Improving navigational heuristics with information architecture

Improving navigational heuristics with information architecture

Improving navigational heuristics with information architecture

a redesign of the U.S. Department of Energy's website

A redesign of the U.S. Department of Energy's website

a redesign of the U.S. Department of Energy's website

Overview

Designed remotely with a team of five, RefCycle is a conceptual iOS application aimed at simplifying recycling, and helping users discover ways to manage waste that is difficult to recycle. By designing an engaging tool to guide users about proper recycling, the likelihood of users to develop sustainable habits increases significantly, reducing obstacles and making eco-friendly practices more accessible and intuitive in their daily lives.

Team

Team

Nick Diehl

Lucia Mendez

Jillian Penalosa

Kiley Sullivan

Tai Vieira

Nick Diehl

Lucia Mendez

Jillian Penalosa

Kiley Sullivan

Tai Vieira

Project timeline

3 weeks

My role

UX Research
UI Design

Design tools

Figma

Figma

Illustrator

Illustrator

Photoshop

Photoshop

Consider this:

Consider this:

Electricity costs have increased exponentially in Hawai'i, leaving a local homeowner needing ways to lower his bills by implementing energy savings methods, such as renewable energy production, government subsidies, and tax credits.

Electricity costs have increased exponentially in Hawai'i, leaving a local homeowner needing ways to lower his bills by implementing energy savings methods, such as renewable energy production, government subsidies, and tax credits.

Meet our user, Clark Correia

Meet our user, Clark Correia

Clark has a 9-5 job. He usually spends his free time with his family, and loves taking care of his daughter. Clark wants to have a better quality of home life. He is interested in energy and appliance efficiency and hopes to save money on electricity bills.

A user like Clark might be interested in using the U.S. Department of Energy's website to learn more about at-home energy savings.

His needs:

His needs:

  • Wants to bring down the cost of his energy bill through renewable energy production, government subsidies, and tax credits

  • Wants to lower cost of living wherever possible

  • Reliable information regarding energy & energy savings

  • Wants to bring down the cost of his energy bill through renewable energy production, government subsidies, and tax credits

  • Wants to lower cost of living wherever possible

  • Reliable information regarding energy & energy savings

His frustrations:

  • Confusion finding energy saving information

  • Irritation with websites that mismanage content priority

  • Life is busy enough, too much time is spent online

  • Confusion finding energy saving information

  • Irritation with websites that mismanage content priority

  • Life is busy enough, too much time is spent online

Age - 43

Location - Honolulu, HI

Location

Honolulu, HI

Occupation - Property Manager

Occupation

Property Manager

Marital Status - Married

Meet our user, Clark Correia

Evaluating usability

Evaluating usability

From a first impression, a few things were clear: the Sea Save Foundation's website faced several usability challenges, including a hero carousel that moved too quickly for users to engage with, excessive white space that disrupted visual flow, and unclear navigation that made it hard to locate essential information, articles, or to take action.

Usability testing

Usability testing

From a first impression, a few things were clear: the Sea Save Foundation's website faced several usability challenges, including a hero carousel that moved too quickly for users to engage with, excessive white space that disrupted visual flow, and unclear navigation that made it hard to locate essential information, articles, or to take action.

Accessibility

In the last several years, the U.S. Department of Justice finalized a mandate requiring all government websites to be accessible to all people. The original color palette of Energy.com does not meet contrast guidelines to make it accessible to broader audience. Website text on logos, navigational tools, and menus do not pass a standard contrast ratio test. This issue would need to be addressed in a website redesign.

Ideation

Designed remotely with a team of five, RefCycle is a conceptual iOS application aimed at simplifying recycling, and helping users discover ways to manage waste that is difficult to recycle. By designing an engaging tool to guide users about proper recycling, the likelihood of users to develop sustainable habits increases significantly, reducing obstacles and making eco-friendly practices more accessible and intuitive in their daily lives.

Sitemap

In the last several years, the U.S. Department of Justice finalized a mandate requiring all government websites to be accessible to all people. The original color palette of Energy.com does not meet contrast guidelines to make it accessible to broader audience. Website text on logos, navigational tools, and menus do not pass a standard contrast ratio test. This issue would need to be addressed in a website redesign.

Card sorting

In the last several years, the U.S. Department of Justice finalized a mandate requiring all government websites to be accessible to all people. The original color palette of Energy.com does not meet contrast guidelines to make it accessible to broader audience. Website text on logos, navigational tools, and menus do not pass a standard contrast ratio test. This issue would need to be addressed in a website redesign.