Led strategic redesign of Walt Disney World's Public Affairs digital presence, transforming how the organization communicates community impact to media, stakeholders, and the public. My role encompassed comprehensive UX research, information architecture redesign, and visual interface design for a complex content ecosystem.
Disney's Public Affairs site struggled with fragmented content across multiple domains, unclear navigation hierarchies, and an outdated interface that obscured rather than highlighted their substantial community contributions. The existing system made it difficult for journalists and stakeholders to find relevant information, while donation requests a critical conversion point, were buried in dense content structures.
Conducted competitive analysis across Fortune 500 companies and Orlando theme parks, revealing successful patterns in public affairs communication. Heatmap analytics of the existing site showed users gravitating toward donation requests and community content but abandoning due to navigation confusion. User testing revealed visitors couldn't distinguish between resort information and public affairs content, with many believing the site was single page due to hidden navigation.
Restructured content hierarchy around three core user journeys: media seeking press materials, community organizations requesting support, and stakeholders tracking impact. Separated static informational pages from dynamic press releases, creating clear content types with distinct navigation paths. Introduced consistent taxonomy across sections, replacing the confusing mix of "Stories," "News," and "Releases" with unified nomenclature.
Restructured content hierarchy around three core user journeys: media seeking press materials, community organizations requesting support, and stakeholders tracking impact. Separated static informational pages from dynamic press releases, creating clear content types with distinct navigation paths. Introduced consistent taxonomy across sections, replacing the confusing mix of "Stories," "News," and "Releases" with unified nomenclature.
Developed a design language inspired by Disney Parks' PEP guidelines while establishing public affairs as its own distinct voice professional yet approachable. Implemented generous whitespace, refined typography hierarchy, and strategic photography placement to let community impact stories breathe. The carousel redesign transformed from cluttered information overload into focused storytelling moments.
Architected fully responsive layouts that adapted intelligently across desktop, tablet, and mobile viewports. The mobile experience prioritized donation requests and featured stories, acknowledging that community partners often browse while in the field. Navigation compressed into intuitive menu structures without sacrificing depth or discoverability.
This project reinforced that even mission driven organizations need strategic UX thinking to communicate their impact effectively. The challenge wasn't Disney's incredible community work, it was making that work visible and accessible. By applying structured research, clear information architecture, and thoughtful design, we transformed a fragmented digital presence into a cohesive platform that serves journalists, partners, and the community with equal clarity.
