Website Redesigning
Region 4 Education
UX RESEARCH | UX DESIGN | UI DESIGN | USABILITY TEST | KEY TAKEAWAYS | UI DEVELOPMENT
Overview: Redesigned the website for Texas’ largest educational support center, improving accessibility and navigation for 1.2 million+ users.
- Project type: End-to-end responsive website
- UX Skills: User research, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, design systems, accessibility (WCAG/ADA).
How did I arrive at Region4 Educations?
Research
Ideation
Design
Usability Testing
Implementation
UX Research
Client Interview
After the initial interview with the Region 4 community, it became clear that the current website lacks user-friendliness, with navigation proving difficult and making it hard for users to reach their desired destinations efficiently.
The Problem:
User Struggle with Finding Key Information.
Users struggled to locate Region 4’s services and understand its mission, leading to confusion and a frustrating user experience.
Missing Event Visibility and Registration Options.
The website lacks a clear section for upcoming events, along with essential details and an easy-to-access registration feature, making it difficult for users to stay informed or participate.
Missed Opportunities to Enroll in Desired Certification Courses.
Users are unable to easily discover and add certification courses to their cart, leading to frustration and potential loss of engagement or conversions.
Solution:
- Redesigned the site architecture using card sorting and user flow analysis.
- Implemented a clear, hierarchical navigation menu with dropdowns for services, departments, and resources.
- Create a dedicated, visually engaging Events section on the homepage and main menu.
- Design a course catalog with categories, filters (by topic, level, date), and a keyword search
Methodologies
Competitive Analysis
User Interviews
Competitive Analysis
www.discountschoolsupply.com
www.mindware.orientaltrading.com
www.kaplanco.com
www.store.esc13.net
| Feature / Site | Region 4 (Current) | Discount School Supply | MindWare | Kaplan | ESC13 Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homepage Experience | Cluttered | Product-focused | Fun & clean | Professional | Clean, focused |
| Navigation & Categories | Unclear IA | Mega menu w/ filters | Thematic nav | Detailed nav | Role-based |
| Search Functionality | Hidden/Weak | Predictive search | Prominent | Filters & tags | Category + search |
| Product/Course Browsing | Buried | Well-labeled filters | Intuitive | Grid view | Grid + detail |
| Event / Workshop Promotion | Missing | None | None | None | Visible events |
| Registration & Checkout UX | Disjointed | Streamlined checkout | Smooth process | Easy checkout | Multi-step flow |
| Mobile Experience | Partial support | Fully responsive | Optimized | Mobile-first | Smooth UX |
| Accessibility (WCAG) | Minimal | ADA-ready | Good contrast | Alt text + ARIA | Compliant |
| Visual Appeal / Design Language | Outdated | Clean and bold | Playful | Clean | Minimal, modern |
Competitive Insights
- Navigation & Findability
- Competitors offer structured menus and product categories tailored to users (Teachers, Parents, Schools).
- Region 4’s navigation lacks clarity and depth. It needs: Mega menus or sidebar filters
- Quick access to certifications, training, and resources Role-based navigation paths
- Course/Event Discovery & Checkout
- ESC13 Store mirrors an e-commerce course system with:
-
Event detail pages
-
Pricing, dates, and register buttons
-
Shopping cart + checkout flow
-
User Interviews
Persona 1
- Name: Marc Thompson
- Age: 42
- Occupation: High School Principal
- Location: Houston, TX
- Tech Proficiency: Intermediate
- Goals:
- Find professional development courses for teachers
- Access educational resources and policies
- Register for leadership events and workshops
- Frustrations:
- Struggles to locate the correct forms and resources.
- Confusing navigation wastes time
- Hard to register for events with multiple steps
- Behavior
- Conclusion
I need fast, reliable access to the right resources. My time is tight, and the site should work with me, not against me.
Persona 2
- Name: Dylan Carter
- Age: 26
- Occupation: Recent Graduate
- Location: Houston, TX
- Tech Proficiency: High
- Goals:
- Discover certification programs and training opportunities
- Enroll in online or hybrid courses
- Learn about scholarships or financial assistance
- Frustrations:
- Can't easily search or filter through course options
- No way to save or compare courses
- The website feels outdated and not mobile-friendly
- Behavior
- Conclusion
I want to build my future in education. The platform should help me explore options and move forward easily.
Website Architecture
Design System
Typography
Colors
Redesigned Screens
Low Fidelity
High Fidelity
Key Takeaways
• Challenge
One of the biggest challenges in this project was collaborating with a real client throughout the process.
The initial stakeholder interviews were extremely valuable, they helped us identify business goals and gave direction to our UX research. The client’s input at that stage was crucial for finding the right angle to approach the user experience strategy.
However, ongoing involvement from the client sometimes made it difficult to keep our focus entirely on the users. There were moments when business priorities overshadowed user-centered decisions, making it challenging to maintain a balanced approach. Managing this tension became a key part of the design process, requiring thoughtful communication and strong advocacy for user needs.
• Lesson learned
To find the right balance between users and clients needs.