Client

ACC

Industry

Counselling

Enterprise sized web platform for multiple user audiences and journeys

ACC’s previous website had become very dated and had outgrown its current framework. Information was hard to find and users, members and counsellors alike found it difficult to navigate the website, renew memberships and make bookings. The ACC website needed a design framework which would help users navigate around complex information, membership and booking processes. I began by auditing the existing website and mapping the key user journeys to understand where users were struggling to find information or complete tasks. Through stakeholder discussions and user journey analysis, I identified the most important actions users needed to complete, including finding a counsellor, renewing memberships, booking training courses, making donations and accessing professional resources. I then restructured the information architecture and navigation to make these journeys easier to find and understand. Complex processes were broken down into clearer steps, with consistent navigation patterns, page layouts and calls to action used throughout the site. The interface was designed around the needs of different user groups whilst maintaining a consistent experience, helping users quickly identify the content and services most relevant to them. A significant part of the project involved restructuring the information architecture, as we found users were struggling not because information didn't exist, but because they couldn't find it.

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Project Gallery Image for 50% width of the screen #1
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The new platform provided a significantly clearer and more intuitive experience for members, counsellors and the general public. Key user journeys such as membership renewals, course bookings, donations and counsellor searches became easier to locate and complete, reducing friction throughout the website. The improved structure and navigation also reduced complexity for internal staff, making content management more straightforward and ensuring new content could be added in a consistent way as the organisation continued to grow. The project successfully brought together a large volume of content, services and user needs into a single platform that was easier to navigate, manage and maintain. Reflection One of the biggest lessons from this project was that complexity often comes from the way information is organised rather than the amount of information itself. Users rarely think about organisations in the same way internal teams do. They arrive with a specific goal in mind, such as finding a counsellor or booking a course, and want to complete that task as quickly and confidently as possible. The project reinforced the importance of understanding user needs first, then designing journeys and interfaces around those needs rather than organisational structures. It's an approach I've continued to apply throughout my product design work and one that I believe is particularly important for organisations such as Citizens Advice, where users may already be dealing with stressful or complex situations.

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Senior Digital Product & Design Leader | UX Strategy | Digital Products | Team Leadership | Open to Senior Opportunities

Contact

Senior Digital Product & Design Leader | UX Strategy | Digital Products | Team Leadership | Open to Senior Opportunities

Contact

Senior Digital Product & Design Leader | UX Strategy | Digital Products | Team Leadership | Open to Senior Opportunities