YEAR
2022
MY CONTRIBUTION
content strategy
UX testing
UX writing
wireframing
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Maryland Health Connection
Maryland Health Connection is an insurance marketplace that provides affordable health coverage to Marylanders.
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MHC's consumer website had a surplus of outdated content that was difficult for users to digest. I collaborated with a small team of engineers and UX designers to improve our content and create a more seamless user experience.
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Project Roadmap
To set the stage, I'm sharing our project timeline, carefully crafted with marketing, UX, and development teams for leadership approval. (My team also adopted me as the resident graphic designer so I got to show off my design skills by creating this graphic).
The Process: Phase 1
As a web content specialist, I played a pivotal role in shaping the project's strategic direction. The project roadmap unfolded into six steps. Let's dive in!
Key Issues
STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM
Maryland Health Connection's website required a redesign to enhance user experience. Here's why:
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Information overload: Excessive and irrelevant content on the homepage hindered navigation and delayed users' access to necessary information
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Complex site navigation: Difficult-to-navigate menu and surplus pages/links compromised usability
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Inefficient content organization: Underutilized pages and links obscured relevant information
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Mobile Limitations: Lack of mobile responsiveness caused frustration and abandoned sessions among mobile users
Data-Driven Discoveries
STEP 2: CONDUCT RESEARCH & COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Our marketing team collaborated with gotomedia, a UX research agency, to develop and conduct research testing for the desktop and mobile website to better understand usability and behavior during the enrollment process.
By closely examining user sessions, I uncovered key areas for improvement, allowing me to make informed content refinements and user-centric navigation improvements.
Strategic Vision
STEP 3: REVIEW RESULTS & SET GOALS
Our team combined UX testing insights with stakeholder feedback to create website goals that promoted engagement, usability, and accessibility. ​We identified four key focus areas:
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Optimize website performance across mobile, tablet, and desktop.
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Implement clear information architecture for intuitive browsing.
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Create an engaging homepage that's concise, informative, and impactful.
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Conduct thorough content audit: editing, refining, and creating new content for clarity and impact.
The Process: Phase 2
Following goal-setting, we dove into Phase 2: a rigorous 6-month design sprint. I played a key role in shaping MHC's online presence through:
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Creating site maps for optimal content organization
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Leading content audits for clarity and relevance
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Providing input on UX design to ensure a unified integration of content and visuals
Transforming MHC's Online Narrative
STEP 4: REVIEW CONTENT
Prior to UX design and development, I had to conduct an extensive audit of MHC's current content, including CTAs, FAQs, interface copy, charts and diagrams. This audit led to the creation of new content. The new content then went through a rigorous review process.
Mapping the Journey
STEP 4: DEVELOP DESIGNS
Based on the UX testing results, I restructured our sitemap. The site map went through several iterations to include feedback from our web developers, internal stakeholders, communications director and UX designers.
The Final Design
STEP 5: SELECT THE BEST SOLUTION
After finalizing the sitemap, wireframes, and content with our teams, I collaborated with the dev team to bring the homepage and interior design pages to life. You might wonder, what's left for a content designer at this stage? Well, I scrutinized every page, ensuring accessibility standards were met. I also leveraged my HTML skills to refine headers, text, and charts.
Test, Iterate, Repeat
STEP 6: TESTING & LAUNCH
After launching the website, I continued to refine content based on UX testing and Google Analytics insights. Here's how data-driven findings shaped the final design:
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Monitoring click-through rates to refine CTAs and improve button placement
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Identifying high-bounce-rate pages to revise content and simplify navigation
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Examining exit pages to rethink calls-to-action and improve user flow
The Results
The redesigned website achieved remarkable success, exceeding key performance indicators:
Key Metrics:
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Visitor Increase: 79% growth (147,380 to 264,260)
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Enrollment Boost: 60% increase (89,258 to 142,492)
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Conversion Rate: Improved by 41%
Success Highlights:
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Exceeded enrollment goals before open enrollment season
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Significant visitor growth showcased improved visibility and engagement
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Enhanced user experience and optimized design, drove conversion rate increase
