Website Redesign Project & Client Details

Client: Office of the State Public Defender
Date: October 2024
Website: Office of the State Public Defender
Technologies:
- HTML5
- CSS3
- jQuery
- Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
- WordPress
- Figma
Devices:
- Smartphones: iPhone, Android
- iPads & Tablets
- Laptop
- Desktop
Compatible Browsers:
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Safari
- Microsoft Edge
- IE 9+
- Opera

Office of the State Public Defender on iMac

Office of the State Public Defender on Macbook

Office of the State Public Defender on iPad

Office of the State Public Defender on iPhone

Capitol Tech Solutions (CTS) partnered with the Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD) to completely redesign and develop their website, creating an accessible and intuitive platform to better serve their diverse audience of defense attorneys, public defenders, and the public.

Project Summary

The OSPD, responsible for representing indigent criminal defendants on appeal, required a modern website that was not only user-friendly but also compliant with California’s web design standards and WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility requirements. Their goal was to streamline information delivery, enhance navigation, and create a more engaging platform for users seeking resources and legal materials.

Challenges

The OSPD website needed a robust content management system (CMS) that allowed for easy updates and future scalability while maintaining adherence to state-mandated web design and accessibility standards. As a government website, accessibility was of utmost importance to ensure that the platform was usable by people of all abilities. The website also needed to be responsive across various devices, ensuring optimal performance on both desktop and mobile.

Our Approach

Capitol Tech Solutions applied its expertise in web design and development to deliver a website that is not only visually appealing but highly functional and accessible. We began by working closely with OSPD to gather requirements and understand their unique needs, aligning the design and functionality with California’s Web Design System standards.

Key elements of our approach included:

Adherence to State Guidelines: We followed California’s Web Design System to ensure the website’s design, structure, and security were in line with state policies. This consistency promotes a uniform user experience across government websites.
WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance: Accessibility was built into every aspect of the website, including providing screen reader compatibility, high contrast color schemes, and keyboard navigability, ensuring inclusivity for users with disabilities.
Responsive Design: We designed the website to be fully responsive, allowing users to seamlessly access critical information on any device, including desktops, tablets, and mobile phones.
User-Centered Design: The website’s layout was structured for ease of navigation, with intuitive menus and organized content, allowing users to quickly find the information and resources they need.

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Results

The new OSPD website successfully launched, providing a modern, accessible platform that meets the needs of its diverse audience. The website’s compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA ensures that all users, including those with disabilities, can access important legal resources without barriers. Additionally, the user-friendly CMS enables OSPD staff to efficiently update content and manage the site, keeping the information current and relevant.

The new design also reflects OSPD’s mission, offering a professional, modern web presence that improves both usability and accessibility, ultimately helping the agency better serve the public.

In addition to delivering the newly redesigned website, Capitol Tech Solutions continues to provide ongoing support and maintenance for OSPD. This includes regular updates to ensure the website remains secure, accessible, and fully compliant with the latest web standards, including WCAG 2.1 AA.

Our team plans to incorporate dynamic data visualizations into the OSPD website that will illustrate the impact of socioeconomic, gender, and racial inequities within California’s legal landscape. These planned visualizations will provide an interactive experience, allowing users to explore and understand how these factors intersect within the justice system. By presenting complex data in a visually accessible format, the feature will empower users with insights into disparities affecting marginalized communities. This aligns with OSPD’s commitment to transparency and advocacy, offering a powerful tool for education and awareness around equity issues in California’s legal framework.

Our team also monitors performance and conducts routine security checks, ensuring the website consistently meets the evolving needs of OSPD and its users. By offering ongoing technical support, we ensure the platform remains a reliable resource for California’s public defenders and the communities they serve.