Erasmusbot
Revolutionizing Access to Government Services & Information
Accessibility Design
User Research & Strategy
Inclusive Design
High-Fidelity Prototyping
Inclusive Design
About
ErasmusBot, Accessible chatbot interface for people with low literacy skills. This is the first chatbot specifically designed to help low-literate users access and understand Dutch government services bridging the digital divide and empowering self-reliance. This project was created during my second year of Communication & Multimedia Design(2022) at the University of Applied Sciences, in collaboration with Casper Duijsens and Sander Ros. ICTU challenged us to identify a societal issue in the Dutch community and explore how design could help solve it. We focused on the digital exclusion of people with low literacy and created ErasmusBot, a chatbot that makes government information more accessible and easier to understand. Our inclusive, user-tested solution earned me a 9.3 and helped lay the foundation for more human-centered chatbot services within Gemeente Rotterdam. We were invited to present the project to their innovation team as input for a pilot exploring the use of chatbots as a search tool on the municipality’s website.
Q2 2022
UX/UI Design, Accessibility, Civic Tech, Government Innovation, Chatbot, Inclusive Design, Research-Driven Design
Problem statement
How can we effectively empower the low-literate population through a digital solution that provides accessible information about government agencies and e-services?
The challenge
The goal
To bridge the digital divide by empowering low-literate individuals to access and understand government services while empower individuals , supporting independence, confidence, and long-term learning.
The Design Approach
We followed a human-centered design process, combining research, strategy, and prototyping to ensure our solution was inclusive, accessible, and grounded in real user needs.
Research & Problem Framing
We began by exploring societal challenges through interviews, desk research, and field observations. A clear gap emerged: people with low literacy often struggled to access and understand government websites due to complex language, unclear navigation, and a lack of accessible digital tools. Key insights included a high reliance on others for help, fear of making mistakes online, feelings of shame and a lack of confidence in using digital services. Which hinder their ability to address their problems effectively. Based on this, we defined our problem statement and mapped the user context to design a solution that feels intuitive, supportive, and empowering from the first click.
Concept Development & Iteration
With the challenge clearly framed, we created user flows, wireframes, and visual prototypes in Figma. Multiple iterations were tested with users and validated through feedback sessions. The solution evolved from low-fidelity sketches into a high-fidelity, accessible chatbot interface, integrating visual guidance, plain language, and external tools like Steffie.
The Results
Presentation & Impact as the first design for an inclusive chatbot for Low literacy
The concept received a 9.3 and was selected to be presented to the innovation team of Gemeente Rotterdam. Our work directly contributed to their exploration of using chatbot technology as a guided search tool on their municipal website proving that thoughtful student-driven design can influence public service innovation.
Key Features
ErasmusBot was designed as a supportive and empowering tool for people with low literacy navigating digital government services. The chatbot features:
Plain language communication to reduce cognitive load.
Icon-based navigation that helps users recognize actions visually.
Gentle visual cues and spacing for a calm, accessible interface.
Step-by-step guidance to walk users through complex tasks.
Built-in links to Steffie, a trusted platform that explains services in simple language.
Privacy-safe escalation to a human government employee when needed.
Non-linear conversation design to accommodate different thinking patterns.
Tested and refined through multiple hi-fi prototypes, based on real user feedback.
This combination of features ensures that ErasmusBot doesn’t just deliver information — it creates a dignified, low-pressure experience that builds trust and encourages independence.
