Baltimore Collegetown
Role
UX Design Lead
Overview
Marketing a city for its collegiate network, local amenities, and business opportunities.
The Story
Baltimore Collegetown connects students, colleges, and the community through projects that attract, engage, and retain talent while raising Baltimore’s profile as a college destination. However, the site’s navigation was unclear, and visitors struggled to understand its offerings and target audience. We created a unified experience with distinct spaces for different audiences while infusing the site with Baltimore’s unique energy.
Duties
Product Strategy
Information Architecture
Wireframing
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Agency
idfive
What We Knew
This was a two-pronged approach. Students relied on the transportation section daily for bus routes and stop locations, so we needed to consolidated the shuttle pages section to ensure it remained accessible while the rest of the site was under construction.
Audience Confusion
User interviews revealed confusion about the site’s purpose and who it served. We clarified audiences and created clearly defined sections to improve navigation and usability.
Unclear Connections
In addition, College and University pages within the Collegetown network needed an upgrade to highlight each institution’s unique strengths while providing an overview of what Baltimore offers in their respective locations.
How might we create a clear and engaging experience that helps prospective students explore and understand the full range of opportunities Baltimore Collegetown offers?
The Shuttle Must Go On
User interviews confirmed the Shuttle schedule, routes, and tracking pages were essential during the redesign. We consolidated the information into one page and hard-coded it to remain live throughout development.
Shuttle information was scattered across multiple pages, making it difficult for users to find details quickly.
One Stop Shuttle Shop
We consolidated all shuttle pages into a single landing page, ensuring key information was easily accessible as the interim Baltimore Collegetown homepage.
Collegetown For Everyone
The network’s appeal lies in its interconnected colleges, enabling students to mix and match schools, navigate the city, and explore local work and leisure opportunities. We needed a platform to showcase the best of Baltimore and its universities.
Simplified IA
The “Info For” menu in the utility bar helps secondary audiences quickly access the most relevant information for their needs.
Clearly defined information categories give prospective students a quick, at-a-glance overview of their college and city options.
We eliminated confusing titles and consolidated pages under clearer, more intuitive labels for better navigation.
The final Information Architecture clearly communicates Baltimore Collegetown’s offerings, making discovery intuitive with a well-structured audience-based section.
Together with a new section on the homepage made just for parents, counselors, and employers, we enhanced our secondary audiences experience with easy to find information tailored just for them.
More than Institutions
Research showed students struggled to connect city activities with the location of institutions on the previous site. We needed to create college pages that not only highlighted their position in the network but also featured testimonials and city attractions.
Relevant information was scattered across the site, hindering a comprehensive view of each college. We consolidated the content to provide a cohesive overview of each college’s academic offerings and local opportunities.
Campus Overview
We transformed student profiles into testimonials, offering prospective students authentic insights from current university attendees.
We also created a dedicated space for universities to showcase their value proposition within the network.
We consolidated the eat, play, and shop pages, organizing locations based on their proximity to universities.
The final result is an institutional overview that highlights both the educational system and the best of the surrounding city.
The final result is a custom content type that provides a solid template for each institution in the network. After completing the wireframes and designs, Collegetown requested an RFI form to let users select the institutions they wanted information from, which was implemented at the bottom of the page.
Opportunity in the Network
In addition to the collegiate benefits, the network offers opportunities for professional growth through internships, industry networking, and programs specific to Baltimore Collegetown. We needed a way for students to easily browse and apply for key internships within the network.
Huge Opportunities
By streamlining the browsing process, we made it easy for businesses to post opportunities and connect with the talent they need.
We empowered students to take the lead in improving their community and shaping their future by connecting them with valuable opportunities.
Outcomes
Through cross-functional teamwork, we created a unique experience that highlights the Baltimore Collegetown network’s institutions, showcases city activities, and organizes key resources for easy access. This one-stop shop transformed how students, parents, counselors, and businesses engage with the network, providing opportunities for growth and success.
Shoutouts
Sarah Yalov, Graphic Designer
Kathe Flynn, Creative Director
Andrew White, UX Mentor
Katelyn Brickey, Associate Director of Client Services
Dan Rogers, AVP of Development
Brad Walker, Associate Director of Developers
Andres Zapata, Owner