DurhamVoice
Mobile Web App Redesign
The DurhamVoice is a local news outlet for Durham, North Carolina. The website and content are run by UNC Chapel Hill media and journalism students and faculty, who write stories for the website and update the website accordingly. To reflect the changing nature of the news and website, I am working to redesign the website, in order to increase accessibility and usability.
Product Overview
The Durham Voice Mobile redesign aims to transform the local news experience for Durham residents, offering a unique and engaging platform that goes beyond traditional news outlets.
The primary goal of the redesign was to elevate user satisfaction and engagement by improving the website's usability, accessibility, and overall visual appeal.
The primary goal of the redesign was to elevate user satisfaction and engagement by improving the website's usability, accessibility, and overall visual appeal.
Details
Role: UX Designer, UX Researcher
Duration: August 2023 - December 2023
Responsibilities: User Research, UI Design, Wireframing, Prototyping
Duration: August 2023 - December 2023
Responsibilities: User Research, UI Design, Wireframing, Prototyping
When users view local news, there are three pillars that defined our approach to this redesign: quality content, community engagement, and student involvement.
Problem
The current DurhamVoice lacks functionality and accessibility, usability issues, and a disorganized navigation bar. This makes it difficult for users to access news, find articles of their interest, and engage with their community.
Solution
I redesigned the entire DurhamVoice website by enhancing user navigation and journeys, decreasing clutter and confusion, and changing the visual layout of the site.
It will allow users to engage with their news effectively, and communicate with their local community.
It will allow users to engage with their news effectively, and communicate with their local community.
Research
A usability test was then conducted on the current Durham Voice Website, in order to identify potential pain points users identified.
Here were the themes and insights established:
Here were the themes and insights established:
Accessibility:
There were no accessibility options present on the website, restricting usability from all users.
There were no accessibility options present on the website, restricting usability from all users.
Convenience:
Users experience an absence of convenience due to no digital product valuing their needs.
Users experience an absence of convenience due to no digital product valuing their needs.
Personalization:
Users wanted a personalized interface, allowing them to access news that follows their interests.
Users wanted a personalized interface, allowing them to access news that follows their interests.
Navigation:
The current navigation of the site is complex, which can cause confusion and frustration when browsing different topics.
The current navigation of the site is complex, which can cause confusion and frustration when browsing different topics.
Unresponsive Mobile Design:
The current website is not optimized for mobile devices, as navigation is lacking completely, causing users unable to use the site effectively.
The current website is not optimized for mobile devices, as navigation is lacking completely, causing users unable to use the site effectively.
Aesthetic Displeasure:
The current visual layout of the site is not welcoming and overall displeasing, which can decrease customer retention rate and overall user experience.
The current visual layout of the site is not welcoming and overall displeasing, which can decrease customer retention rate and overall user experience.
Problem Statement
How can we create a more user-friendly, community-driven, and inclusive platform that resonates with the unique identity of Durham and meets the diverse needs of its residents?
Information Architecture
For users, the flow and navigation should be intuitive. Finding an article of your interest and being able to interactive with it while maintaining a high usability rate was the goal while creating the site architecture.
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Wireframes
After conducting user research and understanding our audience, wireframes were then created using the information architecture and insights collected.
In the course of the redesign process, I initially began with desktop wireframes to establish the foundational structure and layout.
However, as I delved deeper into the project, I recognized the growing trend of mobile usage and the need to prioritize a seamless and user-friendly experience on handheld devices.
In the course of the redesign process, I initially began with desktop wireframes to establish the foundational structure and layout.
However, as I delved deeper into the project, I recognized the growing trend of mobile usage and the need to prioritize a seamless and user-friendly experience on handheld devices.
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