Overview

The Higher Education Regional Alliance (HERA) needed a website that more effectively communicated its mission of connecting students, educators, and regional employers. Our class partnered directly with the organization to create a fully reimagined site that improved usability, accessibility, and engagement across audiences.

Collaboration & Process

As a team, we followed a full UX design process. We began with stakeholder interviews and competitive research to identify site goals, accessibility challenges, and content priorities. We collaboratively built user personas and journey maps to align the structure with user needs and HERA’s objectives.

I helped design the visual hierarchy and site layout in Figma, contributing to both low-fidelity wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes. Our group presented each iteration to the client for feedback, ensuring the design accurately reflected HERA’s values of inclusion and collaboration.

On the development side, I contributed to front-end implementation by applying custom CSS styling, ensuring responsive layouts, and integrating accessibility best practices throughout the site. The final build aligned with WCAG standards and maintained visual consistency across all screen sizes.

Solution

The redesigned website now serves as a user-centered platform where students, educators, and institutions can explore HERA’s programs, partnerships, and initiatives. Its modular layout and clear navigation make information easy to find, while accessible design decisions ensure inclusivity for all users.

Impact

Through close collaboration and stakeholder communication, our team delivered a site that not only modernized HERA’s digital presence but also strengthened its ability to connect regional education and workforce partners. The final design reflects HERA’s mission of equity and opportunity through technology.

Reflection

This project underscored the importance of teamwork and client collaboration in UX design. Working with a real organization gave us hands-on experience in aligning user needs, accessibility standards, and institutional goals. Personally, I strengthened my communication, prototyping, and front-end implementation skills while contributing to a meaningful mission.