University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies
Role
UX Design Lead
Overview
Designing a clearer way to search and discover what opportunities exist for higher education within the UMB Graduate system.
The Story
UMB Graduate School empowers students, professionals, and researchers through high-quality education. Our goal was to enhance the experience for prospective students by making it easier to find information, explore programs, and take the next step toward their future. By reorganizing content and adding discovery tools, we created a more intuitive, user-focused experience that helps students navigate their educational journey with ease.
Duties
Product Strategy
Information Architecture
Wireframing
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Agency
idfive
Discovery
The Data Story
Wayfinding
Prioritize current students by creating an intuitive content structure with easily accessible information on processes and outcomes.
Decisions
Outdated program finder and limited details hinder decision-making.
Physician Assistant program offers many options but lacks sufficient exposure.
How might we improve the discovery process for graduate students to easily find and evaluate the best postgraduate study options that align with their goals?
Competitive Analysis
Our competitor analysis revealed:
• Programs are easily accessible via multiple homepage entry points, including navigation, sections, and the footer.
• Information architecture is process-driven, guiding users effectively through clear titles and taxonomies.
• Program finders offer a seamless experience with integrated search and filters on the same page
Content Organization
We provided clear annotations to help visualize the content planned for each section.
Reorganizing Information
We designed a process-oriented Strawman IA down to the third level, ensuring sections like “Admissions” guide students seamlessly from getting started at UMB to orientation.
Full Information Architecture
We developed a comprehensive IA spreadsheet to track pages, maintain hierarchy, and streamline content migration.
We created a clear path within the IA to lead students to a successful start with UMB.
Focus on the Process
To clarify processes, we defined an “Admissions” section within the taxonomy, guiding users step-by-step from application to enrollment.
Academic Discovery
Clearly defined Admissions steps informed the structure of Academic pages, ensuring students can find information through multiple paths—program finder, degree, or career focus.
In addition to admissions, we highlighted opportunities and outcomes to enhance the overall user experience.
We showcased UMB’s benefits by structuring the site with clear sections and intuitive navigation.
Programs
Program Flow
We created multiple pathways for prospective students to explore programs that align with their goals, enhancing content organization, navigation, and searchability for a seamless discovery experience.
Students with a specific program in mind can filter by degree level to view relevant programs. Our design accommodates multiple user types, ensuring everyone can easily discover the right program.
Homepage Access
We designed a split-section wireframe that enables career paths as a searchable criterion, with direct links to detailed career pages within each pathway.
The Program Finder
Old Finder
User intake revealed that the program finder was a major pain point, requiring too many clicks to access information. While a filter existed, it was buried mid-process, adding to user frustration.
Proposed
Insights from our competitive analysis led us to redesign the program finder, keeping everything on one page, organizing programs alphabetically, and enabling quick, intuitive search and filtering.
Mini Questionnaire
Questions
The experience begins with targeted questions designed to identify the outcomes students seek from the Physician Assistant program.
Suggestions
After selecting an option, students see a carousel of program choices, providing an at-a-glance overview with key details and direct links to each program.
Call to Action
If students browse through all options, the final carousel card for each question features a “Request Information” CTA, encouraging further engagement.
Usability Testing
Taxonomy Updates
With insights from user testing, stakeholder feedback, and AI-driven taxonomy suggestions, we streamlined career paths and refined nomenclature to better represent broader program groups. Though a small change, this reorganization was crucial in enhancing the user experience and improving program discoverability.
Outcomes
Through UX research and intake, we identified key audience needs, pain points, and opportunities on the University of Maryland Graduate School’s website. Our findings led to streamlined navigation, enhanced program discovery, and improved accessibility, ensuring a better experience for prospective and current students. Using a data-driven approach, we aligned every decision with user expectations, creating a more intuitive and effective digital experience.
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
