Nurse.org
Nurse.org is a comprehensive resource delivering daily news, jobs, trending topics, educational content, and social media levity by nurses for nurses. From insightful industry coverage to fostering a vibrant nursing social community, Nurse.org kept nurses informed, and connected, however this constant evolution of content left it with major identity crisis and lack of direction.
Overview
Project Goal
The goal of the Nurse.org UX redesign was to address the platform's identity crisis and provide a clear and purposeful direction. The focus was on enhancing responsiveness, creating an intuitive navigation structure, and categorizing content effectively.
My contributions
As the sole UX designer for Nurse.org, I conducted thorough research, crafted personas, and drew inspiration from major news organizations to seamlessly integrate content. Through iterative testing and refinement, I ensured a user-centric interface, and established a design system for consistency.
The problem
Nurse.org, a platform with a rich history, faced an identity crisis due to its evolution from a hospital review site to a nursing job board and, subsequently, a nursing social site.
This lack of clear direction hindered the user experience and left the website struggling to meet the diverse needs of its audience. The challenge was to redefine its purpose, streamline content, and enhance accessibility and responsiveness.
The solution
The solution focused on completely revamping the information architecture of the site. The front page highlighted clear value proposition, followed by bite sized morsel of article samples divided by category.
Informed by extensive research, competitive analysis, and user interviews, the redesign incorporated whitespace to highlight content, and simplify the user experience of the site.
Design process
Research
To understand the landscape and user expectations, I conducted thorough research. I analyzed competitors like nursejournal.org and registerednursing.org and gathered insights through user surveys, on-site intercept surveys, and behavioral data from tools like Hotjar and Google Analytics. Additionally, an in-person focus group of nurses provided invaluable qualitative data.
Comparative/Competitive Analysis
The competitive analysis for the Nurse.org UX redesign project encompassed a heuristic evaluation of the current site and a comprehensive examination of similar platforms such as nursejournal.org and registerednursing.org. This process aimed to understand the existing content organization and gather insights from industry counterparts on their offerings. The analysis provided a broader perspective on industry trends and strategic decisions on successful redesign.
I delved into competitive platforms such as nursejournal.org and registerednursing.org to gain a comprehensive understanding of how they structured their content and engaged their audiences. Coupled with heuristic evaluations of major news organization’s website, I was able to distill the content for nurse.org
Ideate
Drawing inspiration from major news organizations, I envisioned a site that seamlessly integrated news, social media, and educational content. The goal was to create a cohesive and enjoyable user experience. I set about creating mid fidelity wireframes to explore content, its organization, and the overall look and feel of the site I wanted to convey. It was a careful balance between serious, and fun social aspect Nurse.org was trying to deliver.
Each design was a progression of previous design with different elements explored in specific styles. The final product was a merge of design elements that resonated most with our users.
Deliver
Upon finalizing the design aesthetic, I proceeded to develop components and a design style guide before delving into high-fidelity designs. The transition from these detailed designs to production was accompanied by an ongoing intercept survey implemented on the live site. This continuous survey facilitated real-time user feedback, allowing for iterative adjustments based on user responses. Implementing user suggestions gleaned from this survey played a pivotal role in positively influencing key metrics, such as engagement and satisfaction. This dynamic feedback loop ensured that the ultimate design was not only visually appealing but also functionally effective, seamlessly aligning with user needs and preferences.
It started with a design system…
A noticeable contrast exists between the previous site (depicted on the left) and the redesigned version. Through modifications in content height and the removal of embellishments, we successfully increased the amount of visible content above the fold, effectively showcasing all of Nurse.org's offerings.
The updated forms showcased collaborations with esteemed educational institutions, underscoring the advantages of pursuing an advanced degree.
We eliminated spammy ads and reduced the prominence of large images. Additionally, jump links were incorporated to emphasize specific sections within the articles, providing users with the convenience to navigate directly to the content of their interest.
Through the removal of horizontal cards, we enhanced the display of articles authored by individuals, providing a more efficient presentation. Take note of the consistent and reusable design components integrated throughout the redesign, facilitating faster iterations for the development team.
Final Result
The redesigned Nurse.org witnessed a significant positive impact. Email retention and engagement rates increased by more than 50%, indicating a stronger connection with the audience. Returning visitors surged, showcasing improved user loyalty. The time spent on the site rose, indicating enhanced user satisfaction and engagement. Crucially, the emphasis on educational content led to continuous career improvement for nurses, ultimately contributing to increased revenue for the company.
In summary, the redesign successfully navigated Nurse.org out of its identity crisis, providing clarity in purpose and delivering a user-centric platform that meets the needs of nurses worldwide. The amalgamation of news, social media, and educational content in a responsive and accessible design resulted in a thriving online community and a more lucrative business model for Nurse.org.