Client
Fordham University
Fordham University
Product
Graduate Program Webpages
Graduate Program Webpages
Role
UX/UI Designer and Researcher Intern
UX/UI Designer and Researcher Intern
Time
July 2023 - October 2023
July 2023 - October 2023
Project Overview
Design Process
4 months of innovation and implementation
Problem
Fordham University's graduate program pages face design and usability issues, creating challenges in attracting and engaging potential students from competing universities in NYC
Key Objective
Redesign the graduate program webpages by ensuring consistent structure and branding, along with contemporary aesthetics and comprehensive information to attract and engage more students
Solution and Significant Outcomes
Redesigned webpages and content types and created a content audit and design system
•Collaborated with cross-functional teams to redesign Fordham's graduate program webpages, currently in development for implementation in future updates.
•Created a design system and redesigned content types, facilitating future site modifications for employees by 30%.
•Leveraged Figma to create high-fidelity prototypes, resulting in increased satisfaction for 90% of users and improved efficiency for 70% based on usability testing.
•Created a design system and redesigned content types, facilitating future site modifications for employees by 30%.
•Leveraged Figma to create high-fidelity prototypes, resulting in increased satisfaction for 90% of users and improved efficiency for 70% based on usability testing.
Team
Collaboration with key stakeholders
Research
Surveys
Surveying students within Fordham's grad programs
A survey was conducted before the internship which provided data to form the personas within the project. Due to its timing during the summer break, the survey had only 10 respondents. However, their input was highly valuable as they were directly from the graduate programs that would have the webpages redesigned.
Competitive Analysis
Comparing competing universities
I conducted evaluations comparing Fordham University's graduate program webpages with its competitors, such as NYU, Columbia, and other colleges with similar color schemes to Fordham's.
User Archetypes
Say hello to our fellow students
These nine personas each represented a specific user archetype and were assigned to one of the six master program webpages: Public Media, Health Administration, Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Data Science, and Social Work.
Persona and Journey Map
Introducing Richard
Richard was one of the personas I focused on, who is interested in Fordham's Public Media program.
Discover, Ideate, and Wireframe
Encountering an Issue
Creating a content audit and design system to ensure consistency, clarity, and user-friendly navigation
We utilized a color-coded chart to map out the pages and document design element usage, enhancing informational organization and coherence. Below, I demonstrate how I applied the chart to label content types on the Public Media page.
Continuing to Create a Design System
Redesigning Fordham's pre-existing content types
We decided to redesign existing content types from Fordham's content types library to match the color-coded chart we created. For example, if a component's purpose was to connect, it would likely become a social media component, enhancing visual organization and coherence. Below are some of the content types I have redesigned.
Design Innovation
Gathering inspiration from other universities
Below shows how some of the designs from other universities were inspired and implemented on the redesigns.
Prototype and Validate
High Fidelity Prototyping
Redesigning Fordham's pages
After redesigning the content types, we began the redesign of Fordham's webpages. Below are redesigns and high fidelity prototypes I have created for the Master of Arts in Public Media page and M.S.W. Plans of Study page.
User Testing
Conducting interviews and observations
After completing the redesigns, we conducted user testing across campus via online and in-person interviews and observations, comparing original and redesigned pages and content types. Feedback was largely positive, with users expressing satisfaction and increased efficiency with the redesigns. Fordham employees also noted that the content audit and design system significantly aid in updating future web pages.
Additional Work
Prototyping Interactive Designs
Visualizing design concepts for user testing
After conducting user testing, some of the designs were further prototyped to be interactive on Figma so that user testing participants can easily understand design concepts and ideas such as changing text through hovering.
Redesigning More Pages
Landing page and navigation of the Graduate School of Social Services
Besides redesigning the Master of Arts in Public Media and M.S.W. Plans of Study pages, I have also contributed to redesigning and conducting user testing for the landing page and navigation for the Graduate School of Social Services.
Synthesis and MVP Delivery
Design Handoff and Significant Outcomes
Efficient design systems and user-centric prototypes
At the end of the internship, the finalized redesigned pages, content types, and design system were sent to the web development team for development and future updates on the Fordham website.
Significant outcomes include:
•Collaborated with cross-functional teams to redesign Fordham's graduate program webpages, currently in development for implementation in future updates.
•Created a design system and redesigned content types, facilitating future site modifications for employees by 30%.
•Leveraged Figma to create high-fidelity prototypes, resulting in increased satisfaction for 90% of users and improved efficiency for 70% based on usability testing.
•Created a design system and redesigned content types, facilitating future site modifications for employees by 30%.
•Leveraged Figma to create high-fidelity prototypes, resulting in increased satisfaction for 90% of users and improved efficiency for 70% based on usability testing.
While achieving our key objective of redesigning most graduate program web pages with positive user feedback, the ongoing development of the redesigns prevents us from measuring the impact on potential students.
Due to time constraints and focus on creating a design system, not all initially planned pages were redesigned, but we provided the redesigned content types and design system for future updates of the remaining pages to the marketing and web development team.
Reflection and Future Work
A rewarding experience filled with learning, connections, and friendships
Experiencing this internship has been an incredible journey, allowing me to push my UX/UI skills in a professional environment. This was made possible by my hardworking, dedicated, and passionate team who has helped me develop numerous professional connections and meaningful friendships.
Significant accomplishments during this project were the creation of my first content audit and design system, which will facilitate employees, as well as the redesigning of webpages which will be implemented in future updates. Given more time, I would give additional effort to redesigning content types and remaining pages, as well as conducting more user testing. Within this year, I am excited to see how our redesigns will benefit Fordham when they are pushed live.
