Capital Area Humane Society Card Sort & Site Map Website Redesign

UX Research

Context

I was involved in a team of UX researchers tasked with conducting UX research for the redesign of the Lansing area Humane Society's website. Our primary focus was on conducting a card sort and creating a site map to enhance the website's usability.

Problem

The website's navigation posed significant challenges, as reported by many potential adopters and volunteers who found it difficult to locate information on adopting, donating, and volunteering. Additionally, functionality varied across different web browsers, compounding usability issues. Having volunteered at my local Humane Society in the past, I felt a personal responsibility to enhance the website. My goal was to ensure that no potential user was deterred from adopting, volunteering, or donating due to usability issues on the site.

Process

Our team identified a few acquaintances who had previous experience using the website, including one who had successfully adopted her current pet through it. We engaged these classmates to participate in a card sort, and from their input, we developed a site map for the redesign process.

Card Sorting

We conducted an open card sort with fellow UX participants. This method allowed us to observe how each user naturally grouped the cards, providing valuable insights into their logical thinking and aiding in visualizing the redesign without bias. Below are the results from the card sorts:

Site Map

The site map aims to visually represent how website functionalities are organized for the designer. We began by defining primary content categories derived from the card sort and then structured subcategories to prevent overwhelming users with too much information on a single page. Our collaborative research efforts are geared towards creating a website that is less cluttered, simpler, and more user-friendly to navigate. Below, you'll find our site map along with its key:

Discovery

After completing our card sorting, distinct patterns emerged from the results. It was uncommon to observe such consistent trends, and we were pleasantly surprised by the similarity in participants' ideas. This facilitated faster collaboration of our findings and we actually had to take a step back to be sure we weren’t jumping into quick conclusions.

Lessons Learned

Listening and sharing knowledge is crucial. Asking questions to clarify UX concepts or tool usage is essential for understanding. For instance, before this project, I lacked experience in creating site maps. A teammate patiently guided me through the process and explained its importance for our specific project. Their willingness to share enabled me to learn how to create a professional and comprehensible site map.

It's also vital to articulate your perspective and rationale, especially when others may not immediately grasp or agree with your ideas. I've learned the value of respectfully listening to others' viewpoints and then effectively expressing my own. Patience is key when helping teammates understand my ideas—sometimes it requires breaking down concepts step by step until clarity is achieved.

UX remains an ongoing learning journey for everyone involved.

Avoid jumping to conclusions. Avoid jumping to conclusions. This project taught me the critical importance of refraining from prematurely reaching conclusions during UX work. It's a common pitfall for researchers and designers to rush into assumptions, believing a problem is straightforward to solve or that users will perceive things as they do. However, more often than not, this proves incorrect. Taking the time to thoroughly research, test assumptions, and consider diverse perspectives leads to more informed and effective design decisions.

Embrace humility! This project taught me the importance of humility. Whether I was correct about something or mistaken, I learned not to boast about being right or to shy away from admitting when I was wrong. Early on, there was a moment where I misunderstood the project's goal. Instead of feeling embarrassed, I focused on asking my team the right questions to ensure clarity and alignment on our shared objectives. This approach fostered better collaboration and ensured we were all working towards the same goal.