Postdocs of the Graduate School at the University of Utah needed a site. They had no web presence at all before connecting with our team.
postdocs.utah.eduThis project utilized similar branding, resources, and techniques as other University of Utah sites. We did the same UX testing on the navigation using participants sourced by the client due to their unique audience.
This client was unusually proactive. They had a clear vision and understanding of what they wanted their site to communicate. As unusual as this was, we were able to start with a list of pages. The client and I collaborated to refine their Outline to ensure it was properly organized and prioritized. We got an outline for the site at the top of the project and they were quick to turn around content after we planned a page.
We spent a lot of time on the Career Hub pages due to their robust nature and high priority. There was an ancillary content expert/stakeholder who provided much of the content through the client. It did pose some unique challenges and did delay some content. Additionally, We had to figure out how to display example resumes within the HTML rather than a PDF download to meet accessibility and ease of use standards.
I used the same three sources of information to inform the new information architecture:
This page was considered the highest priority of the site. Current postdocs are at a point in their journey of forging their careers. While they are doctors in their fields they are not necessarily masters of job searching. This portion of the site is dedicated to assisting them in this area.
The client had a strong conviction in the link titles. It was an area that I tried to push back on. Being clever about links reduces the usability and accessibility of the page. In the end I had to acquiesce.
You're also able to see some of the limitations I ran into within our CMS, especially when looking at the differences in screen sizes.
This page is one of the best examples of user centered design from this project. When you think about what it's like to apply for a master's program, it's never simple or obvious. Prospective students are always going to need guidance. This page outlines the admissions process in simple steps with lists of action items and CTAs. A prospective student deciding to apply for admission to a University program is the higher ed equivalent of conversion. Making a clear and simple path encourages that decision.
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