RESEARCH STRATEGY
User Testing Framework
Before jumping into design solutions, I developed a comprehensive research strategy to understand user needs and validate assumptions about the current site experience.
Target Users
Grey Matters members, prospective applicants, past applicants, current students interested in neuroscience
Key Research Questions
What makes the application process feel overwhelming? How do users currently navigate content? What motivates prospective members?
Research Methods
Testing Focus Areas
Expected Outcomes
RESEARCH & USER INSIGHTS
To understand the Grey Matters community and organizational needs, I conducted comprehensive research through multiple methods. This research phase was crucial for identifying user pain points, organizational requirements, and competitive landscape insights that would inform the redesign strategy.
Research Methods
Stakeholder Interviews
8 interviews • 2 weeks
Student Research
40+ surveys • 3 weeks
Data Analysis
Website Analytics
12 months data
Competitive Analysis
8 universities analyzed
Student Discovery Journey
Discovery
Events & Peers
Hard to find org info online
Research
Website Visit
Overwhelming content layout
Interest
About Page
Unclear membership process
Action
Application
Complex multi-step form
Key Research Findings
Students discover organizations primarily through events and peer recommendations. Mobile-first design is essential as 60% of prospective members browse during classes or between activities. Clear, scannable content about involvement opportunities significantly impacts conversion from visitor to member.
USER PERSONA
Introducing...
Maya Chen
The Curious Student Explorer
We made one user persona to provide our team with a clear, concentrated focus and to maintain consistency in design decisions.
Behaviors
Needs
Pain Points
"I'm excited to learn about neuroscience and join this community, but the website feels overwhelming."
SITE STRUCTURE ANALYSIS
Information Architecture Problems
The current website structure creates significant barriers to user success.
Current Site Structure
Key Problems Identified
This structural chaos directly caused the 40% drop-off rate in analytics and explains why users felt 'overwhelmed' in research interviews.
Proposed Information Architecture
A streamlined, user-centered structure that prioritizes discoverability, mobile experience, and clear conversion paths.
Hero section with clear value proposition, featured events, quick access to join/apply, recent articles preview, and prominent call-to-action for merchandise.
About
Single comprehensive section combining mission, team, history, and impact. Eliminates confusion between multiple 'about' pages and creates one authoritative source.
Events
Clear calendar view, easy registration, featured upcoming events
Resources
Articles, research, journals organized by topic with search functionality
Navigation Strategy
Simplified 5-section main nav: Home, About, Events, Resources, Store. Footer contains secondary links like submissions, guidelines, and contact. Mobile-first responsive design.
CONTEXT
UW Grey Matters' mission is to make neuroscience accessible, so what's wrong here?
UW Grey Matters is a student organization dedicated to bridging the gap between complex neuroscience research and public understanding, with over 50 active members and multiple published articles. However, while the organization produces valuable content, their website lacks effective design to engage prospective members and highlight their scientific contributions.
The Challenge
With outdated design and poor user experience flow, UW Grey Matters presented a problem packed with navigation issues and unclear content hierarchy: How might we help prospective members easily discover the organization and access their valuable neuroscience research?
Solution & Impact
A completely redesigned website that enables prospective members to take concrete actions towards joining, as well as easily understand the organization's mission and access their scientific articles.
CURRENT STATE ANALYSIS
Before redesigning the Grey Matters website, we conducted a thorough analysis of the existing site to identify key usability issues and areas for improvement. The original design suffered from poor information architecture and lacked clear pathways for prospective members to engage with the organization.
Original Website Walkthrough
Endless Scrolling Homepage
Every single article ever written was displayed on the homepage, creating an overwhelming endless scroll with no variety in layout or content organization.
Scattered Navigation
The navigation felt disjointed and all over the place, with no clear hierarchy or logical flow between sections.
No Clear Path to Join
There were no accessible links or clear calls-to-action for prospective members to learn about the club or understand how to get involved.
Navigation Issues
About Page Layout
My Focus Areas
I concentrated on redesigning the homepage, about page, and navigation system to work harmoniously together, creating a cohesive user experience that would guide prospective members through a logical discovery and engagement journey.
UW Grey Matters Website Exploration
Bridging neuroscience research with community engagement
UW Grey Matters is a student organization dedicated to making neuroscience accessible to the broader community. We redesigned their website from the ground up, creating an end-to-end solution that transformed their original design into a modern, user-friendly platform. Through comprehensive user testing and research, we developed a site that effectively brings in prospective members while redirecting attention to their scientific articles and research initiatives. The new design emphasizes accessibility, community engagement, and showcases the organization's commitment to neuroscience education and outreach.
