Web Design
Freshers' 2024, 2024
University of Nottingham's Freshers Week website provides easy access to all event details, including club nights, fairs, and activities, in one centralised platform for a seamless student experience
Timeline:
June - August 2024
Tools:
Figma
Role:
Web Designer
The goal is to redesign the UoNSU Freshers' website to align with the new brand guidelines, making it more vibrant and less corporate. I aim to improve navigation and consolidate all information, allowing users to access everything they need directly on our site, eliminating the hassle of visiting external platforms to buy tickets.
To achieve this, I've seamlessly integrated a widget from the external website, ensuring it blends smoothly with our site's sleek design. The new layout will be modern and engaging, perfectly capturing the excitement of new students as they START their university journey. By choosing a modular design, I've created a cleaner, more MODERN look with increased white space for a fresh and inviting user experience.
Previous Design Situation
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Inconsistent with Brand Guidelines: The previous design didn’t fully align with the university's brand identity, leading to a lack of visual cohesion and recognition.
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Disjointed User Journey: Every call-to-action (CTA) button redirected users to external pages or separate sites, disrupting the browsing experience and making it harder to navigate back.
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Lack of Clear Information: The page provided minimal details about Welcome Week, leaving visitors unsure about the event’s purpose, schedule, and key activities.
Lo-Fi Wireframes
New Design
![Desktop Version [LATEST].png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/334a9e_6f70ddba3a0c4c07a0a8e8b095d72d07~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_6136,al_c,q_95,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Desktop%20Version%20%5BLATEST%5D.png)
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Outcomes
The redesign, which embraced bento box and modular design trends, contributed to a noticeable boost in organic traffic and user retention.
My design work led to an 18.73% increase in engaged sessions by optimising user flows and integrating accessible, user-friendly design elements.
Usability testing and iterative improvements based on user feedback enhanced the experience across devices, with responsive layouts guided by Fitts' Law streamlining navigation.
Learnings
This was my first time designing with a bento box layout, and it was incredibly rewarding to see students enjoying the new website. They appreciated the modern look and how all essential information was centralised in one place.
I also learned that design is never an isolated process — collaborating with multiple teams provided valuable insights that shaped the final outcome. Iterating extensively based on feedback helped refine the experience, reinforcing the importance of continuous testing and adaptation.
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