As Director of Web Services at The University of Texas at Dallas, I led the redesign of the Eugene McDermott Library website. This project was a collaborative effort between our web services team and library leadership, focused on improving usability, enhancing search functionality, and aligning the site with modern design and accessibility standards. The new site features a streamlined structure, integrated search, custom iconography, and striking imagery from the library’s special collections.

Project Goals

• Redesign the site using a modern, responsive theme
• Create a more intuitive and user-centered information architecture
• Develop a unified search experience across catalog and site content
• Improve accessibility and compliance with WCAG standards
• Showcase library resources, especially digital archives and special collections
• Support wayfinding through the use of custom iconography

Strategy and Process

To deliver a website that truly met user needs, we followed a user-centered design process grounded in research, collaboration, and iterative testing. Each phase—from discovery to implementation—focused on improving usability, clarity, and overall site performance.

User Research

We began with a robust user research phase that included usability testing and a card sorting exercise with users. These methods helped us understand how visitors naturally group and navigate library content, informing both the site structure and the search interface design.

Information Architecture

Using insights from research, we restructured the site’s navigation to reflect how users think about library services and resources. This improved the overall user experience, especially for those unfamiliar with library terminology or internal departmental organization.

Design & Visual Language

The site was built using our in-house Titan theme, designed for consistency, accessibility, and performance across all university websites. We also developed a custom icon library to guide users through the site’s most common tasks and destinations. To enrich the visual experience, we integrated high-resolution imagery from the library’s special collections throughout key pages.

Search Integration

A major improvement was the implementation of a unified search interface. Users can now search both the library’s catalog and website content from a single search bar. This significantly reduces confusion and enhances task efficiency for both casual visitors and frequent users.

Outcome

The redesigned McDermott Library website has been met with enthusiastic feedback from users and stakeholders alike. By aligning the site with modern accessibility and design standards, we delivered a cleaner, faster, and more intuitive user experience. The unified search interface has improved information retrieval, while the reorganized site structure allows users to navigate services and resources more easily. Visually, the site now reflects the library’s academic and historical depth, thanks to the inclusion of rich imagery from special collections. Overall, the project successfully elevated both the functionality and the identity of one of the university’s most important academic resources.