AI-Driven Bureaucratic Automation
Using AI-mapping and real time translation, R-Fuge allows asylum seekers in Israel to navigate the Israeli bureaucratic system more easily. Made in collaboration with HIAS, the international refugee aid non-profit as a part of the JAM Product Design course with the Hebrew University. With machine learning integration, R-Fuge allows users to fill out vital forms related to childcare in seconds through automation and real time translation.
R-Fuge
Collaboration
HIAS (Refugee Aid NGO) & Hebrew University
Role
Product Lead (Strategy, UX Research, AI Integration) and Illustrator
The Problem
Refugees in Israel have to navigate the bureaucratic system of Israel on their own without knowing the language much more often than citizens. They have to reapply for visas on a recurring basis and provide with documentation for anything they need, making their lives, already complicated by war and oftentimes domestic violence, even harder. The burden ends up falling into the hands of their children who usually speak Hebrew better than the adults do, and they end up taking on the role of translating and filling out everything from bills to legal documents.
The Solution
Users complete a single, verified "Intake" with a social worker to store their personal data securely.
One-Time Setup
The AI pulls that stored data and automatically fills out complex Hebrew PDFs (childcare, housing, legal) in seconds.
Instant Form Mapping
Bilingual Sync UI
A split-screen interface allows users to type in their native language (Arabic/Hebrew) while seeing the translated version update in real-time, ensuring 100% accuracy.
Happy Flow
The Features
Real-time translation
Tracking and storing forms in one place
Form filling through automation
LLM Chatbot and FAQ section
Illustration
After learning that a large portion of the refugee population is illiterate, we implemented two features. A speaker for every portion of text so anything can be read out loud in either Hebrew or English and illustrations. The illustrations were not only meant to convey what different parts of the app relate to, but also provide with a sense of comfort to help deal with the buraeucratic overwhelm.
Human-Centered Design
For R-Fuge, everything behind the design had a reason. The colors easily categorize the different sections of the app: the personal dashboard (orange), the documents (blue) and the chatbot / FAQ section (green.
The typography was large to make reading as easy as possible for users that were reading in their second language and in a font that works well in both Hebrew and Arabic, with slavic languages such as Russian or Ukrainian also available for scalability.
Personal Connection
As the daughter of a single parent and immigrant, I grew up filling out legal forms for my mother. I designed R-Fuge to solve a systemic barrier I know from a young age. My goal was to use technology to give parents their agency back and let children be children again.
Read more from HIAS