Deliverable
Navigation system (desktop + mobile), navigation language for micro-sites
My role
Lead UX Designer (end-to-end)
Team
UX researcher, full stack devs, accessibility specialist
Platform
Adobe Experience Manager (AEM)
When
2021/22
Usability heuristic analysis
I conducted a usability heuristic analysis using Nielsen’s 10 principles.
The current state failed almost all of them.
Visibility of system status
Match with real world conventions
User control and freedom
Error prevention
Consistency and standards
Recognition rather than recall
Flexibility and efficiency of use
Aesthetic and minimalist design
Help users recover from errors
Help and documentation
Competitor analysis
I analysed leading universities (e.g. Melbourne, UNSW, Deakin) and enterprise brands (Woolworths, Qantas, ABC) to understand how they manage navigation across large, multi-audience websites.
What I learned
Consistency reduces cognitive load
Across the best sites, navigation patterns stayed consistent from page to page. No surprises, no guesswork.
Sub sites can focus users, but risks fragmentation
Some universities use sub-sites with tailored navigation, however this can assum too much about user intent and can trap users in isolated zones.
A global nav can quietly connect an ecosystem
Brands like ABC use a persistent, global navigation layer (e.g. a hamburger menu) that connects verticals like News, iView, and Listen.
Design #1
Immersive
Can full-screen context make deep navigation feel easier and more engaging?
Concept
This model opened a full-page navigation on click—giving users space to explore and spotlighting key CTAs like “Find a course” or “Open Day.”
How it tested
Users found the full-screen experience disorienting and unexpected. The sudden takeover broke their sense of place and made it harder to understand where they were within the site.
“I wasn’t expecting a whole thing to drop down and obscure the page.”
Jonothan (test participant)
Design #2
Top drawer
Will a more familiar, anchored navigation experience help users stay oriented while reducing cognitive load?
Concept
A more traditional drawer-style panel that opened inline—less visual noise, easier to scan, and felt familiar to most users.
How it tested
Navigation felt intuitive and easy to scan. The familiar interaction helped users feel grounded and oriented.
"It feels like something I’ve used before."
Karen (test participant)
Design #3
Multi-nav
Will separating site and local navigation help users focus and feel more in control?
Concept
Users select a site section, see local nav, and the main site nav is tucked into a hamburger menu.
How it tested
Most users preferred this model for in-section tasks. But when they needed content outside the local nav, the split navigation caused confusion.
“So there’s an extra menu on each page?”
Jordan (test participant)
Users wanted clarity, not full-screen immersion
We replaced the full-screen nav with a large right-hand panel. It offered more space for exploration without overwhelming users or hiding the page entirely.
We scaled local nav to unify micro-sites
The multi-nav model was repurposed for USYD’s micro-sites, creating a consistent experience across faculties, research centres, and corporate pages.
We redesigned the top drawer to handle a large, variable IA
We moved the panel to slide in from the right, creating a consistent, scrollable space that avoided jarring height shifts and better supported long, section-specific lists.
I stayed through to delivery
I worked closely with developers to adapt the design during build, ensuring the hybrid model worked cohesively across different sections and CMS constraints.
A navigation system that balances depth, flexibility, and consistency across the entire USYD website.
+22%
Desktop usability
Source
#1
mobile ranking
Source
0
accessibility errors
Source
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