PS 889
Voice design and information architecture for a NYC public elementary school website.
Timeline
3 months
My Role
Tasks
UX writing, voice chart, information architecture
A voice chart that can create consistency.
Information Architecture based on user research
See the final site: www.ps889.org
Homework
(Research Phase)
Interviews & Affinity Mapping
Interviewed the principal, teachers, current parents and prospective parents
The School’s values were:
To provide a rigorous and joyful educational experience
To keep families informed and engaged with their child’s education
To maintain a diverse and inclusive school
Language Arts
(UX Writing)
Voice Chart
Inclusive language: Fundraising is important to any school, but pressure around donations can go against the principle of creating an inclusive community. On the navigation bar, we moved away from “Donate” and “Get involved” and instead phrased it as “Ways to help”
Show, don’t tell: Diversity was hugely important to the stakeholders I interviewed, but adapting the writing advice of “show, don’t tell” proved helpful here. Statements about diversity can be less impactful than images of the diverse community itself.
Card Sort
Key Takeaways
Moved Curriculum into About 889 section
Moved Early Drop-off into Family Guide
Separated out Ways to Help as its own category
Site Map
Original
Revised (after card sort)
During user research, many parents expressed pride in the school being part of the neighborhood community. We considered using words to describe it as a “school in the heart of the Ditmas Park community” however concerns about inclusivity outweighed that approach. While the school does draw many of its students from that neighborhood, there are kids from all over the wider district as well who should see themselves reflected in the language the site uses. For the hero text, we went with another one of the school’s values: "What we learn with joy, we never forget."