Enhancing Web Content, Design, and Usability for the Career and Community Studies Program
The Career and Community Studies (CCS) program is a unique, non-traditional program within the College of Education, Health and Human Services, designed for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Unlike standard degree programs, CCS required a distinct approach to web content—one that prioritized clarity, accessibility, and a deep understanding of its audience, including prospective students, families and educators.
Recognizing that the program had been overlooked in the midst of administrative transitions, I took the initiative to revamp its webpage to better serve its community. I improved usability by implementing inclusive design elements tailored to the needs of diverse users, ensuring navigation was intuitive and content was easily digestible. Accessibility was a key focus, and I utilized tools like SiteImprove to continuously monitor and refine the site, addressing readability, contrast and screen-reader compatibility. Additionally, I updated outdated imagery, replacing generic stock photos with authentic, high-quality images of current CCS students to create a more accurate and welcoming representation of the program.
Through these efforts, the CCS webpage became a more effective and engaging resource, ensuring that essential information was easily accessible to those who rely on it most.
The Career and Community Studies Website Homepage
The new landing page for the Office of Graduate Student Services' Forms, Dates & Resources
Redesigning and Auditing the Office of Graduate Student Services Website
I recently led a comprehensive web redesign for the College of Education, Health and Human Services’ Office of Graduate Student Services, transforming a cluttered and outdated site into a streamlined, accessible and user-friendly resource.
During a routine audit, we identified a significant number of broken links and an overwhelming amount of outdated content. Collaborating with the office’s coordinator, I conducted a full audit, uncovering over 800 outdated pages and files in Drupal. To improve usability, I restructured the site’s information architecture, removed redundant PDFs by integrating key content directly into web pages, and ensured accessibility compliance.
A key part of this redesign was the overhaul of the Forms, Dates and Resources page. Previously, this section was difficult to navigate, buried under long lists of links and scattered PDFs. I completely restructured the page, incorporating accordion menus and tabbed navigation to organize information in a clear, digestible format. These interactive elements made it easier for users to find what they needed without sifting through overwhelming amounts of text, improving both usability and accessibility. These efforts resulted in a 90% reduction in site size and a zero broken links score on SiteImprove.
Revamping the EHHS think Tank Blog for a Better User Experience
The EHHS Think Tank Blog serves as a platform for thought leadership and discussion within the College of Education, Health and Human Services. However, its original design failed to reflect the quality of its content. The page was visually unappealing and difficult to navigate, making it hard for users to browse posts or engage with featured images.
To address these issues, I redesigned the blog using Drupal elements, creating a layout that is both visually engaging and user-friendly. I implemented dynamic content blocks, an improved grid-based structure and enhanced image displays to better showcase featured posts and create a more cohesive experience.
This redesign transformed the Think Tank Blog into a polished, accessible and intuitive resource. By prioritizing clarity and engagement, I ensured that content is now showcased effectively and easy to explore, allowing users to quickly find the discussions that interest them most.
The image on the left showcases the blog before the redesign, while the image on the right highlights the improved after version.
The EHHS Think Tank Blog before Redesign
The EHHS Think Tank Blog after redesign
