Work
Case Studies
Explore the stories behind my work, from research and strategy to design decision, collaboration and measurable results that create impact.
Case Study 1
Faculty of Health Sciences Website
Serving thousands of visitors each month, the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) website connects diverse audiences with programs, research, news and resources. This project centred on creating a more accessible, user-friendly for one of McMaster University’s largest and most diverse online communities.
Client
Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University
Project Type
Website and content strategy, accessibility and digital experience
My Role
Led creative direction and guided interns on design execution
Duration
3 months (2023) + ongoing maintenance
The Challenge
When I joined McMaster in May 2023, the Communications team was still taking shape, with many team members—including my manager—starting only weeks apart.
Over the next few months, we migrated the Faculty’ website from Sitefinity to McMaster’s WordPress platform (MacSites) before a September launch.
Beyond moving to a more editor-friendly CMS, the challenge was to create a more accessible, intuitive and sustainable website with a stronger student presence while supporting the faculty’s diverse audiences and McMaster’s evolving brand standards.
The Solution
Before making recommendations, I reviewed the existing experience through accessibility audits, content reviews, analytics and conversations with stakeholders. These insights helped identify opportunities to simplify navigation, improve content organization and prioritize accessibility across the website.
Working closely with our Communication Team, content writers, developers, student interns and stakeholders, I had to ensure our efforts focused on:
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Enhancing navigation and content hierarchy
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Improving accessibility (AODA – Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) compliance
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Supporting content strategy and governance
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Creating a more consistent user experience with student focus
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Continuously monitoring and refining the website over time
The Results
This project reinforced that great digital experiences are never truly finished. Continuous collaboration, accessibility and iterative improvements have been just as important as the initial design work.
CASE Gold Award
Recognized for digital excellence with a CASE Gold Award.
97% Fewer Errors
Accessibility alerts and errors dropped from 5,875 to 273 over time.
Audience Growth
Gained 50,000+ page views and 32,000+ unique visitors.
Case Study 2
FHS Web Editor Support Hub
One of my major projects was revitalizing an outdated SharePoint Learning Hub. The portal supports Faculty web editors of all experience levels with training, resources, webinars, and guidance to maintain websites, follow best practices, and improve accessibility.
Client
Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University
Project Type
Internal resource hub, content strategy, UX writing, usability
My Role
Modernized user journey while designed training and support resources
Duration
2 months (2023) + continuous updates + editor support & training
The Challenge
Joining McMaster meant more than designing websites. I quickly became a resource for web editors responsible for maintaining Faculty websites, many of whom managed web content as only one part of their role.
Their experience ranged from complete beginners to advanced users, yet many still relied on direct support from me and our technical support team instead of the existing Web Editor Support Hub. The challenge was to transform the hub into a trusted learning destination that empowered editors through accessible training, practical resources and self-directed learning while promoting web best practices and AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005) compliance.
The Solution
Rather than assuming what editors needed, I spoke with them and analyzed recurring support requests to uncover common pain points. By identifying patterns in the questions they asked, I reorganized the hub into a user-centred learning experience built around real needs. The result was a scalable support system that combines guided learning, practical resources and ongoing education.
The solution focused on:
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Researching support requests to identify common user needs
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Creating learning paths based on recurring questions and tasks
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Designing a clear information architecture and intuitive navigation
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Developing practical articles, resources and self-service tools
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Extending learning through newsletters, webinars and ongoing support
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Promoting accessibility, inclusivity, web best practices and AODA compliance
The Results
Since updating the hub, we have seen a decline in repeated questions and are better able to redirect editors to practical resources. The hub is now part of the onboarding process for new web editors and serves as the central home for articles shared through our quarterly Web Editor Newsletter.
200+ Editors Supported
Empowering FHS web editors with training, resources and ongoing support.
9.45/10 Accessibility Score
The Faculty achieved a high accessibility rating by promoting accessible web practices and training editors.
Quarterly Learning Program
Launched newsletters and webinars to provide continuous support.
Case Study 3
FHS May @ Mac Self-Guided Tour
May @ Mac is McMaster University’s annual open house for prospective and accepted students. The Faculty of Health Sciences wanted to strengthen its presence during the event by providing a more informative and engaging way for visitors to explore undergraduate programs, campus spaces and student life.
Client
Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University
Project Type
Wayfinding, event experience and visual communication
My Role
Designed students experience, visual design and content strategy
Duration
4 months (2026) +
active enhancements
The Challenge
May @ Mac is one of McMaster University’s largest recruitment events, but its impact was limited to a single day and depended heavily on staff and student volunteers.
The challenge was to create a sustainable experience that could showcase Faculty of Health Sciences programs to prospective, accepted and current students, while giving programs greater visibility beyond the event.
The experience needed to engage today’s digital-first audience while remaining accessible, easy to update, shareable and sustainable within limited staff, volunteer and budget resources.
The Solution
The project began by identifying the key locations, stories and information visitors would expect during an in-person visit, then translating that experience into a digital format.
To extend the impact of May @ Mac beyond a single day, I designed a hybrid experience that supports both on-campus visitors and those exploring remotely. A landing page on the Faculty of Health Sciences website allowed visitors to choose a self-guided tour based on their interests or their location on campus.
The solution consisted of a landing page on the Faculty of Health Sciences website that introduced the experience and allowed visitors to choose a self-guided tour based on their interests or where they were physically located on campus.
Each tour then guided users through the Health Sciences Centre (HSC) or the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery (MDCL) using ArcGIS StoryMaps, combining immersive visuals, interactive maps and storytelling to create an engaging, accessible experience while providing departments with a lasting platform to showcase their programs.
To connect the physical and digital experience, I also designed wayfinding materials—including signage, flags and banners with QR codes—that allowed visitors to join or continue the tour from any stop along the route.
The solution focused on:
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Designing an intuitive self-guided experience using interactive storytelling
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Showcasing academic programs, facilities and student spaces through multimedia
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Creating a reusable resource that can be updated for future recruitment cycles
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Increasing program visibility while reducing reliance on in-person events
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Ensuring the experience was accessible, mobile-friendly and easy to share
The Results
The virtual tours successfully extended the reach of May @ Mac beyond a single-day event, giving prospective, accepted and current students a flexible way to explore Faculty of Health Sciences programs and spaces at their own pace. Observing visitors during the event also provided valuable insights into how the experience was used in practice, revealing opportunities to improve QR code placement, signage visibility and the overall visitor journey for future iterations.
Explore the Self-Guided Tour →
574 Landing Page Views
Visitors continued exploring the experience beyond May @ Mac, demonstrating lasting engagement after the event.
692 Virtual Tour Views
Demonstrated strong engagement with the tours while increasing awareness of Faculty programs and spaces.
Greater Program Exposure
Helped increase awareness of Faculty of Health Sciences programs and spaces through self-guided exploration.
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