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Greenhouse Scholars
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Greenhouse Scholars
Redesigning UI for educational non-profit organization
Goal:
Process:
Redesign UI navigation and components to improve the efficiency and user experience of the application process fo incoming scholars.
Throughout the redesign process, I conducted user research, user testing, and analysis, which enabled me to identify key pain points and improvement opportunities.
Education is The Equalizer
Greenhouse Scholars is dedicated to providing educational opportunities and support to those with the potential to make a real difference.
It is the most fundamental and effective problem solving mechanism that exists in society.
When it comes to leveling the playing field, education is the great equalizer.
OUR PROGRAM
By working with the highest-performing young leaders from under-resourced communities, we aim to inspire, motivate, model, and lead broader change. Our program leverages several hundred individuals to benefit thousands, channeling our resources to produce the biggest possible impact.
Whole Person College Program
Young Leaders Program
Sustaining Program
Create and grow
a committed
community
diverse in age,
socioeconomics,
geography,
perspectives, and
backgrounds
Recruit and select
inspiring young
role models from
low-income
communities to be
at the center of
that community
Surround people
with leadership,
personal and
professional
success resources
Grow, inspire,
motivate, connect,
and leverage our
communities’
collective power,
capabilities, ideas
and resources to
create fundamental
and last change
THE FUNDAMENTALS
THE OUTCOMES
Across All Communities
Understanding, empathy, connection, positivity, solutions-orientation, entrepreneurialism, collaboration
A Community United.
Through a diverse community of thousands of mentors, staff, volunteers, peers, donors, and Scholars alumni, we’ve created an ecosystem of support that rallies around our exceptional young leaders, providing them with the personal, professional and financial resources they’ll need to thrive in their educational careers, and far beyond.
Learn More
OVERVIEW
Enhanced Usability for Scholars in Need.
Redesigning the website of an educational non-profit to enhance usability and accessibility for students overcoming challenges like homelessness and poverty. The goal was to create a more intuitive experience, helping prospective scholars easily find resources and apply for support.
PROBLEM
When prospective scholars visit the Greenhouse Scholars website, they struggle to understand what the program offers, how it benefits them, and how to apply.
The lack of clear information, low-contrast typography, and confusing navigation contribute to a frustrating user experience. Additionally, the application process is difficult to find and the transition to a third-party application site erodes user trust and confuses incoming recipients.
SOLUTION
Enhance clarity, accessibility, and trust..
We propose a redesign focused on improving the application flow for scholars, enhancing reliability, and restructuring the homepage to prioritize scholars-related information.
Key changes include:
Improving application visibility: Relocating the "Apply Now" button to a prominent location and increasing contrast for better visibility.
Enhancing content clarity: Simplifying key messaging about the program, its benefits, and expectations for scholars.
Streamlining navigation: Improving menu structure, contrast, and readability to help users find essential information effortlessly.
Building trust: Making the transition to the third-party application site more transparent, adding a robust pop-up window to reduce friction in the process.
IMPACT
Increased Button Visibility and Reduced Application Time By 70%
Apply Now & Contact Us Button
Apply now and contact are located at the bottom of the page, following the users as they scroll through the page. They need to be placed somewhere more convenient for all potential scholars.
Time:
1:10 seconds +
The buttons are the same color as the bottom of the page footer; this made it difficult for the users to see and was easily overlooked.
Redesign Apply & Donate Button
Redesigned the navigation bar, apply & donate button were placed on the top right of the page to follow a seamless z-flow. Then guides users to the hero of the scholars page to read more and apply with the newly added apply CTA button.
Time:
20 seconds
Added CTA buttons, replaced of Apply & Donate button, newly designed navigation bar, and button color change, making it faster for scholars to apply than before.
RESEARCH
Identifying Key Issues.
We began by conducting user interviews and reaching out to stakeholders and high school seniors to identify unique challenges. The data revealed issues with usability, difficulty locating the Apply button, and a lack of clear information about Greenhouse Scholars.
SOLUTION
Finding Patterns and Insights.
We began by conducting user interviews and reaching out to stakeholders and high school seniors to identify unique challenges. The data revealed issues with usability, difficulty locating the Apply button, and a lack of clear information about Greenhouse Scholars.
DESIGN AND ITERATION
Visualizing the Experience
We gathered all the insights and brainstormed multiple solutions to begin sketching early ideas that will accomplish the goals and needs of the user.
Next, we created a user journey map, this helped us empathize with the target user and inspired us to focus on the tasks a prospective scholar needs to accomplish.
After, we began a Mood board session for design inspiration.
Desktop Lo-fidelity
Faster Task Completion Through Intuitive Layout.
Our low-fidelity prototype helped users immediately understand the site and take action. Students found the “Apply” button faster, and understood the nonprofit’s mission with minimal effort.
Key Wins:
Clear homepage hierarchy improved comprehension
Drop-down menus revealed hidden pages
“Apply” button was easily recognized across pages
Opportunities:
Move mission statement to a central, visible hero section
Smooth out navigation transitions
Increase font sizes for readability
Add core nav links in the footer
Lo-Fidelity Wireframes
Clearer Pathways, Faster Action.
Creating low-fidelity wireframes allowed us to test layout clarity and content hierarchy early on. During usability testing, we gained valuable insights into how users perceived and navigated the redesigned experience.
Key Learnings from testing:
Users quickly understood the nonprofit’s mission due to improved sectioning and layout.
