Designing Navigation That Works Like a Conversation.

IA and user flows do more than organize — they guide. By mapping journeys and simplifying structure, we turn complex spaces into intuitive paths that help users find, connect, and move forward.

Case 1. UNSW DVCRE Research website revamp project – Reshaping site architecture around real user needs

We simplified complex pathways to help researchers, partners, and stakeholders easily find what matters — while aligning the experience with real-world behaviors.

Background

A leading university set out to revamp its UNSW research website to better showcase its impact and attract key collaborators — from industry partners to government bodies.
But the existing site stood in the way: fragmented, internally focused, and difficult for outsiders to navigate.

How We Got There

Step 1: Stakeholder & User Discovery

We conducted internal stakeholder interviews and external interviews with NGOs, government agencies, funders, and industry partners to understand diverse user needs. To validate these insights, we launched a user survey.
In parallel, we audited the existing site structure and benchmarked academic institutions to identify best practices and gaps in navigation and content hierarchy.

Step 2: Persona & Journey Mapping

We defined four core user personas — potential partners, government agencies, donors, and researchers — and mapped their discovery journeys to align their goals with the university’s content.
Through this, we identified key pain points and moments of friction in the existing user experience.

Step 3: IA Strategy & Navigation Design

We developed a new IA centered on user goals such as "Find a Researcher" and "Partner with Us." The main navigation was restructured around real-world entry points with simplified content groupings and improved visibility, ensuring users could easily access what they needed.

Step 4: Key Moments & Wireframing

We defined key usage scenarios such as "searching for a collaborator" and "exploring funding opportunities," then created low-fidelity wireframes to represent user flows and content structures.
These were validated through moderated focus groups to ensure alignment with user needs and expectations.

Built a streamlined navigation system to help users easily discover research content — and used visual IA and journey maps as alignment tools across teams.

The Role of IA & User Flow in UX Strategy

Strong IA and user journeys close the gap between complexity and clarity — turning messy information into intuitive, human-centered experiences.

Effortless discovery

→ Users find what they need, fast.

Seamless flow across touchpoints

→ Interactions feel natural and connected.

Team-wide alignment

→ Visual IA guides developers, designers, and business teams toward the same goal.

Key Learnings and Impact

✔ Clarity from complexity — Clear IA turns cluttered platforms into intuitive paths.
✔ Consistency at scale — Optimized IA unifies experiences across regions and audiences.
✔ Collaboration made easy — Visual flows align design, development, and business teams.

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