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Discovery & Research
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  • Conducted stakeholder interviews across DDOT departments
  • Reviewed legacy documentation and historical feedback
  • Observed live demonstrations of existing workflows
  • Developed user profiles for residents, expediters, reviewers, and administrators
  • Analyzed Business Process Reengineering documentation
Orange user profile icon inside a beige circular background.
8+
User Profiles are Created
Design & Iteration
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  • Produced 100+ low-fidelity wireframes
  • Built 1,000+ high-fidelity prototype screens
  • Conducted iterative feature cycles
  • Partnered closely with engineering and business teams
  • Established structured design governance
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1000+
Prototype Screens
Validation & Readiness
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  • Conducted usability testing to validate flows
  • Completed Section 508 accessibility reviews
  • Delivered implementation-ready documentation
  • Created design rationale and review decks
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Full 508
Compliance

Deliverables

Research & Strategy
  • 8+ user profiles
  • 25+ process flows
  • UX research report
Design
  • 1,000+ prototype screens
  • Enterprise design system
  • Component library
Documentation
  • Accessibility compliance guide
  • Usability testing reports
  • Development-ready specifications

8+

user profiles

25+

process flows

1000+

prototype screens

100%

section 508 compliance

Tools & Methods

Design
  • Miro
  • Figma
  • Photoshop
  • Illustrator
Research
  • Usability testing
  • A/B testing
  • Accessibility audits
Collaboration
  • Agile/Scrum
Documentation
  • Confluence
Stylized black M letters on a yellow rounded square background.Colorful F-shaped logo with segments in red, orange, purple, blue, and green.Adobe Photoshop logo with blue 'Ps' letters on a dark blue rounded square background.Orange 'Ai' letters on a dark background representing Adobe Illustrator logo.
Design Transformation

From research insights to scalable system architecture

We approached the Modernized Permitting System as a comprehensive transformation—integrating research, experience design, accessibility, intelligent discovery, and operational visibility.

Research & Foundation
Research & Discovery

Grounded redesign decisions in stakeholder insight andoperational realities.

Information Architecture

Reorganized navigation around user roles and tasks, simplifying complex multi-step journeys with contextual navigation and progress tracking.

Competitive & System Analysis

Benchmarked against modern public-sector systems to identify usability gaps and modernization opportunities.

User Journey Map showing project phases, user emotions, goals, and sticky notes for two personas, Sarah Martinez and Marcus Thompson, with detailed project tasks and insights.
Design & Experience
UX & UI Transformation

Redesigned fragmented interfaces into structured dashboards and guided workflows tailored to applicants, reviewers, and administrators.

Mobile-First Design

Built fully responsive layouts to ensure seamless access across devices and strengthen digital equity.

Design System

Created a scalable component library to standardize patterns, accelerate development, and support long-term maintainability.

Side-by-side comparison of a transportation permitting system website before and after redesign showing a shift from old disparate components to unified modern components.
Two smartphones displaying the District of Columbia Modernized Permitting System website pages, showing permit login screen and permit application tracking table.
User interface design system example showing buttons in various states, a dropdown list with names and emails, calendar views for October 2024, toggle switches, status table with color-coded labels, notification messages, and color swatches for red and blue shades with their respective color codes.
Accessibility & Inclusion
Section 508 Compliance

Embedded accessibility from the start with WCAG-aligned contrast, keyboard navigation, ARIA labeling, and assistive technology compatibility.

Multilingual Support

Implemented persistent language selection and translated permit terminology to expand equitable access across DC’s diverse population.

Diagram showing accessible digital permitting system with features like ARIA labels, high contrast mode, voice input, and responsiveness across desktop, laptop, and mobile devices, highlighting Section 508 and WCAG compliance.
Interface showing multi-lingual support for the d.MPS platform with language options including English, Español, 中文, Français, 한국어, Tiếng Việt, and more, featuring instant switching and 24/7 availability.
Technology & Intelligence
AI-Ready Search & Intelligent Discovery

Grounded redesign decisions in stakeholder insight andoperational realities.

User interface showing permit search and chat assistant recommending Block Party and Temporary Occupancy permits for an outdoor party.
Measurement & Scale
Analytics & Insights

Designed dashboards providing visibility into processing times, approval trends, workflow bottlenecks, and resource planning.

Dashboard interface of a Modernized Permitting System showing analytics including total users, sessions, new applications, processing time, active users graph, traffic channels pie chart, processing time trends, permit traffic breakdown, and bottleneck analysis stages.
Results & Impact

Delivering measurable improvements in usability and efficiency

Through research-driven design and accessibility leadership, the platform evolved from a rigid legacy system into a scalable digital service infrastructure.

Key outcomes included:

Improved task clarity and completion confidence
Reduced review complexity and coordination friction
Full Section 508
compliance
Multilingual accessibility
support
Increased operational
transparency
Strong foundation for future enhancements
Key Insights

Lessons from modernizing a mission-critical government system

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Accessibility strengthens usability for everyone
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Government systems require adaptable architecture
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Progressive disclosure supports both novice and expert users
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Cross-functional collaboration reduces rework
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Mobile-first design advances digital equity

Conclusion

The DDOT Modernized Permitting System demonstrates how complex government platforms can be transformed through research-driven, accessibility-first design.

By centering diverse user needs and designing for adaptability, YUGATECH helped establish a scalable foundation for public-sector digital services in Washington, DC.

About YUGATECH LLC

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YUGATECH is a UX design consultancy specializing in modernizing complex government and enterprise systems. We transform legacy platforms into accessible, scalable digital infrastructures grounded in research and real-world workflows.

Our work bridges policy, technology, and human-centered design—helping organizations deliver inclusive, future-ready digital services.

Government & Public Sector UX
Section 508 & Inclusive Design
Enterprise Design Systems
Government & Public Sector UX
Information Architecture
AI-Ready Experience Design
Mobile-First Digital Services

THANK YOU !

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