Overview
We started by interviewing students around campus about their feelings toward climate change and the wild fires raging across the West Coast. From there, I iterated a design flow that showcased the incredible imagery captured by photojournalist Stuart Palley, a 2011 SMU graduate.
Once wireframes were approved by stakeholders, we placed working prototypes in front of a handful of the same students interviewed to gauge usability.
The page was a success and well-received by students and staff, showing an impactful timely narrative of this challenging subject matter.
The Challenge
It can be difficult for a high-profile institution like SMU to touch on politisized subject matter like climate change. I approached the topic from an empathetic standpoint, focusing on Stuart Palley and his harrowing efforts to document the devastating wildfires that tore through the West Coast.
I opted to let the imagery speak for itself.
Research & discovery
We conducted user research including:
- User interviews: 12 diverse students to understand the general campus setiment on the topic of climate change.
- User testing: Conducted user testing on 4 selected students to measure the impact of the article's messaging.
- Workshops: Collaborative sessions with stakeholders and leadership teams.
The Solution
We crafted a beautiful, minimalistic article page that framed it's topic elegantly and without bias. The facts were stated and users encouraged to form their own opinions on the subject matter.
Results & impact
The page launch exceeded expectations across all key metrics:
Key Learnings
This project reinforced several important principles:
- Taking an empathetic, unbiased standpoint on difficult subject matter helped the story resonate more with students.
- User research should inform every stage of the design process.
