UX & Product Design Case Study
Redesigning student organization websites through improved information architecture, accessible design, and more organized content.
Information Architecture
Accessibility
Web Design
Role: Student Web Designer
Organization: Texas A&M University, Division of Student Affairs, Marketing & Communications
Timeline: December 2025 to May 2026
Tools: WordPress, Aggie UX, Photoshop, Canva, Spreadsheets
H01
Student Senate redesigned homepage
H02
Collegiate Panhellenic Council redesigned homepage
H03
The Big Event redesigned homepage
12
Websites independently redesigned and launched
47%
Reduction in total pages
135
Pages consolidated or removed
Over five months, I independently redesigned and launched 12 student organization websites using Texas A&M’s Aggie UX design system. I reorganized fragmented content, simplified navigation, updated information, and added visual details reflecting individual organizations while working within university design standards.
All 12 live websites
G01 · MSC Abbott Family Leadership Conference
G02 · MSC Freshmen in Service and Hosting
G03 · MSC OPAS Student Committee
G04 · MSC Town Hall
G05 · MSC Wiley Lecture Series
G06 · The 12th Can
G07 · The Big Event
G08 · Texas A&M Collegiate Panhellenic Council
G09 · National Pan-Hellenic Council
G10 · Texas A&M Student Senate
G11 · Fish Aides
G12 · MSC Student Conference on National Affairs
Texas A&M was transitioning student organization websites to Aggie UX, its university-wide design system, as part of an effort to improve digital accessibility and consistency. However, many websites had problems beyond their appearance. Information was scattered across numerous pages, some containing only a paragraph or a handful of links. Outdated content and inconsistent navigation created unnecessary steps for visitors looking for relevant information. My responsibility was to independently redesign the websites while improving their information architecture, content organization, and accessibility.
69% reduction
The Student Senate website was one of the most complicated websites I worked on. Its records and committee information were spread across dozens of nested pages, making related information unnecessarily difficult to browse. I reorganized the website by grouping related content together and introducing more direct navigation.
Making Senate Archives Easier to Explore
55 → 13 archived session pages
Previously, individual Senate sessions had separate pages for agendas, meeting minutes, legislation, voting records, and other documents. I consolidated each session’s documents into one page with clearly labeled sections and a left sidebar for moving directly between archived sessions.
S01
Before: Records scattered across separate pages
S02
After: Documents grouped under clear headings
S03 · After: Sidebar navigation between archived sessions
Putting Every Committee in One Place
9 → 1 committee page
Each committee previously had its own page containing a short description, membership information, and a photograph. I combined these into one page with individual committee sections and a right sidebar for jumping directly to a specific committee.
S04
Before: Nine separate committee pages
S05
After: One page with a sidebar for each committee
I audited each website’s content and page hierarchy before rebuilding it.
For each website, I created a spreadsheet documenting every page and how it was nested within the navigation. I reviewed the content to identify outdated information, unnecessary pages, and opportunities to group related content together. Rather than transferring every existing page into Aggie UX, I used this content inventory to plan a more organized information architecture before rebuilding the website in WordPress.
R01 · Original content inventory spreadsheet
My content inventory helped me map each website’s existing page hierarchy and identify opportunities to consolidate fragmented content before rebuilding it.
Fewer pages weren’t always the better solution.
While redesigning the MSC OPAS Student Committee website, I considered combining its nine subcommittee pages into one. However, the subcommittees had varying amounts of content, and some information changed frequently. I decided to keep the nine subcommittees on separate pages, giving each one room to change independently. This reinforced the importance of making information architecture decisions based on the content’s needs rather than simply minimizing page counts.
D01
Separate pages let each subcommittee’s content change independently.
I used custom graphics and image treatments to give organizations a recognizable visual identity within an established design system.
Aggie UX provided reusable components developed around WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards, along with consistent university branding. I used its WordPress implementation to build the websites and customize page layouts. To bring organization identity back within those constraints, I used Photoshop and Canva to create subtle image overlays and decorative corner graphics incorporating each organization’s colors.
I worked directly with student organization advisors and leaders to keep website content accurate and up to date.
I contacted stakeholders to verify information, request updated photographs, and replace outdated content. After each redesign, I shared the website for review and incorporated feedback before launch. Most feedback involved minor content or media updates, but I also considered whether requested changes would be useful to website visitors.
When the Content Was Not Ready
The 12th Can wanted to publish an external volunteer page before it had information to share, leaving visitors with only a “coming soon” message. After discussing the request with my manager, I recommended waiting until the organization could offer useful information instead.
Improving a website isn’t always about adding features or changing how it looks.
Some of the most meaningful decisions involved understanding how information was organized, determining when content should be combined or kept separate, and working within the constraints of an existing design system. I also gained experience collaborating with stakeholders, adapting to technical limitations, and independently delivering websites used by real student organizations. Although I didn’t conduct formal usability testing, the project produced measurable changes to content organization. Given the opportunity, I would validate the navigation changes by observing how visitors find specific information on the redesigned websites.