Cadence By Tempo
Redefining Support. Empowering People.
Designing an all-in-one platform designed to promote person-centered self-empowerment by reshaping the landscape of disability services.
Project Overview
Cadence by Tempo is a platform created to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through the process of building a person-centered plan (PCP).
It empowers individuals to actively participate in goal-setting, simplifies case management tasks, ensures data compliance with the Access Rule, and creates an ecosystem of information, measurement, and accountability across multiple stakeholders — including individuals, case managers, vendors, and state/federal institutions.
My Role
I led UX design for Cadence by Tempo, conducting user interviews and journey mapping to inform accessible, streamlined workflows for goal-setting and compliance.
I also built interactive prototypes for testing and iteration, while supporting go-to-market efforts through demo videos, social content, and client outreach to drive adoption.
Tools
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face major barriers to accessing services that reflect their goals and values. Existing systems are fragmented, hard to navigate, and limit active participation, leading to missed opportunities for goal-setting and progress tracking.
Meanwhile, providers and case managers lack efficient tools for managing data, tracking outcomes, and staying compliant — directly impacting the quality of care.
The Problem
Design a person-centered platform that empowers individuals with IDD to actively participate in their planning process, while streamlining data management, outcome tracking, and compliance for service providers and case managers.
By creating a more intuitive, accessible, and integrated system, we could improve user engagement, enhance goal achievement, and raise the overall quality and consistency of care delivery.
The Opportunity
The Solution
Imagine trying to set life goals, find the right services, and advocate for yourself — all while navigating a system that's confusing, fragmented, and not built with you in mind.
That's the reality many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face today.
We set out to change that with Cadence — a person-centered planning platform that puts individuals in control of their own journey while giving case managers and providers the tools they need to support them every step of the way.
Cadence makes goal-setting intuitive, connects individuals with the right services faster, and simplifies data collection and compliance — all in one easy-to-use platform. It's fully customizable, flexible to state-specific rules, and designed to grow with organizations and the people they serve.
Key Screens & Feature Highlights
Client Dashboard
A welcoming space where individuals can easily view upcoming tasks, create goals, track progress, and stay engaged in their personal development — without feeling overwhelmed.
Case Manager Portal
Case managers can instantly review client goals, match services and vendors through smart search tools, and collaborate with individuals — streamlining what used to be a complicated, paper-heavy process.
Incident & Grievance Management
Fully integrated modules to track, report, and resolve grievances and critical incidents — keeping organizations compliant and individuals protected.
Goal Creation Flow
Guided, step-by-step goal setting that empowers individuals to define what matters most to them — and work with case managers to turn dreams into action plans.
Real-time Reporting
Powerful reporting dashboards track goals achieved, outcomes met, and compliance metrics — giving organizations clear insights to improve services and advocate for better support at the state and federal level.
The Impact
Cadence officially launched at the National Developmental Disabilities Conference in June 2024, where we presented to industry leaders, advocates, and government officials.
I supported the launch by leading live demos, collecting feedback, and starting adoption conversations with state agencies and service providers.
The launch sparked strong interest from government reps, positioning Cadence as a promising solution for modernizing person-centered planning and compliance tracking.
Highlights:
✅ Launched at a major national conference
✅ Engaged directly with key decision-makers
✅ Positioned for large-scale government adoption
That’s me with the product team, running product demos at the NSADDDs Conference in Washington D.C., June 2024!
The Process
A high-level look at the process. Want the full breakdown? Keep scrolling.
Research & Discovery
Working with a Start-Up
This project was initiated by a San Francisco–based startup focused on transforming support services for individuals with disabilities. Their team — composed of passionate advocates with deep personal and professional ties to the disability services sector — came to us with a bold vision, but needed clarity on how to translate it into a user-centered digital product.
To understand their goals, operations, and desired impact, I led a series of stakeholder workshops and discovery meetings. These sessions were instrumental in surfacing key ideas, uncovering organizational workflows, and aligning on the product’s strategic direction.
The Tempo team
“We’ve all had to navigate the system ourselves — we want to build something that takes the guesswork out for other families.”
“It’s not just about organizing services. It’s about giving people more dignity and control in their lives. We really want to make an impact in the disability support services technology space. ”
Key Insight: Through this collaboration, I gained valuable insight into the startup product space — particularly the importance of deeply listening to founders and subject-matter experts when working in a complex, mission-driven sector.
These early conversations laid the foundation for our research phase, where we dove deeper into the needs of users and service providers within the disability support ecosystem.
Industry Analysis
Understanding the Landscape of Disability Services
Before building the product together with the Tempo team, we began with a deep dive into how disability services are structured and delivered—especially the relationship between case managers and the individuals receiving support. In California, case managers are responsible for ensuring that services align with each person’s individual program plan (IPP), documenting goals, progress, and compliance with regional center requirements.
However, many existing systems are outdated, fragmented, and lack transparency, making it difficult to track real-time support and ensure accountability.
“In a 2020 report by the California State Auditor, over 60% of regional center case files reviewed were missing documentation required to show whether services were delivered as planned.”
Key Insight: Systemic inefficiencies in service documentation aren’t just operational problems—they directly impact the quality and consistency of care that individuals with disabilities receive.
This means that even with strong intent and dedicated case managers, the lack of modern infrastructure creates real risk: people may not get the services they’re entitled to, and agencies can’t prove they’ve delivered support as planned. That gap opens the door for missed interventions, compliance failures, and eroded trust between providers, families, and the system meant to serve them.