Tech Alliance of Southwest Florida Redesign.
The existing site made it hard to find groups, discover events, and understand what was clickable. I redesigned the information structure around clearer paths, visible event discovery, and consistent interaction behavior.
Scope Research → IA → Wireframes → High‑fidelity → Testing → Handoff
Research revealed a trust problem
Users couldn't find groups, predict navigation, or locate upcoming events without guessing.
- ✶Interactive elements appeared clickable but produced no response
- ✶Navigation behavior was inconsistent across page types
- ✶Homepage hierarchy gave equal weight to unequal actions
- ✶Events were buried behind a calendar with no visible overview
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9 recurring issues found A heuristic review revealed repeated problems with consistency, click expectations, and hierarchy.
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Competitors surfaced content immediately Peer platforms surfaced events and groups on landing. Tech Alliance required multiple clicks for either.
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Stakeholder priorities were clear Stakeholders consistently prioritized dedicated group pages, a unified event feed, and visible member activity.
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Users gave up before succeeding Feedback consistently flagged navigation confusion, missing events, and text-heavy pages as the primary barriers to engagement.
Interactive elements looked clickable but did nothing, so users lost confidence before exploring further.
Navigation, cards, and the calendar competed equally for attention with no clear entry point.
Events required clicking individual calendar dates, with no overview and no at-a-glance scanning.
The same elements behaved differently across pages, causing users to stop exploring early.
The issue was not a lack of content. It was a lack of clear, trustworthy paths.
How might we make it immediately clear where to find groups, events, and key actions without requiring users to search or guess?
Wireframes clarified the core paths
The wireframes focused on three decisions: make navigation consistent, give each group equal visibility, and surface events outside the calendar.
Core design principlesIcons, cards, and header nav all led to the same destination, so users could start from anywhere.
A balanced 3×2 layout ensured all groups received equal visibility above the fold.
Long text blocks were broken up so users could identify groups without reading every word.
- 01Homepage hierarchy and entry points
- 02Equal visual weight across all six groups
- 03Group page content prioritization
- 04Events moved above the calendar view
- 05Text density reduced for faster scanning
Smaller screens used condensed navigation, hamburger access, and longer scroll paths.
A clearer system for groups, events, and navigation
Early wireframe decisions evolved into a clearer system where navigation became predictable, events surfaced naturally, and interactions felt consistent across the experience.
Mockups- ✶Consistent link behavior
- ✶Clickable icons, titles, cards
- ✶Mobile hamburger menu
- ✶Clear group discovery
- ✶Hierarchy organized around primary actions
- ✶Visible summaries and social links
- ✶Organizer info surfaced
- ✶Events visible without opening a calendar
- ✶Responsive grid and carousel
- ✶Reusable components
- ✶Consistent spacing
- ✶Predictable interaction states
Testing validated faster discovery
I tested the redesign across desktop, tablet, and mobile to see where friction remained.
Test MethodologyExplored icons first, then used cards for context and the header for quick navigation.
Switched fluidly between icons and header nav depending on the task.
Tapped icons first, then used the hamburger menu. Scrolling was secondary.
Four small fixes that made the experience feel predictable.
Users hesitated on the carousel, expecting visible arrows.
Added visible left & right arrows.
Users clicked card titles instead of the explicit button.
Expanded clickable areas across the card.
Clickable behavior varied across icons, titles, and cards.
Standardized hit zones for predictable interaction.
A tablet prototype link failed mid-task during testing.
Resolved missing prototype interactions.
Outcome: faster discovery and clearer paths
Users found groups faster, discovered events successfully, and located organizer information with more confidence.
Small inconsistencies created real hesitation. I learned to define interaction standards earlier so friction does not compound across the experience.
- ✶Validate carousel controls with additional users
- ✶Explore event gallery expansion
- ✶Finalize stakeholder copy
- ✶Prepare developer handoff