.png)
Web Design & Development
Nottingham Student Partnership, 2024
The website highlights the partnership between Nottingham's two universities, offering key information such as blogs, contact points, and resources. It serves as a hub for students to explore the collaborative efforts between the universities and learn about the services and opportunities the partnership provides.
Timeline:
April - May 2024
Tools:
Figma, Wordpress
Role:
Web Designer, Web Developer
The objective is to completely redesign the website that showcases the partnership between the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University. The revamped design offers a wealth of information on collaborative research initiatives, shared academic resources, and upcoming joint events, all presented in a clear and engaging manner.
With a focus on a seamless and intuitive user experience, the new interface allows students, faculty, and stakeholders to easily navigate through essential content. This redesign not only fosters better engagement but also strengthens the collaboration between the two universities by providing a centralized platform that highlights the impact of their partnership.
Previous Design Situation
-
Outdated Design: The existing website is visually dated, lacking modern design trends and functionality and fails to represent the progressive nature of the partnership between the two universities.
-
Poor Navigation and Usability: Users struggle with the website’s navigation, as the structure is unclear and key information is often buried within multiple layers, making it challenging for students, faculty, and stakeholders to find what they need efficiently.
-
Limited Content and Engagement: The current site does not fully showcase the depth of the partnership, missing out on important details like collaborative research, events, and resources that would better highlight the universities’ joint efforts.
-
Ineffective Mobile Experience: The existing website is not optimised for mobile devices, leading to a poor user experience for those accessing the site from smartphones or tablets. This limits accessibility and convenience for users on the go.
-
Lack of User-Centred Design: The website does not take into account the specific needs of different user groups, such as students, faculty, or prospective collaborators, leading to a generic experience that doesn't cater to its diverse audience effectively.
Lo-Fi Wireframes
New Design
Outcomes
The redesign improved the user experience by making it easier for students to find resources and information, while empowering staff to upload content independently without technical assistance. This resulted in a more efficient, self-sustaining platform that enhances both user and administrator workflows.
Learnings
This project was my first experience using WordPress, and it reminded me of the satisfaction that comes from mastering a new tool and seeing a project through from start to finish. I quickly discovered the platform's limitations, but this challenge highlighted the true value of wireframes. By creating and iterating on wireframes, I could rapidly test and refine layouts, making adjustments without getting bogged down by technical constraints.
