UX RESEARCH. UI DESIGN. INTERNSHIP

Jos Mundo Website Revamp



How can we optimise the shopping experience while effectively communicating product story?
How can we display comprehensive research in a simple but impactful form?

Project ReflectUX RESEARCH   UI DESIGN     During a six-month period at NIHI, I worked with the digital team to develop a website outlining the research of the global multi-institutional academic team. The Reflect study assesses cool roof materials' efficacy in mitigating indoor temperatures, aiming to enhance well-being in heat-affected areas.

Team

Adrianna Yiu, Designer
Elaine Umali, Digital Programme Manager
Ross Baker, Developer

What I contributed in

Wireframing
Mobile Designs
High-Fidelity Prototyping

Results

A research study website supporting cool roof research throughout its duration and representing the positive impact of research to the public for future access.

A simple design template for subsequent research study websites.

Background

Extreme heat poses health, environmental, and economic challenges, especially in low- and middle-income countries where affordable solutions are scarce. The Reflect study examines how cool roof materials can reduce indoor temperatures to improve well-being in heat-affected areas.
TThe objective was to design a website that supported the cool roof research throughout its duration and represented the positive impact of research to the public for future access.

Summary

1. Refining Objective

Aligning of project goals and constraints with the roadmap 

Performed audits on an array of 8 NPO websites.

2. Synthesis

Experimented with content and page structure through rapid wireframing and feedback. 

3. Design Development

Continuously iterated with the team toward a working prototype for stakeholder demonstration.

Created pixel-perfect wireframes and mobile versions.

4. Documentation

Streamlined documentation for developer handoff and contributed to QA testing rounds.

Refining Objective

Aligning resources with project goals.
One of the main challenges during the production of the Reflect website was the time and technical constraints; Having to keep the pages down to a minimum and have MVPs rolling through to achieve the project timeline. 


IMMEDIATE GOAL
To promote the Reflect groundwork.

To reflect the work of sponsors and partners, research members and study participants.  For the stakeholders to be made known of the impact of their involvement.
LASTING GOAL
Have a standing platform that present the real-life value of research studies.

For this study, to see the impact of Reflect’s cool roof solutions in people’s daily life and future wellbeing, and display the significance of climate awareness.


Rapid Wireframing

Points and findings after review with the design team.
Taking inspiration from auditing a mix of NPO and news-focused websites. The example above shows the culling from rapid wireframes to a working latest working copy for the News and Publications and About Us pages after the feedback. 
Changes and actions implemented after design review.*
And our guiding principles when iterating on the final designs.


POINT
We made a deliberate choice to avoid adding extra sections and instead focus on the provided copy. 

This decision was driven by a careful consideration of development time.  Our approach involved simplifying the pages as much as possible and including only the essential elements.
POINT
We conducted experiments on creating an engaging experience within the constraints of limited page requirements.

Aiming to ensure an enjoyable user experience while honoring this constraint.

How might we

Organise information in a simple but engaging way?

Synthesis #1

Interactive site lead section for primary research members

Interactive research study steps section for context detail
Special features and considerations of the about us page

1. Interactive Approach

To depart from the typically dull approach to research study websites, we leveraged interactive motion to engage users and enhance their browsing experience, sparking interest in the content.

2. User Control

Building confidence by designing a transparent experience that relies on user engagement for accessing further information.

How might we 

Introduce news and publications in a way that lessens production time and keeps site load light? 
Interactive news and publication cards
Special features and considerations of the news and publications page

1. Site Load

By using links instead of embedding resources directly onto the site, not only does this approach lessen the load on the site, but it also aids in meeting target production times.

2. Abstract on Hover

Makes the browsing experience interactive, allowing users to efficiently scan through resources and quickly find what they are looking for.

How might we

Translate to mobile responsive design?

Special features and considerations for the mobile designs

1. Consistency

This approach ensures users can smoothly switch between platforms without any confusing differences.

2. Interactive

Preserving interactive elements like animations and touch interactions on mobile ensures users can seamlessly interact with content across platforms.

Musings and Learnings
REFLECTION
Adapting to project constraints.

Utilising limitations like the page limit to drive the design forward. For example, innovating on how to best use space to emphasise certain affordances and constantly leaning into challenges such as these. It was particularly fun discussing design options during reviews.

REFLECTION
Abudant learnings despite a short timeline.

A highlight was the rapid-iterative approach, which allowed us me to experiment, fostering an environment where diverse ideas were embraced and designs were approached with greater depth. This led to many interesting outcomes. Additionally, I learned valuable lessons from the team, such as refining prototypes and motion.


Other projects you may like