Mobile-Friendly Home Page Redesign
Modernizing the Marquette University Graduate School landing page with responsive design to drive engagement
Speculative Design
UI Design
Responsive Web Design
Introduction
Marquette University is a college in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its graduate school is home to many nationally ranked programs. However, the site's design is outdated. As an exercise for my Advanced Web Design class, I reimagined the Graduate School home page to align with the university's ongoing efforts to redesign its website.
Product
Marquette University Graduate School's home page is an entry point for prospective students learning about and applying to the school. Page visitors can explore programs, request information, and apply.
Target User
Prospective Graduate School Students
Challenge
The Marquette University Graduate School website does not reflect the school's standout academics and high ranking among graduate programs.
Request
Use the university's brand guidelines to conceptualize a web and mobile-friendly redesign of the Graduate School's home page that is more engaging and attractive to prospective students.
Do not change the main (global) navigation; anything in the content area can be redesigned.
Explore the subpages of each section to pull information you feel should be featured on the main page.
Solution
A fresh, bold, and modern home page highlighting the school's programs and resources that looks as good on mobile devices as it does on desktops and draws prospective students in to learn more about the university
Process
Content Inventory
Brainstorming & Wireframing
Critique & Design Refinement
Final Design
UI Design Highlights
First Impression: Hero Section
The hero is bold and spans most or more than the entire screen height, immediately capturing visitor attention. It makes a strong first impression and establishes credibility while conveying the site's purpose. An image of in-class instruction shows students of varying demographics engaged in learning, speaking to a variety of students and reinforcing the message of academic rigor.
Big Figures: Financial Support Section
Private universities are notorious for being more expensive than public schools. This section highlights the graduate school's generous financial support system and addresses the concerns of many professionals seeking advanced degrees.
Bragging Rights: Awards Section
The university has a lot to be proud of. The awards section highlights and encourages prospective students to look at faculty and students' award-winning work. It also allows them to imagine themselves as winning awards and recognition as students at the university.
Outcome and Value
Aligned the Graduate School web page with the other redesigned pages
Modernized the interface to speak to prospective students on desktop and mobile devices
Implemented bold and inviting CTAs that encourage engagement
Next Steps
The next steps of this project would be redesigning the subpages and implementing changes, measuring effectiveness through site visitor engagement tracking, and reviewing site analytics to understand how the pages can be optimized for site visitors' goals.
