dept of defense ux

Operational UX for a Large-Scale Government Workflow Platform

WAWF (Wide Area Workflow) is a Department of Defense procurement platform used by vendors and government personnel to submit, review, and track invoices, receipts, and acceptance documentation electronically. CACI partnered with Upstate Interactive to modernize the platform’s user experience and improve usability across complex operational workflows. I led the UX discovery and design effort, translating highly technical procurement processes into scalable, user-centered workflows for both internal and external users.

The Challenge

The WAWF platform supported a broad range of operational processes beyond invoicing, yet many users lacked visibility into the full scope of available functionality. Years of platform growth had introduced workflow complexity, inconsistent navigation patterns, and usability friction across critical tasks.

The challenge required:

  • simplifying complex operational workflows
  • improving discoverability across a large system
  • modernizing legacy user experiences
  • supporting multiple user types and permissions
  • balancing usability with enterprise-scale requirements
  • aligning stakeholders across technical and operational teams

This was not simply a visual redesign. The project focused on workflow modernization, operational clarity, and scalable UX recommendations for a large government platform.

My Role

I spearheaded the UX discovery and design process in collaboration with Upstate Interactive, CACI stakeholders, engineers, and operational users. My responsibilities included:


  • stakeholder interviews
  • workflow analysis
  • user interviews
  • usability research
  • benchmarking comparable systems
  • persona development
  • user story creation
  • wireframing
  • low- and high-fidelity prototyping
  • UX strategy and recommendations
  • design system direction


I worked closely with stakeholders to identify operational pain points, uncover hidden workflow complexity, and create scalable UX recommendations supporting future modernization efforts.

Discovery & Workflow Analysis

The discovery phase focused heavily on understanding how real users interacted with the platform across operational scenarios.


Key activities included:


  • interviewing internal and external users
  • mapping procurement and approval workflows
  • identifying usability bottlenecks
  • documenting operational requirements
  • benchmarking similar enterprise and government systems
  • synthesizing findings into user stories and UX recommendations


Research revealed that many users only understood a small portion of the platform’s capabilities. This insight influenced a broader information architecture strategy focused on improving discoverability, clarity, and workflow guidance throughout the system.

UX Strategy & System Design

Design System

UX Strategy & System Design

Rather than redesigning isolated screens, the work focused on building a more cohesive operational experience across the platform.

The redesigned experience emphasized:

  • operational clarity
  • simplified navigation
  • improved task visibility
  • stronger user control
  • scalable interface patterns
  • modern enterprise usability standards

The design system incorporated:

  • reusable interface patterns
  • Material Design principles
  • consistent interaction behaviors
  • clearer hierarchy and spacing
  • scalable workflows for future expansion

Operational Impact

The project delivered a structured UX modernization roadmap supporting future development and long-term usability improvements across the WAWF platform.

Deliverables included:

  • workflow documentation
  • personas
  • user interview findings
  • UX recommendations
  • benchmark analysis
  • wireframes
  • high-fidelity mockups
  • interactive prototypes
  • scalable design direction

The result was a clearer, more modern operational framework capable of supporting complex procurement workflows across a large enterprise environment.

Let’s talk about your project

Fill in the form or call to set up a meeting at  (315) 530-5086 or email me at jlu@jlu.design