Project
Redesign and develop a website that improves findability and user experience for the University’s employees, job seekers, and retirees.
Challenge
The University of Michigan is one of the premier public institutions in the world. University Human Resources (UHR) serves more than 100,000 people. The UHR website did not fully communicate the extent of resources available to employees and retirees, or the value of working at U-M – it needed to put “more H in HR.”
- HR information was fragmented into individual websites organized by internal departments rather than by user needs.
- Users had difficulty navigating and finding information.
- The websites were not optimized for phone and tablet use.
- The visual design was dated and did not fully reflect current U-M brand standards.
- A variety of content management platforms were used.
- Content was not “web-friendly” and was difficult for staff to manage and update.
The top navigation was re-architected to serve user needs. The primary navigation is distilled down to three paths, reducing users‘ cognitive load.
The new structural framework consolidates all previous HR websites within a simple, overarching taxonomy.
Our Approach
Q + TUG conducted one-on-one interviews with staff, faculty, retirees, and other stakeholders. Through this process we clarified the goals of the HR Communications project team and learned how users searched for content and what topics they looked for.
- All HR content is now consolidated under three main sections: Working at U-M, Benefits and Wellness, and About UHR.
- The visual design maintains continuity among sections, resulting in a more holistic, unified face of UHR.
- The new site structure avoids overwhelming the user by revealing content gradually as the user progresses deeper into the site.
- The responsive design works on all devices and includes: persistent primary navigation; bold section landing pages with easily scannable “topics”; large type size to improve readability; engaging, human-centered imagery.
- The site was developed with Drupal 7 and includes custom code for sophisticated menu and image delivery systems.
- The content entry process is now simplified for UHR staff.
- The site fully conforms to W3C accessibility guidelines.
The new structure is focused on findability. “Quick Links” to popular topics are drawn from a more complete taxonomy of options, carefully organized based on user input.
Result
A bold, easy-to-use website that reflects the U-M brand.
Q provided visual design and responsive development. The website works on all devices and includes: persistent primary navigation; bold section landing pages with easily scannable “topics”; large type size to improve readability; and engaging, human-centered imagery.