Society of Technical Communication Website Redesign
Society of Technical Communication Website Redesign
Redesigned the Society for Technical Communication website, improving navigation, labeling, and homepage clarity through user research, personas, and iterative usability testing.
Redesigned the Society for Technical Communication website, improving navigation, labeling, and homepage clarity through user research, personas, and iterative usability testing.
Overview
The Society for Technical Communication website supports thousands of technical communicators through resources, events, and membership services. However, outdated navigation and fragmented content made it difficult for users to locate key information. I performed a UX evaluation and recommended IA and navigation improvements to streamline the user experience.
High-Level Outcomes:
Identified major navigation inconsistencies
Proposed a reorganized IA and menu structure
Improved content clarity for membership and certification pathways
Industry
Government Service
My Role
UX/UI Researcher
Organization
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
[Timeline]
January 2021 - March 2021
Business Problem
STC’s website serves prospective members, students, and professionals — but unclear structure resulted in:
Difficulty finding membership info
Low engagement with key resources
Confusion around certification and events
Business Objective: Simplify content pathways and improve clarity around STC’s core offerings.
Research Questions
Can users easily locate membership benefits and pricing?
Are learning resources intuitive to find and navigate?
Which parts of the site cause confusion or dead-ends?
Does the current IA reflect user priorities and mental models?
Business Problem
STC’s website serves prospective members, students, and professionals — but unclear structure resulted in:
Difficulty finding membership info
Low engagement with key resources
Confusion around certification and events
Business Objective: Simplify content pathways and improve clarity around STC’s core offerings.
Overview
The Society for Technical Communication website supports thousands of technical communicators through resources, events, and membership services. However, outdated navigation and fragmented content made it difficult for users to locate key information. I performed a UX evaluation and recommended IA and navigation improvements to streamline the user experience.
High-Level Outcomes:
Identified major navigation inconsistencies
Proposed a reorganized IA and menu structure
Improved content clarity for membership and certification pathways
Research Questions
Can users easily locate membership benefits and pricing?
Are learning resources intuitive to find and navigate?
Which parts of the site cause confusion or dead-ends?
Does the current IA reflect user priorities and mental models?
Research Questions
Can users easily locate membership benefits and pricing?
Are learning resources intuitive to find and navigate?
Which parts of the site cause confusion or dead-ends?
Does the current IA reflect user priorities and mental models?
Research Methods
Approach: Heuristic evaluation + content audit + light user testing
Participants: 5 first-time REAL ID microsite visitors; Mercer Faculty & Family Relatives between the ages of 40-65.
Tools: Figma, Miro, UserTesting.com
Research Methods
Approach: Heuristic evaluation + content audit + light user testing
Participants: 5 first-time REAL ID microsite visitors; Mercer Faculty & Family Relatives between the ages of 40-65.
Tools: Figma, Miro, UserTesting.com
Research Methods
Approach: Heuristic evaluation + content audit + light user testing
Participants: 5 first-time REAL ID microsite visitors; Mercer Faculty & Family Relatives between the ages of 40-65.
Tools: Figma, Miro, UserTesting.com
Tasks Observed:
Expected improvements include:
Heuristic Evaluation Report
Content Inventory
Revised IA Map
Proposed Navigation Menu
Artifacts Produced:
Usability Test Plan
Moderation Script (Unmoderated Usability Test)
Recommendations Report
Formal Usability Report (for client)
Presentation (for client)
Figure 1: UX Project Plan for STC Website Redesign
Figure 1: UX Project Plan for STC Website Redesign
Figure 2: Persona representing a former STC member
Personas
After interviews with practitioners and the usability testing, we were able to identify several issues, and pain points that users were experiencing while using the website.
In understanding this information from the interviews and usability testing, we developed 4 different personas.
Personas
After interviews with practitioners and the usability testing, we were able to identify several issues, and pain points that users were experiencing while using the website.
In understanding this information from the interviews and usability testing, we developed 4 different personas.
Key Findings
A. Overly Complex Menu Structure
The primary navigation contained too many equal-level categories.
B. Navigation & Page Layout
Users often encountered repetitive or outdated information.
C. Ineffective Visual Hierarchy
Important CTAs and pathways were buried or unclear.
Figure 3: The Former STC Website Homepage
Key Findings
A. Overly Complex Menu Structure
The primary navigation contained too many equal-level categories.
B. Navigation & Page Layout
Users often encountered repetitive or outdated information.
C. Ineffective Visual Hierarchy
Important CTAs and pathways were buried or unclear.
Key Findings
A. Overly Complex Menu Structure
The primary navigation contained too many equal-level categories.
B. Navigation & Page Layout
Users often encountered repetitive or outdated information.
C. Ineffective Visual Hierarchy
Important CTAs and pathways were buried or unclear.
Figure 4: Wireframe and Prototype of Redesign
UX Recommendations
Consolidate Menu Categories
Group related pages to reduce cognitive load.Create Clear Membership Pathways
Highlight benefits, pricing, and joining steps with a streamlined flow.Restructure Learning Resources Section
Combine webinars, courses, and publications under a unified “Learn” section.Improve Page-Level Content Hierarchy
Use consistent headers, intros, and CTA placements.Reduce Redundant or Outdated Content
Audit and remove pages that no longer serve user needs.
UX Recommendations
Consolidate Menu Categories
Group related pages to reduce cognitive load.Create Clear Membership Pathways
Highlight benefits, pricing, and joining steps with a streamlined flow.Restructure Learning Resources Section
Combine webinars, courses, and publications under a unified “Learn” section.Improve Page-Level Content Hierarchy
Use consistent headers, intros, and CTA placements.Reduce Redundant or Outdated Content
Audit and remove pages that no longer serve user needs.
Impact
Expected improvements include:
Membership conversions
Engagement with learning resources
User trust and clarity
Navigational efficiency across the site
Reflection
Key lessons from this case study include recognizing that:
Academic platforms require balancing complexity with clarity.
Small changes to filter language dramatically improve usability.
Users benefit from guided search pathways when learning new systems.
Reflection
Key lessons from this case study include recognizing that:
Academic platforms require balancing complexity with clarity.
Small changes to filter language dramatically improve usability.
Users benefit from guided search pathways when learning new systems.
Future Opportunities/Areas of Improvement
There were a few limitations/areas of improvement that I identified during the study, as well potential fixes for said limitations:
Limited Unmoderated Usability Tests
Suggestion: We were only able to get a few unmoderated tests completed due to lack of time. I would have requested for more time to dedicate to testing, which would provide more insight into how users would interact with the website.
More In-Depth Prototype/Wireframe
Suggestion: Due to lack of time, we were only able to provide a very surface-level prototype to the clients. In a perfect scenario, we would have preferred to do a more complete prototype while suggesting the need for a design system.
Future Opportunities/Areas of Improvement
There were a few limitations/areas of improvement that I identified during the study, as well potential fixes for said limitations:
Limited Unmoderated Usability Tests
Suggestion: We were only able to get a few unmoderated tests completed due to lack of time. I would have requested for more time to dedicate to testing, which would provide more insight into how users would interact with the website.
More In-Depth Prototype/Wireframe
Suggestion: Due to lack of time, we were only able to provide a very surface-level prototype to the clients. In a perfect scenario, we would have preferred to do a more complete prototype while suggesting the need for a design system.
Other Projects
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Department of Homeland Security REAL ID Usability Study
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