Designing a Better Immigration Experience

The following is a post I wrote for my design blog. It is a critical, unapologetic look at some of the design flaws in the Aliyah system. Just some mind you. I have been told (more than once) not to look at these things and think how to change them, or that my enthusiasm for change will wane. While these people may be right, I am not looking at the system through the eyes of an optimist, but rather through the eyes of a designer. It is a different kind of thinking all together. There is a reason this was posted to my design blog first...

The State of Israel is unique in that if you meet certain criteria you can gain citizenship immediately upon arrival in the country. Obviously this isn't automatic. There are forms to fill out, red tape to wade through and a whole host of interesting characters to meet.

As someone currently undergoing this process (I moved to Israel two weeks ago) I do feel blessed not to have to take any tests or wait a few years or any of those other lovely things some countries make people do, but I can't help but feel like this process could be redesigned.

For one it takes four days from the date of arrival to be registered in the system. This means you can't open up a bank account or get a phone or anything for at least four days. As well there are to many different offices to visit. Why can't things be more centralized?

Even sillier is what happened to me today. I had to go to the local absorption office. I was told the office is at 31 Shazar Street. Now remember, I am a new immigrant. I have spent a total of five days in my new city of residence. This means, I pretty much have no clue how to get anywhere. Luckily though, I have a map in my apartment. I manage to find the street no problem, but where is number 31? There is exactly one street number I can see and it is on building number 1. It just seems nuts that a place catering to new immigrants would have no street number, sign or other marking to indicate "you are here." After walking up and down the street in about 36 degree heat (Celsius) calling the place a few times and asking random people I eventually found the building. Needless to say this is just the most recent example of how this process should be redesigned.