The new navigation revealed hidden content and made browsing intuitive.
Users immediately recognized the “Apply” button across different pages.
Opportunities for Refinement:
Increase font sizes to boost legibility.
Make the nonprofit’s mission more visible in the hero section.
Improve navigation transitions for smoother user flow.
Expand the footer to support quick access to core pages.
Styleguide
Visual Consistency That Builds Trust.
Creating a style guide ensured consistency across pages and touchpoints while reinforcing the nonprofit’s mission and personality. Each visual decision was rooted in accessibility, emotional resonance, and user-centered clarity.
Voice and Personality
Voice should be a blend of being apsirational and attainable.
Gray 5
#E0E0E0
Gray 4
#BDBDBD
Gray 3
#828282
Gray 2
#4F4F4F
Gray 1
#333333
Grey Colors
White
#FFFFFF
Black 3
#282828
Black 2
#1D1D1D
Black 1
#000000
Black Colors
Error
#EB5757
Warning
#E2B93B
Success
#27AE60
Info
#2F80ED
State Colors
Primary
/
#78a22f
Brand Colors
Primary
/
#dfaa25
Secondary
/
#1374a1
Secondary
/
#6f508b
Secondary
/
#687769
Primary
/
#a13356
Colors
Inspired by nature and growth, shades of green and earth tones signaled renewal, support, and equity. Tested for WCAG accessibility compliance.
Heading 1
Heading 2
Heading 3
Heading 4
Heading 5
Heading 6
Name
20 px
24 px
32 px
40 px
48 px
56 px
Font size
22 px
26.4 px
35.2 px
44 px
52.8 px
61.6 px
Line Height
Line height and paragraph spacing for heading is 1.1 x font size
A
a
Heading
BARLOW
Line height and paragraph spacing for body text is : 1.4 x font size
A
a
Body
19.6 px
22.4 px
25.2 px
28 px
Line Height
14 px
16 px
18 px
20 px
Font size
Small Text Bold
Small Text Regular
Normal Text Bold
Normal Text Regular
Medium Text Bold
Medium Text Regular
Large Text Bold
Large Text Regular
Name
Bitter
Typography
Selected clean, legible typefaces that aligned with the brand's tone of professionalism and approachability. Clear hierarchy was established for headings, body text, and buttons.
Disable
Active
Hover
Default
Button Sample
Button Sample
Button Sample
Button Sample
Icon Text
Button Sample
Button Sample
Button Sample
Button Sample
Outline
Button Sample
Button Sample
Button Sample
Button Sample
Normal
Variants
Button Sample
Disable
Button Sample
Active
Button Sample
Hover
Button Sample
Default
Full-width
Button Sample
Large
Button Sample
Medium
Button Sample
Normal
Button Sample
Small
Size
Button Sample
Secondary
Button Sample
Primary
Color
Full-width Button :
Left Right -> determined by the device width
Top Bottom -> 1 x font size
Button Rules:
Padding Left Right -> 5 x font size
Padding Top Bottom -> 1 x font size
06. Buttons
Buttons & UI
Rounded edges, hover states, and accessible contrast levels created a friendly, intuitive interface.
Prototype
High-Fidelity Design that Drove Clarity and Action.
After testing and iterating on low-fidelity wireframes, I developed polished high-fidelity prototypes across desktop and mobile to bring the user experience to life. These designs reflect improved accessibility and strengthened visual storytelling for prospective scholars and donors alike
Hi-Fidelity Website Mockup
Designed with structured information hierarchy, bold CTAs, and streamlined navigation to guide users efficiently through the site — from learning about the program to applying or donating.
Education is The Equalizer
Greenhouse Scholars is dedicated to providing educational opportunities and support to those with the potential to make a real difference.
It is the most fundamental and effective problem solving mechanism that exists in society.
When it comes to leveling the playing field, education is the great equalizer.
OUR PROGRAM
By working with the highest-performing young leaders from under-resourced communities, we aim to inspire, motivate, model, and lead broader change. Our program leverages several hundred individuals to benefit thousands, channeling our resources to produce the biggest possible impact.
Read More
Hi-Fidelity
Mobile Mockup
Prioritized responsive design
Simplified layouts
Touch-friendly UI elements to ensure seamless interaction on smaller screens.
Final Impact
Design that Drives Action.
Through usability testing, we uncovered a critical insight: beautiful visuals aren’t enough if they hinder clarity. The original Greenhouse Scholars site had a strong visual identity but lacked intuitive navigation and user flow. Our redesign prioritized accessibility and usability without losing the nonprofit’s distinctive style, guided by our user persona Kayla’s journey.
Team Collaboration, Stronger Outcomes.
Working within an existing design system posed a challenge, but our team blended visual design and UX thinking to create a seamless, human-centered experience. We delivered high-fidelity desktop and mobile prototypes grounded in usability testing, stakeholder input, and brand integrity.
Outcomes & Next Steps
Stakeholder Buy-ins: The redesign impressed stakeholders and secured approval for a full website overhaul.
Adoption: The designs will serve as the foundation for the organization's next-generation platform.
Alightment with Mission: Improved clarity now helps prospective scholars understand the nonprofit's purpose and take action with ease.
Key Learnings
Good design is usable design: Style without structure leads to confusion
Testing validates direction: Iterating with real users revealed blockers that weren’t obvious initially
Storytelling through design builds trust: Persona-driven decisions made the experience more empathetic and engaging