PROJECT:
LANDING PAGE REDESIGN
ROLE:
PRODUCT DESIGNER
DATE:
FEB. 2025 - APR. 2025
LOCATION:
ANN ARBOR, MI
Arts Section Redesign
overview.
Over three months, I worked on redesigning The Michigan Daily’s Arts section and subcategories to simplify navigation and establish a stronger visual identity. My goals were to introduce clear indicators for story types, highlight the seven Arts categories to strengthen section identity, modernize the layout, and improve readability through consistent typography, spacing, and imagery.
phases 1-2.
Phase 1: Research & Analysis — Studied leading arts and media sites (Vulture, The Cut, Wired, Vogue) to identify effective navigation and layout patterns. Mapped user flows and uncovered two key pain points: users couldn't navigate directly to subsections from the landing page and individual story pages lacked a clear path back to subsection pages.
Phase 2: Concept Development — Sketched ideas for a modular system to keep layouts compact, skimmable, and easy to navigate.
phases 3-4.
Phase 3: Information Architecture & Wireframing — Built layouts for landing and subsection pages to define content hierarchy and streamline navigation. Created lo-fi wireframes to test different module structures (image-based vs. text-based) and refined them through critiques with PM.
Phase 4: Prototyping & Final Design — Developed high-fi prototypes that incorporated feedback, finalized the design system, and prepared the deliverables for handoff to engineers.
results and prototype.
The solution was a modular Arts landing page that allowed users to browse recent stories and jump directly into subsections. All stories were tagged to clearly distinguish Reviews from Notebooks, and story pages included a direct subsection button to streamline navigation. The redesign also introduced a refreshed visual identity with a new Figma color palette library that felt modern while remaining consistent with The Daily’s brand guidelines.
takeaways.
I learned how to collaborate with another designer to align on visual systems and direction. Working with a PM taught me to set priorities, manage handoffs, and balance editorial needs with technical limits. I strengthened my Figma and communication skills, improving how I work in cross-functional teams.
