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CASE STUDY

Improving Access to School Meals Through Human-Centered Design

Under the leadership of Stephanie Wade, Director of the OPM Innovation Lab, the federal government undertook a significant effort to redesign the National School Lunch Program application. In partnership with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the team aimed to make it easier for families to apply for school meals while reducing administrative burden and improper payments. The result was a simpler, clearer, and more equitable application experience aligned with federal regulations and grounded in real user needs.

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This project integrated human-centered design, behavioral insights, policy analysis, implementation planning, and capacity-building to ensure the redesign was not only user-friendly but sustainable for USDA staff to maintain and improve over time.

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6. BUILT INTERNAL CAPACITY FOR CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT

A core objective was to equip USDA staff with the capabilities to practice human-centered design long after the project ended. Stephanie and her team trained staff in: User research methods Synthesis and insight generation Prototyping and testing Cross-functional problem solving USDA teams reported that this project fundamentally changed how they approached program challenges, helping establish a sustained culture of customer-focused design.

2. GROUNDED THE WORK IN REAL USER INSIGHTS

Stephanie led a comprehensive discovery process rooted in direct engagement with the people closest to the problem. The team conducted interviews and observations with parents, school nutrition directors, front-office staff, and community partners across multiple states.

4. CO-CREATED AND TESTED PROTOTYPES

The team developed multiple low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes of the new application. Stephanie facilitated iterative cycles of design, testing, and refinement. The process included: Paper and digital prototypes Multilingual versions and simplified layouts Real-time feedback from families and staff Usability testing to surface confusion or friction Parents consistently reported that the new versions were easier to understand and faster to complete. School staff found the simplified structure reduced errors and improved clarity during processing.

1. THE CHALLENGE

 

The National School Lunch Program serves millions of families each year, yet its application process was complicated, inconsistent across states, and prone to error. Improper payments reached 15.8 percent, representing $1.9 billion in over- or under-payments annually.

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Families faced confusing instructions, unclear eligibility pathways, and forms that were difficult to complete, especially for households with limited English proficiency. Frontline staff spent time correcting incomplete applications, interpreting vague responses, and reconciling inconsistencies.

 

USDA needed:

  • A simplified, user-tested application form

  • Clearer instructions for families

  • A more consistent experience across districts

  • Reduced administrative burden

  • A process aligned tightly with federal regulations

  • A sustainable approach for continued improvement

3. ESTABLISHED DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND SUCCESS CRITERIA

Based on the research, Stephanie guided the USDA team in developing design principles to steer the redesign. These included:

  • Reduce cognitive load

  • Use plain, consistent language

  • Make eligibility pathways transparent

  • Minimize required fields

  • Design for multilingual, mobile-first use

  • Support rapid, accurate processing

These principles ensured alignment across policy, UX, and operational needs.

5. ENSURED POLICY ALIGNMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION READINESS

Federal nutrition programs must align with strict regulatory requirements. Stephanie worked closely with USDA policy, legal, and program teams to ensure: Updated language still met statutory intent Required information was preserved but clarified Guidance to states supported more consistent implementation The design could be adopted broadly without major administrative overhaul.

This collaboration ensured the redesign was not only user-friendly but also compliant and feasible for state and district partners.

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Lasting Impact

The redesigned application and process improvements led to:
 

  • A clearer, more accessible experience for families

  • Reduced likelihood of incomplete or incorrect submissions

  • Decreased administrative burden for school staff

  • A pathway to reduce improper payment rates

  • Strengthened federal design capabilities

  • Greater consistency across states and districts
     

​This project demonstrated the value of human-centered design at the federal level. It offered a model for how agencies can modernize essential services in ways that are equitable, effective, and efficient. It also showed that when government staff learn and practice design methods directly, change becomes embedded and scalable. Under Stephanie Wade’s leadership, the project not only improved a critical service for families nationwide but also helped strengthen the federal government’s capacity to design programs that truly meet people where they are.

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