Modernizing the Navy’s Port Engineer Platform
Client
T Solutions / US Navy
Year
2022
T Solutions approached us with a clear and urgent objective: the U.S. Navy’s Port Engineer Program website — a critical tool for maintaining fleet readiness — was in desperate need of modernization. Originally built over a decade ago, the platform had become virtually unusable. Port engineers, instead of relying on the system, resorted to phone chains and word-of-mouth to access the information they needed to do their jobs. The irony? All the data was there — just buried beneath decades of clutter and outdated design.
The mission was clear: return control of the information back to the engineers on the front lines of naval fleet support.
Scope of Work
Bridge Briefing: Understanding the Battlefield
Before diving into wireframes, I spent time learning from those who used the platform most. I interviewed Navy stakeholders and program leaders to understand the operational needs of port engineers, and where the old site failed them.
What became immediately apparent was that this wasn’t just a website redesign. It was a chance to overhaul the way institutional knowledge was accessed, shared, and evolved.
Working closely with our software architect, we mapped out a new site structure grounded in usability, accessibility, and security compliance. Search was no longer an afterthought — it became mission-critical. We created a site-wide search system and implemented a robust content structure that allowed engineers to access the right data, fast.
New Systems Online: Designing for Usability & Unity
With the backbone of the site designed, we focused on user empowerment. We introduced a modern UI that didn’t just look good — it worked seamlessly across devices and complied with stringent military design standards.
But the real innovation? Community.
We designed an integrated forum system within the platform — allowing port engineers to ask questions, post updates, and comment on shared experiences. We connected this directly with an embedded training module, allowing users to track their learning while referencing real conversations happening across the fleet. It created a living, evolving knowledge base — and eliminated the dependency on backchannel phone calls.
Now, whether a port engineer is reviewing historical maintenance on an LPD class ship or learning from peers about emergent issues, it’s all in one place — secure, accessible, and easy to use.
Deployment Ready: The Results
After wrapping the full design and UX documentation, we worked closely with our internal technical team to produce a comprehensive technical design document. This became the blueprint — complete with phased development plans, timeline breakdowns, and resourcing estimates.
The impact? Massive. The roadmap led directly to T Solutions entering contract negotiations for full implementation, ultimately netting Softchoice its largest military contract to date — valued at over $1 million.
Post-Mission Report: Lessons from the Field
Even though this mission went smoothly, there were critical learnings:
• Listening is your best asset — clarity from real users leads to clarity in the product.
• Simplicity can outperform complexity — the most valuable features were often the ones users used to do manually.
• When designing for mission-critical roles, remove friction, build trust, and make the system a teammate, not a tool.
This wasn’t just a redesign — it was a rearmament of knowledge, efficiency, and collaboration. One that will empower port engineers for years to come.
Demo:
