NUS (National Union of Students) websites for England, Scotland, Wales and NI
The original purpose of the old NUS website had been to provide a student discount card, news and advice. However, as the card is now run by another body, NUS wanted to completely revamp the site focusing mainly on campaigns that students cared about and as a second priority, news, press info and staff profiles.
The brand assets were limited to just colours, fonts and trapezium shape, so NUS commissed an illustrator whose subject focus fit in perfectly with their inclusive values. The vibrant illustrations allowed me to incorporate some fun and personality into the page designs.
Accessibility was particularly important for this website so care was taken to make sure all aspects of the design were compliant with the latest standards
UX and UI process
Review the existing NUS website, learn about the organisation and define the strategic goals for the new site
Analyse competitor and peer websites, based on the new campaign-led focus
Study UX research data (including the results of a recent survey) to identify all relevant and important user insights
Examine Google analytics data and record all insights that are relevant to the design and build of the new site
Familiarise myself with NUS brand assets and design styles as well as the work of the illustrator being commissioned for the project
Analyse user journeys and define the IA
Come up with ideas to address the UX issues then create wireframes and revise based on feedback
Design working prototypes, learn from feedback and develop the designs further
Once designs are approved for build, create a component library and style guides for colours, typography, icons, imagery, button & link states, sizing and spacing.
After launch, carry out regular A/B testing on page designs, page elements and imagery to discover what works best and ensure success.
