Elevating Digital Voice for Design Department

I took on the challenge of redesigning IIIT Delhi’s Human Centred Design Department website to better showcase the creativity, research, and spirit that defines them.

Client

Human Centred Design Department

Role

Web & UX Designer

Background

I was hired by the Human Centred Design (HCD) Department at IIIT Delhi to redesign their official website. The existing website was outdated, incomplete, and failed to clearly represent the department’s strengths and ongoing work. It lacked a compelling connection to potential recruiters, students, and external collaborators limiting engagement and outreach.

Challenges with the old website

The previous website presented several issues that impacted its effectiveness:

  • Outdated Design: The UI was visually unappealing, cluttered, and not mobile-responsive, resulting in poor usability on smartphones and tablets.

  • Incomplete Information: Key content such as student projects, faculty research, labs, and outreach activities were missing or poorly organized.

  • Low Engagement: The site didn’t clearly communicate the department’s culture, work environment, or achievements, which made it difficult to attract potential recruiters and collaborators.

  • Navigation Difficulties: Users struggled to find relevant information quickly due to poor information architecture and inconsistent labeling.

  • No Analytics or User Data: There was no integration of tools like Google Analytics to understand visitor behavior or identify improvement areas.

Design highlights

  • Mobile-First Approach: Designed from the ground up to ensure smooth performance and accessibility on all screen sizes.

  • Visual Elegance: Clean typography, consistent color palette, and whitespace improved readability and aesthetics.

  • Showcasing Work & Culture: Dedicated sections for student projects, faculty research, and lab facilities with rich media (images, videos, publications).

  • Outreach & Community: Highlighted department events, workshops, and collaborations with industry partners and academia.

  • Improved Navigation: Clear menus and well-structured content hierarchy for effortless browsing.

  • SEO & Performance: Optimized site speed and metadata to increase discoverability.

  • Google Analytics Integration: Setup to monitor visitor patterns, popular pages, and bounce rates to inform ongoing improvements.

Outcomes and impact

  • The revamped website offers an engaging, professional, and accessible experience that accurately represents the HCD Department’s strengths.

  • Mobile traffic and engagement increased significantly due to responsive design and improved content clarity.

  • The department received positive feedback from recruiters appreciating the visibility of research work and easy navigation.

  • Faculty and students felt a stronger sense of pride and connection seeing their work highlighted effectively.