UNC SILS Resource Page Overhaul

Case Study

The UNC SILS (School of Information and Library Science) resource site is a critical tool for students, providing access to essential information about courses, graduation requirements, advising, career resources, department resources, and more. The previous site was extremely disorganized and difficult to navigate, often feeling like a scavenger hunt to find the necessary information. This project aimed to overhaul the site to make it more user-friendly, visually appealing, and accessible for all students.

40+
pages consolidated
8
page groups created
23
final pages
UNC SILS Resource Site Homepage

Project Overview

The Challenge

The UNC SILS resource site had grown organically over time without a clear information architecture. With over 40 pages of content, the site was overwhelming and poorly organized, making it difficult for students to find what they needed. Key issues included inconsistent navigation, unclear labeling, and a lack of visual hierarchy.

Our Approach

I conducted user research through surveys and interviews with SILS students to understand their pain points and needs. Based on this feedback and stakeholder needs, I reorganized the content, improved navigation, and redesigned the visual interface to create a more intuitive and accessible resource site.

Key Objectives

  • Consolidate and reorganize content for better findability
  • Improve navigation and information architecture
  • Enhance visual design and readability
  • Ensure accessibility for all users
  • Align with UNC SILS branding guidelines

Key Research Findings

1. Overwhelming Navigation

Students reported feeling lost when trying to find specific resources, with many describing the experience as a "scavenger hunt." The site lacked clear organization and had too many top-level navigation items.

"I never know where to find what I need - it feels like I have to click through everything to find one piece of information."
Old confusing navigation

2. Content Duplication

Many resources were duplicated across multiple pages, leading to inconsistency and confusion about which version was most current. Some pages had minimal content that could be consolidated.

"I'll find one piece of information in one place, then see something slightly different elsewhere and not know which is correct."
Content duplication issues

3. Poor Visual Hierarchy

The site lacked visual cues to help users scan and find information quickly. Important content was often buried in long paragraphs without clear headings or sections.

"Everything looks the same - I have to read through everything to find what I need."
Poor visual hierarchy example

User Stories & Needs

New Students

Primary User

"I'm just starting at SILS and need to understand program requirements and how to register for classes. Everything feels overwhelming right now."

Key Needs:
  • Clear onboarding information
  • Step-by-step guides for registration
  • Overview of program requirements
  • Visual cues for important information

Continuing Students

Primary User

"I need quick access to course bins, thesis/practicum information, and career resources. I know what I'm looking for but can never find it easily."

Key Needs:
  • Quick access to frequently used resources
  • Consistent navigation
  • Clear labeling of content
  • Search functionality

Faculty & Staff

Secondary User

"I need to refer students to resources and want to be confident they'll find what they need without additional help."

Key Needs:
  • Style guide to continue creating stuctured pages
  • Clear organization by student needs
  • Easy-to-share direct links
  • Up-to-date information
  • Faculty-specific resources

Redesign Solutions

1

Information Architecture

  • Consolidated 40+ pages into 23 well-organized pages
  • Grouped content into 8 logical categories
  • Created clear navigation paths for different user needs
2

Navigation & Findability

  • Added emojis to module groups for visual recognition
  • Created a "Get Started" page for new students
  • Added quick-access buttons for frequently used resources
3

Visual Design

  • Improved typography and visual hierarchy
  • Added custom graphics and banners
  • Used consistent styling aligned with SILS branding
4

Content Strategy

  • Rewrote content for clarity and conciseness
  • Added descriptive headings and subheadings
  • Ensured consistent terminology across pages

Redesign Samples

The overhaul resulted in a more organized, visually appealing, and user-friendly resource site:

Streamlined Homepage

New homepage with quick-access buttons, welcome message, and clear navigation to major sections.

Redesigned homepage

Organized Content Buckets

Content grouped into clear categories with emoji indicators for quick recognition.

New module buckets

Improved Content Pages

Clean, well-structured pages with clear headings and visual hierarchy.

Redesigned content pages

Reflection

This project demonstrated the importance of user-centered design in academic resource sites. By listening to student feedback and analyzing their pain points, we were able to transform a confusing collection of pages into a cohesive, easy-to-use resource hub.

The most significant improvement was the consolidation of content from over 40 pages down to 23, organized into clear categories. This immediately made the site feel less overwhelming and more manageable for students.

If we had more time, we would implement a search functionality and conduct usability testing with the new design to identify any remaining pain points. We'd also explore creating personalized views for different student types (undergraduate, master's, PhD).

Feedback from students:

"The new navigation is much easier to use."
"The pages look on-brand with UNC SILS branding, and they are overall much nicer to look at."