Empowering Access.

Transforming the University of Washington's Disability Resources for Students website from a compliance-driven resource to a user-centered hub.

As a Product Design Intern, I revamped the UW DRS website to enhance accessibility for students with disabilities. This redesign focused what users needed and simplified a lot of the processes, which made the site feel more friendly and informative.

Context.

Problem

Students and faculty struggled to navigate a complex web of disability resources, creating unnecessary barriers to accessing critical academic support services.

Outcome

Redesigned the digital experience to empower students and faculty with clear pathways to disability resources, reducing barriers and enabling more independent access to academic support.

Impact by Numbers.

+41.4%

71.4% of instructors considered the navigation vastly improved (Up from ~30%)

+32.1%

57.1% found website terminology clear or very clear (Up from 25% baseline)

+21.4%

71.4% participants rated the tone as collaborative or neutral (up from ~50% baseline)

Impact through Experience.

"It's clear that a ton of work went into this, and you should be really proud! The biggest improvement over the original DRS website is that navigation is much improved."

Faculty Focus Group Participant

"Great work on revamping the DRS website! I believe we addressed all the areas that could use improvement and that an iterative improvement methodology remains."

Faculty Focus Group Participant

"I mean, this is like a thousand percent more usable looking than what I looked at...some months ago so clearly a ton of work and human beings who know something about (design) have been engaged"

Faculty Focus Group Participant

"In terms of visual perceptions, I found the colors used for the message boxes very soothing."

Faculty Focus Group Participant

"Much much much improved from previous version that was shared."

Faculty Focus Group Participant

Role(s)

Product Design Intern

UX Lead

Content Strategist

Timeline

Sep - Dec 2024

Project Type

Internship

To be Shipped (March 2025)

Tools

Figma

Figjam

Google Docs

Wordpress

Team

1 Product Designer (Me!)

3 DRS Pro-Staff

What is DRS?

The University of Washington's Disability Resources for Students (UW DRS) is a department created to make the campus a welcoming place for everyone. They work hard to ensure that students with disabilities have the same chances to thrive and get the support they need to do well in school and enjoy university life to the fullest.

They offer a wide variety of services to help students, like academic accommodations, advocacy, and community support. Their main job is to figure out and set up reasonable accommodations for students, such as giving extra time on tests or providing accessible course materials. This is important because it helps students with disabilities show what they know and can do, making sure everyone has a fair shot at success in school.

Research.

FOCUS GROUP

1 | Identifying Barriers

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the user landscape, we conducted 4 focus groups with a total of 20 participants. These sessions were organized into 2 distinct groups of students and 2 distinct groups of faculty, ensuring representation from both key user segments.

Source(s) - UW DRS user research, 2024

Conducted with - Wren Tomelly

Navigation complexity

Users are getting lost in our current navigation. 78% report difficulty finding key information about deadlines and processes, as it's scattered across multiple pages. This makes the experience feel overwhelming and disjointed.

Complex Language

Our current language is too complicated. Both students and instructors struggle with the technical jargon and inconsistent terminology. A whopping 82% of users from our focus groups want simpler, standardized language.

Streamlined Processes

Users are unclear about the steps involved in our processes. 65% can't easily identify deadlines or their next actions, particularly when submitting documentation or activating accommodations.

Prioritizing What Matters

Essential information is buried in the current layout. 73% of users are asking for better organization and a more prominent placement of key information like deadlines, requirements, and calls to action.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

2 | A Wider Perspective

I took a look at disability resource websites from other universities similar to UW. I checked out their content, how easy they are to navigate, the vibe of their tone, and the overall user experience.

Arizona State University

Clear Process Steps

Grouping content by user type and common tasks

Ohio State University

Resource Organization

Breaking down complex processes into numbered steps with visual aids

Stanford University

Navigation Structure

Intuitive information hierarchy with clear pathways

Uk Immigration

Progressive Disclosure

Streamlined navigation with clear action items

CONTENT INVENTORY

3 | Content Audit

Reviewing the current state of the website

After talking to students and instructors about what wasn't working, I dove into the website to see if the content was helpful and up-to-date, and how well it lined up with what users need and what the school aims to do.

