From Bottleneck to Blueprint : Redesigning Hamburg’s Childcare Voucher Service
As lead UX designer, I helped win the proposal to deliver a new digital service for the government of Hamburg.
As part of a broader digital transformation initiative in Hamburg, I co-created a proposal that reimagined public service delivery, shifting from reactive, paper-based systems to a proactive, citizen-centric platform.
To validate this vision, we applied the approach to a real case: the Kita-Gutschein (childcare voucher) system, a known bottleneck for over 80,000 families annually.
The problem I identified
Through my research, I discovered the current process included:
Annual re-application requirements
Multiple proof documents submission
Long wait times and approval delays
I calculated this system was costing Hamburg approximately €1–2 million annually in administrative overhead while creating stress for families.
€1k+ per month
Missing a deadline might cost
~6 weeks
extensions could take
€ 1-2 M
Administrative cost
My approach
The story I created
Result: My storytelling approach was instrumental in winning the proposal. The narrative helped stakeholders understand the human impact and differentiated our submission from competitors.
I developed a comprehensive narrative around a character called Tina to make the proposal relatable and compelling. I created Tina's complete journey, showing how she would experience the new proactive service when registering her son Robert for childcare.
The concept design and storytelling is by me.
→ Projected Impact
70%
Fewer application steps
85%
Time saved up to per family
30%
Faster processing time for the city
What I delivered
I led the concept design, strategic service and UX design and storytelling for this proposal, which was selected for implementation. While I wasn’t involved in the final delivery, here’s how the idea evolved.
Winning Porposal
I developed the complete service concept and proposal that won the project, demonstrating clear value proposition and implementation roadmap.
Internal Collaboration & Proposal Development
I facilitated internal workshops with colleagues from different departments and worked closely with the product owner to prepare the proposal and enhance the citizen journey design.
Scalable Framework
I designed a reusable and integrable service model applicable to other Hamburg services like School registration and reminding services.
What I learned
This project demonstrated how I can transform complex government processes into user-centered services through strategic thinking and compelling storytelling. I learned that winning proposals require not just good design concepts, but clear narratives that help stakeholders envision the human impact.
My approach of combining rigorous analysis with relatable storytelling proved effective in a competitive proposal environment.