We reviewed five websites from public and private sectors to explore how similar platforms address users’ needs. We looked at BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS), Wellness Together Canada, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Australia’s Department of Health and Aged Care, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This helped identify successful patterns and areas for improvement.

My contribution:

• • Conducted an environmental scan to shortlist and finalize 5 websites for review.
  • Analyzed 3 of the 5 selected websites in detail.
  • Compiled findings into a digestible report with actionable recommendations

We analyzed the Jan–Dec 2023 Adobe website analytics report for the Mental Health and Substance Use sections of the Health Canada website. This provided insights into user behavior, navigation patterns, and engagement trends.

My contribution:

• • Conducted a detailed review of the analytics report
  • Summarized findings into a concise report
  • Provided recommendations to address key issues and opportunities

We thoughtfully designed a survey and hosted it on the Health Canada website to collect quantitative data on user needs, preferences, and pain points. This also helped in recruitment efforts for usability testing exercises that followed.

My contribution:

• • Developed the survey based on project goals and client needs.
  • Ensured participants had the freedom to control how much information they shared.
  • Compiled findings into a clear, actionable report.

Participants recruited from the survey and the Jumping Elephants participant pool, contributed to usability tests. The goal was to understand audience needs, assess existing content strengths and weaknesses, and establish a usability benchmark for proposed improvements.

My contribution:

• • Developed test tasks and a usability guide tailored to project goals
  • Conducted remote usability sessions with sensitivity to the topic
  • Compiled findings into a concise report with actionable recommendations

We reworked the site’s Information Architecture (IA) based on insights from earlier research, collaboratively developing a revised IA with the client team. To validate the structure, we conducted Treejack testing using the ‘Optimal Workshop‘ tool with real participants, measuring how well the IA aligned with user expectations and identifying areas for label improvements.

My Contribution:

• • Conducted an expert analysis of the existing IA.
  • Collaborated with the client to create a revised IA.
  • Developed tasks for Treejack testing.
  • Hosted the test on Optimal Workshop.
  • Compiled findings into a report with actionable recommendations.

A polished version of the IA was rapidly prototyped in Figma, following the GC (Government of Canada) Design Systems, to meet tight project deadlines.

My contribution:

• • Created high-fidelity wireframes based on feedback and learnings from the previous research activities including Treejack testing.
  • Built interactive prototypes in Figma.

We conducted a final round of usability tests comparing the revised design against the live (baseline) version. This validated the impact of the research-informed changes and led to a final iteration of the IA.

My contribution:

• • Conducted remote usability sessions
  • Compiled findings into a concise report with recommendations
  • Delivered the final proposed IA

• • • Implement a robust guided search feature with specific prompts to help users navigate to relevant resources easily.
  • • Incorporate comprehensive filters for refining search results based on user preferences such as location and resource type.

• • • Revised IA to streamline navigation paths and ensure consistent labeling and categorization across the site.
  • • Simplify labels and eliminate overlapping topics to enhance clarity and intuitive navigation.

• • • Reduce use of technical jargon and complex technical terms where possible.
  • • Use plain language throughout the content to improve comprehension and accessibility for all users.

• • • Enhance transparency by clearly indicating the sources of information. Provide validation cues and links to authoritative sources where applicable.
  • • Foster trust through consistent, reliable content updates and user feedback mechanisms.

• • • Adopt a mobile-first approach to ensure seamless usability across all devices.
  • • Optimize content layouts, particularly complex tables and structures, for smaller screens. Incorporate responsive design principles and minimize scrolling for a more intuitive mobile experience.