GLSEN Website | Desktop and Mobile Experience
Empowering Parents: Redesigning GLSEN's Website for Enhanced Navigation and Support in the LGBTQ+ Community.
Overview
This project involved revisiting the current GLSEN website Information Architecture and User Interface Design(Mid-Fi) and proposing a new navigation that included a featured section for parents, who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
To understand this question, I collaborated with four individuals as part of the design team. Our user experience design strategy consisted of an in-depth understanding of the parents' needs and reflecting them on the user interface with significant new features and resources on the website’s desktop and mobile versions.
The Problem
Parents of children and teenagers in the LGBTQ+ community want to better understand how to support their loved ones while building a sense of belonging in the community, educating themselves, and understanding vocabulary and social constructs
The Outcome
Design a dedicated section in the current website’s information architecture with resources for parents who are seeking education on how to approach sensitive topics and vocabulary that’s new to them.
Responsibilities
UX Designer and Researcher
Jan 2023 - May 2023
Design Process
In this project, we began by conducting user interviews to gain insights into our target personas, followed by a competitive analysis to evaluate both direct and indirect competitors in the space.
Our approach was iterative, starting with testing the existing website’s information architecture through card sorting and tree testing. Based on these findings, we developed a revised information architecture and conducted usability testing, which included the introduction of a dedicated LGBTQ+ glossary—an area where I focused my efforts.
Qualitative Research
Research Goals
Began with a competitive analysis of eight websites identified as both direct and indirect competitors. Through this analysis, we found that many of these resources not only provided guidance on navigating difficult conversations but also included information on events, support groups, and glossaries to assist parents in their individual journeys.
Feature Findings
Navigation
Comprehensive and balanced for a website that might have information and sub-sections
Competitive Analysis
To understand the good practices of other websites, it was necessary to look trough direct and indirect competitors and evaluate the following dimensions: Home Page, Navigation, Organization, Appearance, Content, and Images.
Look and Feel
Aesthetics of the website need to represent a attractive and modern website that resonate with children, teenagers and parents
Content Diversity
Copy needs to be inclusive of all members of the LGBTQ+ community: family, friends and allies
Content Responsiveness
Adapted for desktop and mobile copy, avoid extensive scrolling
User Interviews
We interviewed mothers and fathers of children and teenagers who experienced their children to “Come out to them”. We asked them about how this impacted their family dynamic, school, and personal life.
“I often feel uncertain about how to support my child during this journey. I find myself unsure where to seek guidance or whom to approach for help. Access to psychologists and pediatric medical boards would greatly enhance my understanding of my child’s behavioral and biological needs.”
There are few trustworthy sources of information.
Parents often feel unsure about how to support their children. Both parents expressed that they didn't know where to seek help. Having access to psychologists and pediatric resources would help them understand their children's behavioral and biological needs.
“ I feel that my life has changed in significant ways, and it would be helpful to have guidance on how to cope with my feelings, address questions, approach teachers, and navigate difficult conversations about topics like suicidal thoughts and bullying. ”
Insights and Artifacts
Grieving is part of their family and personal process:
As individuals, parents felt that their lives also changed somehow and it would be useful to have some guidance on how to cope with their own feelings, address questions, approach teachers, and have difficult conversations (Suicidal thoughts, addressing bullying) will be useful. As a family, facilitating group sessions or difficult conversations could ease their process as well.
“I expect to have access to resources like journaling through interactive apps, online meditation, a glossary, and therapy sessions. These tools could be really helpful for building a stronger sense of community with other parents who are going through similar experiences.”
Resources such as mindfulness, mental checklists, and online articles would be helpful
Is expected to have resources such as journaling through interactive apps, online meditation, glossary, or therapy sessions that could be helpful for having a better sense of community with parents that in the same.
Structuring Content + Card Sorting Findings
Clarity
Certain labels within the navigation menu are somewhat ambiguous, leading to potential misunderstandings.
Repetition
There are repetition of labels on primary and secondary categories in the website's navigation can cause confusion for users.
It is generally recommended to avoid using the same label for both a primary and secondary category, as it can be difficult for users to understand the hierarchy and relationships between the categories.
Navigational Issues
Grouping and hierarchy of labels are confusing. Users may get confused where to find relevant topics.
For example, ‘Our Work’ consists of other types of primary level content like ‘Resources’ & ‘Research’ . Furthermore, there is a separate ‘About Us’ category which is essentially synonymous to ‘Our Work’. As a result, important content labels are hidden.
Tree Testing Findings
Introduce a new primary label called “Support Groups”
Changing the label “Let’s talk about it” to “Explore Topics”
Introduce a new primary label called “Support Groups” which includes a new “Parent Support Groups” label and a relabeled “Student Chapters”
Remove the “Parent” label under “Find resources”
Design Recommendations
Based in findings on what the users needed, added within their section and the new structured navigation, the exploration for a new layout started, which proposed a three level navigation and located new resources and section for parents.
Introduce a new primary section in navigation label called “Find Resources” and include “Explore Glossary of LGBTQ+ terms” section.
Style Guide
Design Implementation
Development Handoff Design proposal of final screens including flows and new features proposals.
Design QA: Document and address any discrepancies between the design and the implement product.