Old DRS Website Pages

The Problem.

CHALLENGE

The Access Barrier.

Accessing disability accommodations is a complex, overwhelming, and fragmented experience.

‍

How might we help students and faculty navigate support services confidently and access the resources they need to succeed?

Mapping the Experience.

After diving into user research and checking out the content, I revamped the Information Architecture to convert heavy policy docs into a more user-friendly format.

Thoughtfully Organized.

I set up the DRS website with three easy-to-navigate pathways, each featuring quick-access points for urgent needs.

The two main flows - Instructor and Student also have a standalone page each for actionable quick reference steps for visitors already familiar with the core material.

Defined Boundaries.

Bound by the University's global WordPress theme, I focused on improving user experience through content strategy rather than visual redesign. Limitations on modifying the header, footer, and side panels directed efforts towards restructuring content and optimizing navigation within the main content area, using pre-approved design components.

A User-Centered Approach.

After diving into user research and checking out the content, I revamped the Information Architecture to convert heavy policy docs into a more user-friendly format.

Streamlined Information Architecture.

I simplified the policy content into three easy-to-follow paths: General, Instructor, and Student. I also added quick-access points for those urgent questions. This user-friendly setup makes it super easy for everyone to find the info they need, whether they're looking for detailed guidance or just a quick answer.

In-page Navigation.

I added a table of content to each page, that enables quick jumps to any section, making lengthy policy pages more manageable. This feature helps users maintain context and easily navigate to relevant information without losing their place in complex documentation.

Linear page flow.

I created a step-by-step progression through content with clear next/previous navigation and chronological ordering of pages. This linear approach guides users through complex processes while ensuring they don't miss critical information.

Callout Cards.

I integrated color-coded callout cards that weave important policies and requirements naturally into the content flow. These visually distinct cards help users quickly identify key information while maintaining an uncluttered reading experience that prioritizes understanding over compliance.

Measuring Impact.

To ensure my design choices were effective, I established key performance indicators for faculty, students, and staff. Insights from focus groups and competitive analysis helped me create baseline metrics for content clarity and navigation ease, which I used to set post-launch goals for evaluating the redesign's effectiveness.

Overview.

FACULTY UNDERSTANDING

80%

Initial focus groups showed only 30% of faculty could identify key responsibilities

NAVIGATION TIME

2 mins

It took an average of 5 minutes for faculty to find information on creating accessible course materials proactively, with some unable to find it at all.

CONTENT CLARITY

8/10

Focus groups rated existing content clarity at 5/10 for effectiveness

Conclusion.

Reflecting on the DRS website redesign, a transformative project that reimagines how students and faculty access critical disability resources, here are the key takeaways and future directions for growth -

1 | What I Learned

Content Strategy Impact

Understanding how thoughtful content organization and clear navigation can dramatically improve user experience, especially in compliance-heavy environments.

User Journey Complexity

Juggling different user groups with their unique needs means finding the right mix of detailed help and quick access to important info.

Technical Constraints as Opportunity

Working within WordPress limitations pushed creative solutions for content presentation and navigation that actually enhanced user experience.

2 | Areas of Improvement

Testing Scope Enhancement

Expanding usability testing to include more diverse user scenarios and edge cases could provide deeper insights for future iterations.

Accessibility Validation

More comprehensive accessibility testing would ensure the new structure works seamlessly with various assistive technologies.

Content Measurement Metrics

Developing more granular metrics for measuring content effectiveness could help guide future content strategy decisions.

3 | Future Directions

Dynamic Content Adaptation

Exploring ways to make content more responsive to user behavior and preferences while maintaining clarity and compliance.

Cross-Platform Consistency

Ensuring the content strategy and navigation patterns work effectively across different devices and platforms.

Automated Content Checks

Implementing systems to help maintain content consistency and policy compliance as the site evolves.

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