NYU Global Public Health
How an in-person workshop pivoted the project and led to a series of site-wide design updates.
2023
Workshops, UI Design, Design Handover
I worked with NYU GPH to improve the usability of their site through in-person research, usability/accessibility audits, and component updates delivered to their engineers.
My Role
Senior UX/UI Designer
My Work
Goals Workshop
Accessibility Audit
UX/Design Audit
Component Design Explorations & Updates
How might we establish project goals aligned with business goals and user needs?
The Why
NYU GPH came to us with untested ideas about what their site needed.
Rather than accept those assumptions without question, we conducted extensive research to pinpoint which efforts would have the most impact.
The What
Initial focus of the project included a major website overhaul.
Conducted an in-person SWOT analysis and Newspaper Headline exercise, engaging with 17 stakeholders to gain insights.
Research synthesis revealed the primary issue was outdated content and overall content strategy.
Shifted project focus towards content strategy after presenting results to the client.
Highlight
The Why
Most of the project hours shifted toward content strategy work, so I had much fewer design hours than originally scoped.
I needed to quickly identify the biggest areas for design improvement and maximize my time on the project.
The What
Reoriented my role in the project towards adding value through design improvements.
Conducted a site audit to identify opportunities for enhancing UX and accessibility.
Implemented component-based updates to refresh aesthetics and visuals.
Avoided a complete facelift while still delivering significant improvements.
Takeaways
Clients, like most of us, think they know what they want, which is why researching to confirm those assumptions is key to the start of any project or design effort. If the research points in another direction, advocate for that direction. But be willing to explore solutions that meet the client's original desires as well. In some cases, it really is possible to have the best of both worlds - user needs prioritized and client satisfaction met.
