The ID+CL Website Redesign
The ID+CL website is being redesigned to meet the evolving needs of students and sponsors. The goal is to improve user experience and engagement, leading to more student visitors seeking opportunities and sponsors connecting with talent. This reflects our commitment to facilitating connections and fostering growth within our community.
Services Offered: WordPress, Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Miro
Duration: November 2022 - November 2023
Client: WSU The Integrated Design + Construction Laboratory
Project Summary
The ID+CL website faces challenges like low user engagement, limited traffic from students and sponsors, and lacking WSU branding. This hinders its ability to connect talent with opportunities. Addressing these issues is crucial to creating a more effective ecosystem for everyone involved.
Project Goals
Revitalize website: Improve overall quality and appeal.
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Increase user engagement: Encourage active participation and exploration.
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Expand traffic: Attract more students and sponsors.
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Integrate WSU branding: Align website with university's visual identity.
These improvements will enhance the platform's ability to connect talent with opportunities, creating a more valuable ecosystem for all.
My Role
Designer - Design research, wireframe, prototype, user research, user experience design, user interface design
Target Audience
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Prospective Students seeking opportunities
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Students seeking educational purposes
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Sponsors interested in connecting talents and project
Jump To
Phase I: Research
Our Clients
Needs
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User-friendly navigation for visitors, especially students and potential sponsors to quickly find information
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Engagement features like multimedia content and social media sharing
Educational resources for students, researchers , and educators
Julia Day, ID+CL Director
Phase II: Brainstorming
Starting the Design
Findings
Navigation Issues:
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Excessive main categories: Many are similar and could be combined (e.g., "ID+CL Research" and "Building Healthy Energy").
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Unnecessary public pages: Password-protected pages for employees shouldn't be listed publicly (e.g., "LLC Curriculum", "ID+CL Wiki: Employee Resources").
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Cluttered subpages: Each main category has too many subpages, potentially overwhelming users.
Solution
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Main categories: Reduced and reorganized for clarity. Similar categories like "ID+CL Research" and "Building Healthy Energy" are likely combined under "Research & Engagement".
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Public pages: Private pages ("LLC Curriculum", "ID+CL Wiki: Employee Resources") are hidden from public view, improving security and user experience.
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Subpages: Potentially reorganized or redistributed under the new main categories, streamlining the navigation.
Overall, the changes simplify navigation, making the website more user-friendly and accessible.
Information Architecture
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Based on card sorting and user requirements.
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Guides users efficiently through the website.
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Enables completion of specific tasks for both students and stakeholders.
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Provides clear information about ID+CL offerings.
style guide
WSU BRANDING STYLE GUIDE
“Crimson, gray, and white are the foundation of the WSU color palette. They serve as the brand’s primary colors for print, electronic, and environmental applications.” - WSU
COLOR PALETTE
Primary
#A60F2D
Secondary
#CA1237
Accent
#F3E700
#152F52
#4D4D4D
#000000
#5BC3F5
#5FA5BF
#FFFFFF
#FF6727
LOGOS
TYPOGRAPHY
BUTTONS
WEB
Montserrat
Proxima Nova
Phase III:
Final Design
Findings
Design Issues:
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Excessive white space: Takes up significant space on each page, requiring excessive scrolling.
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Inefficient layout: Doesn't utilize the full screen, further increasing scrolling.
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Limited use of visuals: Some images and icons aren't impactful or relevant.
These issues make the website feel empty and require users to scroll more than necessary, hindering user experience.
Solution
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Reduced white space: Utilizing the full screen reduces unnecessary scrolling and creates a cleaner layout.
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Multiple columns: Organizing content in columns improves information density and reduces scrolling.
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Prioritized content: Placing recent information at the top prioritizes user needs.
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Enhanced visuals: Adding relevant graphics and icons improves usability by making categories easily identifiable.
Overall, these changes will likely lead to a more engaging and user-friendly website experience.
Accessibility Consideration
Large text with high contrast for users with vision impairment
Icons and images are used for quick and easy navigation without the over usage of text
Pop-ups and separate pages for certain information creates a for focused experience for users to prevent confusions
Iterations Based on Clients Feedback
Issues
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Grid layout and excessive white space limit content
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Static image and outdated icons lack visual appeal.
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Multiple introductions and newsletter clutter the homepage, making it unclear what information is most important.
Solution
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Dynamic carousel: Showcase lab activities at the top.
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More visuals: Highlight focus areas throughout page.
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Quicklinks: Improve user navigation.
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Prioritize content: Remove clutter, focus on key info.
Structure:
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Large image banner with title and intro.
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Featured sections: Podcast, newsletter, "Join Us"
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Auto-updating social media feed.
Benefits:
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Increased engagement and usability.
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Improved aesthetics and first impression.
Redesigning the Home Page
Data Analytics
Website traffic data shows a clear increase on the ID+CL website since the June redesign. This suggests the new design has had a positive impact.
Data reveals a significant rise in visitors, with engagement likely driven by:
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Improved content organization
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Enhanced user experience
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These factors have attracted and retained a larger audience.
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