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Waterfowl Harvest Diary Survey Modernization

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducts an annual Waterfowl Harvest Diary Survey, mailing paper surveys to a randomized sample of ~100,000 waterfowl hunters across the U.S. Each hunter is uniquely identified by a federal hunter number. The survey informs critical decisions such as harvesting trends, hunting regulations, and conservation policies. However, relying solely on paper mailers created several issues:

  • Low and inconsistent response rates

  • Manual data entry burden

  • Slow data collection turnaround

  • Lack of accessibility for mobile-first users

Client: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
 

​Role: UX Designer 

My Role & Contributions

  • Co-led the UX design and research for a digital version of the survey

  • Worked closely with stakeholders to understand compliance, privacy, and user demographics

  • Developed user personas and journey maps based on hunter profiles and survey behaviors

  • Created responsive wireframes and interactive prototypes in Figma

  • Conducted usability testing with real participants to validate flow and design choices

The Process

Discovery & Research

  • Interviews with client stakeholders

  • Reviewed legacy survey format and return rates

  • Analyzed demographic and device-accessibility needs

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Design

  • Created multiple low- and high-fidelity wireframes

  • Prioritized mobile access and intuitive flow for older or less tech-savvy users

Testing

  • Conducted remote moderated usability tests

  • Iterated on input formats and confirmation pages based on feedbackThe Impact

  • Delivered a fully responsive digital survey experience prototype

  • Significantly improved accessibility and reduced user friction

  • Positioned the client to increase completion rates and reduce operational costs

  • Enabled quicker turnaround on data collection to support time-sensitive regulation decisions

The Impact

  • Delivered a fully responsive digital survey experience prototype

  • Significantly improved accessibility and reduced user friction

  • Positioned the client to increase completion rates and reduce operational costs

  • Enabled quicker turnaround on data collection to support time-sensitive regulation decisions

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