Case Study - Helping Young Professionals Navigate Career Resources with Ease
Redesigned a nonprofit website to simplify access to mentorship, networking, and career resources while delivering a developer-ready design system for long-term scalability.
- Client
- Empower GENNOW
- Year
- Disciplines
- UX Strategy, Information Architecture, UI Design
TL;DR — Context, Problem, and Outcome
Empower GENNOW’s previous website was fragmented, outdated, and difficult for young professionals to navigate. I led the UX and visual redesign to consolidate content, simplify task flows, and deliver a developer-ready design system—improving clarity, usability, and stakeholder confidence.
- Streamlined key user flows: mentorship, networking, and career guidance
- Consolidated Resources pages into a single, intuitive hub
- Delivered a reusable design system for developers
- Aligned design decisions with research insights and organizational goals
UX Strategy
Information Architecture
UI Design
Overview
Empower GENNOW is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive workforce for young professionals. They provide mentorship, networking, professional development, and job placement support.
The previous website was fragmented, visually outdated, and difficult for 18–23-year-olds to navigate. The redesign focused on clarity, task-first flows, and a developer-ready design system.
My Role
I led the full UX and visual design process:
- User research, personas, and competitor audits
- Information architecture and task-first sitemap
- Wireframing, high-fidelity mockups, and prototypes
- Design system creation and developer handoff documentation
- Iteration based on stakeholder feedback
The Problem
The site needed to:
- Engage young professionals visually and functionally
- Simplify navigation for Memberships and Resources
- Consolidate fragmented content into clear task-first flows
- Align design with Empower GENNOW branding and mission
Audience and Research
Research showed users prioritize clarity, speed, and actionable next steps.
Key Insight: Young professionals need content to be immediately accessible, with clear paths to mentorship, networking, and career guidance.
Strategic Design Decisions
1. Task-First Information Architecture
- Homepage prioritized high-use flows: Memberships, Resources, Mentorship
- Consolidated multiple Resources pages into a single, intuitive hub
- Simplified navigation hierarchy for faster access
2. Wireframes and Ideation
- Explored multiple layouts via paper wireframes and “How Might We” exercises
- Converted strongest concepts to digital wireframes in Figma
3. Visual Design
- Soft background tones to reduce eye strain
- Consistent typography, spacing, and components reflecting brand professionalism
- Built a reusable design system for scalability
4. User Testing & Iteration
- Stakeholder and user feedback guided refinements in spacing, hierarchy, and CTA clarity
- Iterations ensured clarity, usability, and alignment with brand goals
Screenshots of Key Pages
Homepage
Before Redesign
Homepage redesign highlights key paths for young professionals to quickly access mentorship, networking, and resources.
Memberships
Before Redesign
Memberships page simplified with clear CTAs and intuitive task flows for sign-ups and engagement.
Resources
Before Redesign
Consolidated Resources pages make career guidance and networking content easier to find and act on.
Design Wins
Design Wins
- Streamlined mentorship and networking flows
- Consolidated fragmented Resources pages into a single hub
- Delivered a reusable design system for developers
- Improved clarity and engagement with task-first IA