USDA
ROLE
User Researcher
UX Designer
UI Designer
DELIVERABLES
Style Guide
Redesigned Navigation
Research Results
TOOLS
Figma
Miro
Illustrator
About the project
The Problem
Government websites, including USDA’s, often overwhelm users with an abundance of information. This makes it challenging for both new and returning visitors to navigate the site effectively.
Key Usability Issues:
- Subcategories are unclear in the navigation menu, complicating access to specific information.
- The search function lacks robust filtering options, such as by title, category or date range.
- Some important pages, like the USDA Farmers Market, are difficult to locate directly from the main menu.
The Solution
The redesign focuses on simplifying navigation, enhancing the search functionality and modernizing the overall look of the website while maintaining its recognizable identity. Key improvements include:
- A reorganized top navigation bar with clearer categories and subcategories.
- Enhanced prominence and functionality of the search bar.
- A responsive design for seamless usability across desktop and mobile platforms.
Research
User Research
Proto-persona
Jeff Dillon: A local farmer looking to sell produce at the USDA Farmers Market. Jeff represents users who need quick and reliable access to farming-related information and resources.
Typical User Path
Jeff visits the USDA website to find relevant fact sheets, navigate press releases and apply to sell at the Farmers Market.
Usability Testing
Objective: Assess whether users can easily locate specific information and identify pain points in navigation.
Tasks & Findings
- Locate crop coexistence fact sheets:
Issue: Subcategories in the navigation menu are unclear, making it difficult to find specific topics. - Find a press release by title:
Issue: The lack of filters for press releases (e.g., title, category or date range) complicates the search process. - Navigate to the Farmers Market page:
Issue: This page is not accessible from the main navigation bar.
Mood Board
Design Process
Information Architecture
Red Line annotations
Navigation Testing
- Users found the original navigation pane unintuitive, with topics scattered across multiple categories.
- Dietary health and wildlife information were particularly hard to locate due to inconsistencies in structure and presentation.
- Mobile users struggled to return to the homepage, often resorting to manually typing the URL.
Card Sorting and Sitemap
Based on card-sorting exercises, the site structure was reorganized into a more logical hierarchy, simplifying navigation and reducing redundancy.
New Navigation
A redesigned navigation bar consolidates topics into well-defined categories and improves access to frequently used pages.
Sketches & Prototyping
Initial sketches explored layout changes for navigation and content presentation. Prototypes were iteratively tested, refining features like filtering options, visual hierarchy and mobile responsiveness.
5-Second Test
Users responded positively to the redesigned UI, describing it as:
- User-friendly and visually appealing.
- Simple and clear in how information is displayed.
- Easy to navigate, particularly on mobile.
Final Design
Home Page Redesign
The updated homepage emphasizes accessibility, with a prominent search bar, streamlined navigation and quick links to popular resources.
Responsive Design
The redesign ensures consistent functionality and appearance across devices. Subcategories are nested intuitively within the navigation menu and mobile users benefit from enhanced usability.
Style Guide
A modern and clean visual style maintains the USDA’s recognizable branding while enhancing readability and usability.
User Testing Results
Objective
Evaluate the intuitiveness and usability of the redesigned website.
Findings
- Younger users favored the search bar, while older users relied more on navigation buttons.
- Challenges in completing tasks were primarily due to prototype limitations rather than design issues.
- Users quickly adapted to the redesign, demonstrating ease of use across both desktop and mobile platforms.
- Feedback highlighted significant improvements over the original website, particularly in finding and accessing information.
Reflection & Next Steps
Final Thougths
The redesign addressed major navigation and usability issues, creating a simpler and more intuitive user experience. However, limitations in the prototype may have reduced the difficulty of tasks, potentially skewing results.
Future Considerations
- Develop a more comprehensive prototype with fully linked pages for realistic testing.
- Conduct further usability testing to validate findings and refine the design.
- Explore additional features such as personalized recommendations, improved filtering and tools to assist users with specific needs.
The USDA website redesign lays a strong foundation for improving access to vital resources but further iterations and expanded testing will be key to achieving its full potential.