Israel Tax Authority
Online Tax Coordination System
A web system for mobile and desktop use, which allows citizens to do their tax coordination quickly and easily
B2C
MOBILE FIRST
UX/UI DESIGN
UX WRITING
USER TESTING
My Role In The Project
Lead the design team,
which includes UI designers, UX designers, and content writers
Hands-on designing of the entire UX lifecycle, including hundreds of screens, scenarios, and edge cases
Conduct user tests
at different design stages, from planning to execution and analysis
Oversee the UX writing process
by guiding expert writers and contributing substantially to the content
The Primary Goal Of The Project
To enable all users to easily complete their tax coordination, particularly those who may not be tech-savvy or familiar with tax terminology and procedures
The Main Topics I Will Cover
But first... a short commercial break
This TV ad does a great job showing who the product is meant for and what it's used for
The Concept
The Core Solution Behind The Concept
The core concept of the system revolves around breaking down the lengthy and complex tax coordination process into three distinct phases and leveraging technological tools to minimize its duration.
Onboarding
Income
Salary, pension, rent, alimony, etc.
Tax breaks
Parent, student, senior citizen, etc.
Verification
Summary and approval documents
personal
Area
The Initial Concept
Thanks to this concept, we won the tender for the project. Later, it formed the basis for all further work.
The Three levels approach
Crafting a process to empower users to conduct their own tax coordination is a path full of challenges. It involves navigating a complex and emotionally daunting procedure for an unpopular organization. To achieve our goal, I systematically tackled each challenge from three distinct levels:
01
Taxation Process Level
We encouraged procedural, legal, and technical adjustments in the taxing process itself, simplifying and shortening the overall procedure. These adjustments even extended beyond the digital domain, influencing regulatory aspects.
02
Interface Level
Careful consideration was deliberately given to designing a user-friendly interface. This involved shaping the overall flow, meticulous assembly of screens, and ensuring precision in the fundamental components.
03
Content And Phrasing Level
We introduced all the professional terms in simple and everyday language to ensure that the users understand every step in the process.
To make sure the explanations were clear enough, we tested them repeatedly.
Key Challenges
Inspiring Trust
Challenge #1
As we discovered in the research stage, users often believe that conducting their own tax coordination online could lead to paying more than necessary. This perception is closely tied to the Tax Authority's reputation as an institution that may not prioritize individual benefits. Accordingly, users often feel the need to rely on their accountant's advice to optimize their reports.
So... how did we handle it?
We established CLARITY, TRANSPARENCY, and FAIRNESS as the system's core values. These principles became the guiding lights for all the decisions we made.
Here's How We Embody These Principles
01
Straightforward Explanations
Providing clear explanations on how calculations are performed, simplifying professional terms, and explaining the necessity of the information requested.
02
Providing Tips An Accountant Would Give
Integrating helpful guidance and advice to empower users in optimizing their reports, akin to insights provided by a professional accountant.
03
Giving The Choice Back To The User
Avoiding automatic actions performed without the user's knowledge. Instead, we provided tools enabling users to make informed decisions that align with their preferences.
An example of how we guide users to make choices that pay off
In this pop-up, users are required to select their primary employer. Often, when uncertain, users opt for the 'none' option. To guide users to a more profitable choice, we relocated the 'none' option to the end of the list and added an explanation of the benefits of selecting one of the employers.
"Why does it pay off to select a primary employer?"
An example of how we employ explanations for transparency and clarity
This screen displays the final tax rate - individual percentages for each employer and the total amount in shekels. Explanations are integrated to address the part that often concerns users, providing clarity and better understanding.
"Why is the tax rate different between the employers?"
"How we calculated this"
This is how the explanation component looks in its expanded state
An example of simplifying professional terms into everyday language
In this screen where users select their tax breaks, we've translated the professional language, which typically uses credit points, into clear and practical terms in shekels.
"Select the tax breaks you want to receive credits for"
"Total credit points"
"7.25 points
18,792 Shekels per year"
"1 credit point = 2,616 Shekels that will be reduced from your taxes per year"
An example of increasing transparency by giving the choice back to the user
The second stage of the taxing process addresses tax breaks that reduce the tax amount. Previously, users not required to pay any tax due to low incomes skipped this automatically, streamlining the process. However, a few with increased income missed out, resulting in overpayment. Despite its rarity, I prioritized transparency, communicated it to the users, and returned the choice to them.
"You can skip this stage"
Elaboration on why you can skip it and what it means
"Skip to the verification stage"
"Continue to the tax breaks, anyway"
Desktop View
We maintained a clean and minimalist design across all resolutions
Encouraging Independence And Self-Confidence
Challenge #2
Given the complexity of the tax coordination process, we aimed to guarantee success and self-confidence, even for individuals less tech-savvy or unfamiliar with the procedure, and minimize the chance of errors.
How We Achieved This
01
Splitting Forms Into One-Question Screens And Integrating Explanations And Guidance
Keeping things clear and straightforward to avoid mistakes
02
Displaying A Summary Page After Each Question Sequence
Allowing users to review and contextualize their answers
03
Offering Proactive Personalized Suggestions And Autofill Of Known Data
Simplifying the process and minimizing the amount of information users have to input
An example of splitting forms into one-question screens
and integrating explanations and guidance
"What is your gross
salary per month?"
"What is a gross salary, and where can you find it? "
"For how many
months is your monthly salary expected to be 18,000?"
"How do you calculate the number of months?"
An example of displaying summary screens that allow users to review their answers in a context
"Before we proceed, we advise checking if all the details are correct. If you need to change anything, this is the time.
Back to editing "
The details of the user's salary
First 'income reporting' summary screen
Final 'summary screen', before tax verification
"Please check all the details
and make sure they are correct and complete"
The income details
"Back to editing incomes stage"
The tax break details
"Back to editing tax breaks stage"
An example of personalized suggestions and autofill of known data
"This tax break was added automatically because you are registered as a woman in the Resident Register"
Addition of a tax break: Woman
"The required data is already registered; now you only need to add it"
Addition of a tax break: Disability
The day after...
The journey to launch the system was challenging, but the exhilarating feedback we received made it all worthwhile. The system has become a notable discussion point in both tax and design communities. Since its launch, numerous users have successfully completed their tax coordination with the system, and it continues to evolve and improve.
"I work for an organization called ***. Among its functions is allowing our donors to apply for a tax credit for their donations through a system we developed. As we prepared for the system's reopening this year, we checked the official system to ensure the process hadn't changed.
To our surprise, the remarkable improvements made by the Tax Authority led us to abandon our system and direct donors straight to theirs. It's convenient, intuitive, and eliminates steps we couldn't streamline for our donors. Great job, hats off to the team!"
"Entering a new world – accessible, comfortable, and calm. Well done!"
"The first time I had a great experience in a process that I expected to be a headache."
"I just have to give credit where it's due. In one of my roles, I frequently navigate income tax, social security, and other systems for diverse users and needs. Today, I assisted someone with tax coordination, and I must say, the site has undergone a remarkable makeover! It's comfortable, seamless, and clear. Each step is accompanied by personalized explanations, making the typically daunting process surprisingly enjoyable. I actually had fun doing that process that usually causes reluctance and concerns."