OVERVIEW

The current MHCI+D website, though functional, failed to fully represent the creativity and opportunities offered by the program. To better communicate its world-class status and attract prospective students, the site required a refresh. The goal was to implement a clean, straightforward design paired with engaging features that inspire exploration and drive action.

DISCOVERY

What they do
The MHCI+D program is highly regarded for its interdisciplinary, hands-on approach, fostering a collaborative community and preparing students for successful careers in tech and design. We focused on capturing the excitement and passion around the program and convey it in our design.

What we did
We conducted competitive analysis for similar human design programs and reviewed all the research the client had done so far. We reviewed alumni surveys and carried out our own surveys and listening sessions with current students, faculty, and staff. This additional research gave us more insight into our audience for the site.

Our results
Our research and site audit guided the development of a new information architecture, designed to align with the program’s values and emphasize a human-centered approach. Alumni and students value career clarity, practical skills, and connections, while faculty and advisors stress highlighting the 11-month structure, thesis and capstone projects, supportive community, and industry ties through an engaging, accessible website.

Duration
Oct 2024 – Jan 2025

Project
UX Research
Visual Design 
Web Design

Tools
Figma
 WordPress

Roles
Branding
Design
Development

CONCEPTING

Our challenge was to captivate visitors quickly – exciting, inspiring, and informing  them at first glance. The MHCI+D program emphasizes visual communication, and  the website must reflect this priority. At the same time, it must account for technical constraints to ensure efficient updates and long-term sustainability.

Key updates to the new site

Simple and Clear Design: Introduced a clean, clutter-free layout for intuitive  and efficient navigation.
Easy Access to Key Information: Created clear sections highlighting professors, students, program details, and facilities.
Engagement and Inspiration: Integrate fun, interactive elements to spark curiosity  and encourage exploration.
World-Class Appeal: Showcase the program’s “tiny but mighty” identity to motivate prospective students to apply.

Workshops
We conducted workshops with students and our core client to figure out the best way to tell the MHCI+D story. These in-person workshops were critical to making sure the story we were telling was the right one for the program, students, and faculty.

Partnership
Our designers worked closely with the RWS team to complete the development of the WordPress site, migration, testing, and walked our client through the final site. RWS also provided training and materials to get the UW MHCI+D team ready for launch and site maintenance. The site was built as flexible components within WordPress so that the site is easy to update on a regular basis with new events, projects and more.

Project Manager
Allison Flanigan

Creative Director
Steve Godfrey

UX Research/Design
Jenn Hergert

Lead Web Designer
Troy Coleman

Development Partner
RWS Partners

FINAL WORK

Our final work resulted in a website that embodies a clean aesthetic, delivers an impactful experience, and offers intuitive navigation while being easy to use and manage in a WordPress platform build.

The site balances beauty with function, creating an inviting space that conveys warmth and resonates with users, meeting them where they are in their career journey.

Our client is going to continue to build on the WordPress site to use it as a community hub for their program and the wider design community at UW and beyond.