Colorado Digital Service + Department of Revenue | May 2025
Each spring, as Coloradans submit their tax returns, one question floods inboxes, websites, and call centers: Where’s my refund? It is a reasonable question, but one that causes serious strain on the system meant to answer it.
During peak refund season, the Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR) can receive up to 19,000 calls per week. With capacity to handle only 6,000, the backlog is immediate and overwhelming. Over half of these calls are refund-related, and a third are what DOR calls “Refund Status / No Action.” These are calls where representatives cannot assist beyond confirming information the caller could have found online.
Unfortunately, that information was not easy to locate. Analytics showed users bouncing between two pages: one at /refund and the other at /where-is-my-refund. Content was redundant, navigation confusing, and the refund status tool hard to find. It was hidden under long text blocks or a four-minute video. Visually and structurally, the experience did not invite trust or clarity.
From Time Tax to Time Back
To address this, the Colorado Digital Service (CDS) partnered with DOR using a human-centered approach. The team began not with solutions, but with a question: what do taxpayers really need, and why are they struggling to get it?
Through research and usability testing, CDS identified two core needs:
- Reassurance — people wanted to know their return was being processed and when to expect a refund.
- Guidance — they needed a clear, intuitive path to the refund status tool.
The two pages were consolidated into one. Legalistic language was replaced with plain talk. A simple chart explained expected wait times: 3 to 5 weeks for e-filing, and up to 3 months for paper returns. The most common user task — checking refund status — was moved front and center. The title “Where’s My Refund?” remained, aligning with user expectations and national tax sites.
To reduce anxiety, the team moved audit and delay content to a “Need Help?” section. This de-emphasized edge cases that applied to only a small portion of users. Similarly, they removed the “Why is my refund delayed?” section from the main page after testing showed it raised concerns for users who were otherwise on track.
Early Results, Systemic Potential
The new page launched just after peak season, but early indicators show significant improvement:
- 40% less time for residents to get the help they needed
- 42% drop in page views per user
- More than 1,385 hours of time saved in the first three weeks
- Every usability test participant found the refund tool on their first try
- Users described the page as “trustworthy,” “reassuring,” and “clear”
This project also marks the first known time DOR used user research to shape a public digital experience. It represents a shift from designing around policy to designing around the people the policy affects.
What’s Next
The redesign is just the beginning. CDS is now working with DOR to map the full taxpayer experience. Together, they are identifying key stress points across the tax lifecycle — from filing to refund — and planning improvements across phone, web, app, and portal channels.
The DOR team has shown a deep commitment to user-centered problem solving. Rather than resisting change, they have leaned into co-design, shared data openly, and helped troubleshoot roadblocks along the way.
Results from the next tax season will offer more conclusive insights, but the impact of this work is already clear. People are finding what they need faster. Staff are less burdened. Trust is being rebuilt, one task at a time.