UCA Open Day Website Redesign
The University for Creative Arts Open Day website was difficult for students to navigate, making it hard to find courses and register. We designed a simplified, grid based microsite with a playful look to make finding information easier and improve the booking experience.
We conducted usability testing with 10 students from various departments to observe their real-time navigation patterns. This helped identify exactly where users felt lost or frustrated when trying to use the existing Open Day website.
The reason behind this usability testing was to understand what are the pain-points users encounter using the current website?
Abuman Pal, a prospective student, begins his journey on UCA’s YouTube before transitioning to the main course page, where unclear navigation and poor section hierarchy hinder his experience. In the Fees & Funding section, he skips key details due to overwhelming content. During the campus tour, interactive features engage him, but excessive navigation steps cause confusion. Finally, the booking process becomes challenging with unnecessary clicks and redirects. These issues emphasize the need for streamlined processes, clearer pathways, and better content prioritization.
Started with prioritizing layout essential features, such as locations, upcoming Open Days, campus tours, and webinars, while integrating a clear structure with visually distinct sections. Updated flow ensures easier access to key information, reduces navigation complexity and improving access to content hierarchy, making the website more user-friendly and efficient.
A. Course preferences :
Users struggled to find specific courses on the landing page due to a missing search function and a lack of detailed course specifications.
B. Campus tour :
Many users didn't realize the university had multiple locations and found it difficult to navigate to specific classrooms within the tour.
C. Fees & Fundings :
Key details regarding fees, funding, and scholarships were frequently overlooked or hard to locate.
D. Facilities & Resources :
Users rarely visited the facilities page because it was hidden inside the campus tour.
E. Book Open Day Tour :
At the end
We explored a range of themes, from minimalistic to playful, to identify a style that best represents UCA's identity. This process ensured a balance between creativity and functionality, aligning the design with the university's unique character and appeal.
We finalized a playful theme with bright colors, as it best captures UGA's vibrant and creative identity, reflecting the university's essence. This theme not only aligns with UCA’s dynamic and artistic spirit but also ensures an engaging and visually appealing experience for users.
After exploring 8-10 fonts and discussing their emotional impact, we finalized BD Supper for headings and Space Grotesk for body text. These fonts, with their varied heights and weights, create a clear hierarchy while perfectly captures UCA's structured yet creative essence.
Typography
Space Grotesk
(Body)
BD Supper
(Heading)
CAMPUS TOUR
If you want to visit one of our campuses but aren't able to make it to an Open Day you be interested in one of our guided campus tours.
Colours
Darker Accents
Lighter Accents
Primary Colors
Neutral Colors
Imaginative
Discovery
Future focused
Experimental
Infinity
Icons
To enhance the user experience, we created three distinct LoFi wireframes, each presenting a unique way of organizing key information. We then conducted user testing by observing participants as they navigated through each design, asking questions to understand their thought processes and noting areas where they experienced ease or frustration. By tracking their navigation patterns and collecting feedback, we identified the most user-friendly design elements and pinpointed sections that caused confusion.
We tested our Open Day prototype with three students to gather real-time feedback on clarity, navigation, and overall usability. Their insights helped us identify what worked well and where improvements were needed.
Users found some sections hard to navigate and suggested clearer labels and quicker access to key information.
Two users said the booking flow felt confusing, leading us to simplify steps and improve CTAs.
One user mentioned that visual consistency and alignment needed refinement for a smoother reading experience.
Overall, the feedback was positive, and the small changes made the design feel more intuitive, clear, and easier to use.
User 1
User 2
User 3
The final wireframe incorporates mixed feedback from the user testing, reflecting the diverse opinions of participants. This approach allowed us to create a design that caters to a broader range of user needs and preferences.
Click in the frame once to start interacting, press 'R' to return to the homepage.
Outcome
The final outcome was a prototype microsite and mobile application that :
Delivered a clear and engaging navigation flow for prospective students.
Consolidated all key Open Day information into a single, user-friendly interface.
Reflected UCA’s creative brand through fresh typography, colour palettes, and layout choices.
Enhanced the registration experience, making it easier and more inviting for students to sign up.
This project strengthened my skills in user journey mapping, wireframing, visual branding, and hi-fi prototyping, while demonstrating how UX strategy can directly improve institutional communication.
Click in the frame once to start interacting, press 'R' to return to the homepage.
Learnings
Coding as a Creative Tool: I learned that HTML and CSS aren't just technical requirements—they are design materials. Building a "Handmade Web" project taught me how to translate a static poster layout into a functional, responsive site that works across different screens.
The Tactile Side of Tech: By experimenting with physical crafts like letterpress and screen printing, I realized how much "feel" and texture matter. I now look for ways to bring that same sense of craftsmanship and tactile feedback into digital interfaces.
Visual Hierarchy & Constraints: My workshops taught me how to create impact using very little. By working with strict rules—like using only black and white or specific grids—I learned how to use typography and contrast to guide a user's eye exactly where it needs to go.
Adapting Across Mediums: I learned how to maintain a consistent "voice" when moving from a physical poster to a digital screen. It taught me to think about how information needs to change and reorganize itself depending on how the user is viewing it.
