A full redesign of the Technical Safety Authority Saskatchewan's public-facing website — transforming a cluttered government portal into a clear, accessible, and task-focused experience for contractors, homeowners, and businesses.
01 — Overview
TSASK (Technical Safety Authority Saskatchewan) is a regulatory body responsible for safety compliance across six technical domains in Saskatchewan, Canada — Gas, Electrical, Plumbing, Boilers & Pressure Vessels, Elevating Devices, and Amusement Rides.
The project began with a wireframe handoff from the client's internal team. My role was to take that structural foundation and redesign the full visual and interaction layer — improving usability, visual hierarchy, and accessibility while honoring the organization's brand.
02 — The Problem
The previous TSASK website suffered from several usability and structural issues that made it difficult for users — contractors, homeowners, and business owners — to find the information they needed quickly.
"Users were spending too much time searching for basic information like permit applications and safety guidelines. The old design buried critical actions in dense navigation menus."
Before & After
Before — Old design: cluttered, low visual hierarchy, no quick actions
After — New design: color-coded categories, quick actions surfaced, clear hierarchy
03 — Research & Discovery
Working from the wireframes provided, I mapped out the core user personas and their primary goals. TSASK's audience is broad — from licensed contractors applying for permits to homeowners checking inspection requirements to business owners renewing certifications.
By analyzing the six safety domains and how each user type interacted with them, it became clear that the key design challenge was disambiguation: helping users immediately identify which domain applied to their situation, and then quickly reaching the action they needed.
User Type 01
Licensed Contractors
Need fast access to permit applications, inspection scheduling, and certification renewals. Time is money — they can't afford to search.
User Type 02
Homeowners
Often unfamiliar with regulatory language. Need clear guidance on what permits are required and who to contact.
User Type 03
Business Owners
Managing multiple compliance areas (e.g., boilers + elevating devices). Need a consolidated view of their obligations.
User Type 04
New Applicants
First-time users learning the system. Need onboarding guidance and clear next steps with minimal jargon.
04 — Design Decisions
Every major decision was grounded in a specific usability improvement. Here are the core design choices and the reasoning behind them.
Decision 01
Color-Coded Category System
Each of the six safety domains was assigned a unique, distinct color — making it possible to immediately orient within the site without reading text. This reduced cognitive load significantly for repeat visitors.
Decision 02
Quick Action Tiles on Homepage
The most-requested user actions — permit application, inspection booking, license renewal — were elevated to the homepage as prominent, tappable tiles. Previously buried in menus, these now take 1–2 clicks instead of 4–5.
Decision 03
Dark, Authoritative Header
A deep navy (#222c35) header replaced the flat blue, conveying authority and trust — critical for a safety regulator. The contrast also improved legibility and created a strong visual anchor at the top of every page.
Decision 04
MyTSASK Portal Integration
The logged-in portal (MyTSASK) was prominently surfaced in the navigation, encouraging digital-first interactions for permits and renewals — reducing phone and in-person service load.
Decision 05
Responsive-First Layout
The new design was built mobile-first from the ground up. The category tile grid collapses gracefully to a 2-column layout on tablet and a single column on mobile, maintaining usability across all devices.
Decision 06
News Ticker for Updates
A scrolling marquee at the bottom of the page surfaces timely regulatory updates and announcements without cluttering the primary content hierarchy. Users can see what's new without it competing for attention.
05 — Outcome
The redesigned tsask.ca launched with measurable improvements in key usability metrics. The color-coded system and surfaced quick actions significantly reduced the time users needed to complete core tasks.
Beyond the numbers, the redesign established a scalable visual system — the color-coded domain structure, consistent card patterns, and clear typographic hierarchy — that the TSASK team can now maintain and extend as the organization grows.
"The new site makes it obvious where to go. Contractors especially appreciate being able to apply for a permit in two clicks instead of hunting through the old menu structure."