College Coursework: UX Research & Website Redesign
As part of this school project, I worked on the UX research and redesign of UpSkillet, a popular recipe blog expanding into kitchen tool reviews, recommendations, and cooking classes. My goal was to create a structured, user-friendly site experience that catered to the diverse needs of cooking enthusiasts while maintaining intuitive navigation.
Project Objectives:
- Enhance site structure
- Optimize navigation
- Increase user engagement for cooking enthusiasts
UX Research Conducted:
- Content inventory to ensure consistency.
- User personas to understand audience needs.
- User journey mapping to optimize site flow.
- Card sorting and site mapping for intuitive organization.
Key Website Expansions:
- New Pages: Careers, Cooking Classes, Kitchen Tools, Blog, and Submit a Recipe.
- Improved Features: Saved recipes, social media links, newsletter sign-up, and interactive forms.
Impact:
- More intuitive navigation and seamless user experience.
- Increased user engagement and interactivity.
- Strengthened UpSkillet’s identity as a comprehensive cooking resource beyond a recipe blog.
Research & Development
Strategize:
Before designing the site expansion, I conducted extensive research using the following methods:
- User Personas – Developed based on UpSkillet’s target audience to understand their goals, pain points, and behaviors.
- User Journey Mapping – Traced the typical path users take when navigating the site to identify friction points.
- Card Sorting Exercise – Organized content categories based on how users naturally group information.
- Site Map – Created a clear and logical website structure for seamless navigation.
- Content Inventory List – Audited existing and new content to ensure consistency and relevance.
Design Plan
Using insights from research, I designed low-fidelity wireframes that focused on clear navigation, accessible content, and intuitive interactions. The site expansion included:
- Home Page – Features a welcoming landing page, top navigation, and a newsletter sign-up form.
- About Us – Shares UpSkillet’s mission and background.
- Careers Page – Allows users to explore job opportunities and apply via an input form.
- Cooking Classes Page – Provides details and links to UpSkillet’s classes.
- Kitchen Tools Page – Highlights tool recommendations and UpSkillet’s story.
- Social Media Links – Connects users to UpSkillet’s online presence.
- Recipes Page – Offers a collection of categorized recipes for users to browse and save.
- Saved Recipes – A dedicated space where users can access previously saved recipes.
- Submit a Recipe – Enables users to share their own creations with the UpSkillet community.
- Blog Section – Features cooking tips, food-related discussions, and kitchen hacks.
- Contact Us – Includes a user input form for customer inquiries and feedback.
Lo-Fi Wireframe
Final Outcome & Takeaways
This project reinforced my skills in UX research, information architecture, and user-centered design. By focusing on intuitive navigation and user engagement, I created a cohesive site structure that supports UpSkillet’s growth while improving the overall experience for its community of cooking enthusiasts.
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