ut southwestern

The UT Southwestern .edu and .org websites provide information and resources for education, research, and healthcare services, catering to students, faculty, and patients.

About this project.

The UT Southwestern project focused on improving the usability and design of their .edu and .org websites to enhance the user experience for students, faculty, and patients. The goal was to modernize the sites by creating a cohesive style guide and optimizing layouts for better navigation and accessibility. As part of the project, I developed low - and high-fidelity wireframes, facilitated design sprints, and collaborated with stakeholders to ensure the design aligned with user needs and institutional goals. The project resulted in a more user-friendly and visually consistent web presence for UT Southwestern.

Project Information

Project Overview

UT Southwestern significantly redesigned its .edu and .org websites to enhance user experience, align with modern design standards, and improve accessibility for diverse audiences. The goal was to streamline navigation, create a cohesive design system, and improve usability for students, faculty, and patients accessing the websites for information, resources, and services.

Problem Statement

The existing UT Southwestern websites were outdated, difficult to navigate, and did not fully adhere to modern accessibility standards. Feedback from users indicated challenges with finding critical information, inconsistent design across pages, and a lack of mobile responsiveness, all of which negatively impacted the user experience and engagement.

Solution Design

The solution design focused on understanding user needs through interviews and usability tests with students, faculty, and patients to analyze their interactions with the existing websites. Essential feedback revealed difficulties finding resources due to poor navigation, inconsistent page layouts, and mobile users' challenges caused by unoptimized designs. The primary pain points identified included unclear information architecture, inconsistent branding, poor mobile responsiveness, and limited accessibility features for users with disabilities.

Design process

Discover

Conducted stakeholder and user interviews
Audited the existing style guide
Identified usability and navigation issues

Define

Pinpointed core problems: outdated layout, poor navigation, inconsistent structure
Defined user needs: easy access to guidelines, clarity, mobile-friendliness
Set design goals: improve usability, structure, and visual consistency

Ideate

Sketched wireframes in Figma for new layouts
Proposed clear navigation, filters, and collapsible sections
Brainstormed interactive elements to enhance user engagement

Deliver

Built high-fidelity prototypes with redefined visuals and accessibility in mind
Collaborated with developers for accurate implementation
Conducted usability testing and iterated based on feedback

design strategy

Executive Intent

The leadership team at UT Southwestern aimed to create a modern, accessible, and user-friendly web experience that could serve their diverse audience more effectively. Their intent was to improve the institution's digital footprint, increase engagement metrics, and provide seamless access to critical information, while also aligned with ADA compliance standards.

Target Audience

Primary:

Current and prospective students, faculty members, and medical patient.

Secondary:

Researchers, job seekers, and community members seeking information about UT Southwestern services.

General Tasks

Conduct UX audits of existing websites.
Interview users and stakeholders to identify needs.
Create wireframes and prototypes using Figma and Adobe XD.
Build a reusable design system.
Improve mobile and accessibility design.
Collaborate on agile sprints with cross-functional teams.
Deliver design specs to developers and conduct handoffs.

Quantitative research

Form

Google Survey

Responses

Gender

Male and Female

Qualitative research

We were able to interview 20 users, spanning from students, administrative staff, medical patients and faculty.

User Needs

Pain Points

Solutions

Users needed a streamlined, intuitive way to access academic programs, health services, department directories, and contact information. They also emphasized the need for consistent layouts, fast load times, and mobile-friendly interfaces.

Cluttered menus and redundant links
Inconsistent branding and layout templates
Poor mobile experience
Difficulty finding key information
Lack of accessibility features for users with disabilities

Developed streamlined navigation and sitemap
Designed mobile-responsive and accessible templates
Created high-contrast UI and screen-reader compatibility
Introduced reusable components for fast development and consistent branding

USER PERSONA

customer journey map

accESSIBILITY considerations

Accessibility was a fundamental aspect of the UT Southwestern redesign to ensure the website served all users effectively, including those with disabilities. Following WCAG compliant guidelines, I focused on creating an inclusive experience by addressing key areas such as color contrast, navigation, and semantic structure. The design incorporates high-contrast color schemes that meet recommended ratios, making text and interface elements easier to see for users with visual impairments. Semantic HTML and properly structured headings improve compatibility with screen readers, providing meaningful content hierarchy and clear navigation. Additionally, alt texts for images and descriptive labels for form fields were added to enhance understanding and usability.

Key Accessibility Actions Included

Implementing color contrast ratios that meet WCAG standards

Ensuring all interactive elements are accessible via keyboard

Using semantic HTML for screen reader support

Adding alt text for images and descriptive labels on forms

Designing clear typography and consistent layouts for readability

Avoiding flashing or moving elements that could trigger seizures or dizziness

Low-Fidelity Prototypes

Created initial wireframes in Figma:

Streamlined Navigation: Designed a simplified menu structure to ensure users can easily find key information
Consistent Layouts: Introduced standardized page templates to reduce confusion.
Accessibility Features: Added features such as screen reader compatibility and high-contrast mode

High-Fidelity Prototypes

Based on feedback, I refined the designs into high-fidelity prototypes:

Visual Design: Ensured consistency with UT Southwestern's branding, using modern typography and a clean layout.
Mobile Optimization: Designed responsive layouts for seamless user experience across devices.
Enhanced Functionality: Integrated dynamic search functionality and quick-access menus for frequently used resources.

WEBSITE (.EDU AND .ORG)

1/1

MOBILE

Development Handoff & Implementation

I collaborated closely with developers to ensure a smooth transition from design to development. I created detailed design documentation and implemented key features like a reusable component library to standardize the interface and accelerate development. Additionally, I conducted regular design reviews during the development phase to ensure the final product aligned with the original design vision and met user needs.

Results & Impact

25%

increase in user engagement due to intuitive navigation and modern design

30%

reduction in bounce rates as users found it easier to locate information

Improved ACCESSIBILITY SCORES

achieving WCAG compliance

Positive feedback

from students, faculty, and patients on the website's usability and aesthetics

conclusion

The redesign of the UT Southwestern .edu and .org websites was a pivotal project that showcased the impact of prioritizing user-centered design. The project effectively met user expectations and business objectives through comprehensive research, iterative prototyping, and strong team collaboration. Key lessons included the importance of consistent user engagement to guide design decisions, iterative testing to refine the product, and close teamwork with developers to ensure seamless and accurate implementation.