Tutoring Website Redesign

Background

This tutoring website had not been updated since its launch in 2013, and the company was receiving multiple complaints and questions about how to navigate the site.

My Role

I worked with the President of the company to overhaul the design of their website to make it functional, user-friendly, satisfying, and easy to use. I also reevaluated the website's navigation and made sure the designs were in line with the company's brand identity.

Timeline:

6 months, working on it part-time once a week (2023)

Roles:

Sole UX Designer

Tools:

Figma, GoDaddy

Research & Planning

When I first found out that this was a tutoring website I would be redesigning, I researched other local tutoring websites to get an idea of:

How they presented their information
What was jumping out at me from the screen
What it was like to navigate their websites

I also talked with the President of the company, who informed me that the majority of their tutoring students were high school age, which helped me to understand the users we were designing for.

Solutions

Redesigned "above the fold" on home landing page with modern typography that reflected their brand identity
Added list of current tutors and biographies for users to view their credentials
Reordered the way tutoring sessions were laid out to make it easier for the user to choose the right one for them
Updated the information on COVID-19 and other pertinent details relating to current standardized exams and applications
Broke up walls of text with pictures and bullet points and reworded text to remove unnecessary fluff

Problems

Home page typography and layout was outdated and disorderly
There was no way to see the tutors available or their credentials
The options for scheduling tutoring sessions were inconsistent and confusing
Outdated information regarding COVID-19 and its effects on standardized exam scheduling for 2020
Several instances of "walls of text" that were bulky and hard for users to parse through

"Our Team" page only included the President of the company, not any of the other available tutors
Wall of text in President's biography made it difficult for users to read
Bottom of the page had been "under construction" for several years

Wall of text on Home Page
Text itself is confusing in describing "Our Approach"
Awkward screenshot of online studying session that doesn't add to or compliment text

"Our Team" Page

"Home" Page, below the fold

"Home" Page landing screen, above the fold

Services offered are cut off making user scroll down to see options
Quote from President doesn't say much about what they do or who they are
Used all caps to describe what they offer which can be hard for a user to read

Updated picture and bio of President with bio more focused on how he started the company and why
Added current tutors pictures and bios, and linked their pictures with their direct company email addresses

Users can now see what services are offered immediately upon loading the home screen
Button to book a session also immediately available
Added contact information and social media links

Expanded on services offered with short bullet-point descriptions for each and links to their respective pages
Created logos for the first 3 cards

Respective pages for each of the services offered

Design Decisions

After many conversations with the President of the company, we decided to change the entire layout of the website, enact a new theme, and organize the navigation to make it easier for users

Redesigned the tutor application page to better separate the categories and expand on what specifically they are looking for in applicants

Old applicant page needed updating on what subjects they needed tutors in, as well as design updates

"Apply Now" Page

"FAQ" Page

Upgraded and organized FAQ's, including updated information about COVID-19's effects on standardized tests and the company's business hours

Had outdated information regarding Covid-19 and it's impact on EZ Tutoring Services and other standardized testing dates

Before and After

The Outcome

After redesigning this tutoring website, the President of the company informed me that it was a huge improvement and he was getting more traffic and compliments than ever before!

What I Learned

How to balance stakeholder wants and user needs in order to create a design that aligns with both
How to edit a website with GoDaddy
The importance the demographic of the user has to the design
How even minor adjustments to the interface significantly enhanced user engagement

Next Steps

I would love to keep iterating on this website redesign as more user data becomes available
I would also do some user testing, either A/B testing to try out different designs, or usability testing to see how efficiently users can navigate the website
Encouraging scalability, during this project the company wanted to expand on their services offered, and will continue to expand as their customer base grows