American Anthropological Association
Davey Awards - Gold: Features-Website Redesign - 2023
Lead UI Designer for Academic Research Platforms
2022
Project Overview
The American Anthropological Association (AAA) is the world's largest organization of anthropologists, advancing human understanding through research, education, and practice. AAA needed a complete redesign of their digital resource hub to improve usability, modernize their visual identity, and better support researchers, educators, and students accessing anthropological content.
The primary goal was to create a clean, accessible, and well-organized platform that could serve as a central source for scholarly materials and community engagement.
My Role
As the Lead UI Designer, I work on building on the proposed color palette, I selected the main typography, curated the imagery, and designed the decorative UI elements inspired by symbols found in Mayan pyramids to create a more human and approachable visual identity. I developed the UI with a modular approach, allowing content slides and sections to be interchangeable for greater flexibility. Although no separate mobile-specific designs were created, I collaborated with the development team during the QA process to ensure responsive performance across devices.
The Challenge
The existing digital resource hub was outdated, with inconsistent navigation patterns and a complex content structure that made it difficult for users to find relevant resources. The challenge was to streamline the user experience while respecting the academic rigor of the content, ensuring that researchers, students, and educators could easily access a broad range of materials. Additionally, the platform needed a visual refresh that balanced a modern look with the Association’s long-standing academic reputation.
Design Process
Research and Content Structuring
The Fionta team conducted research and developed initial wireframes. Building on this foundation, we reorganized the visual hierarchy to create a cleaner, more intuitive user experience while maintaining access to the depth and breadth of available resources.
UI Design and Systematization
I designed updated UI layouts in Figma, focusing on clarity, accessibility, and a human-centered aesthetic. Grava and Albert Sans were chosen to provide warmth and readability, while the visual design incorporated symbolic elements inspired by Mayan architecture to subtly reference human history and anthropology. A modular design system was implemented to ensure flexibility and scalability across the site.
Collaboration and Delivery
I worked closely with the development team during QA reviews, ensuring that the site adapted smoothly to different screen sizes and that the modular design intent was preserved through final implementation.
Outcomes
The redesigned resource hub achieved a significantly improved user experience, offering faster content discovery, intuitive navigation, and a fresh, professional visual identity. Positive feedback from AAA’s internal teams and external users highlighted the platform’s improved usability, clarity, and visual cohesiveness. In recognition of the site's excellence, the project was awarded a 2024 Gold Davey Award in the Website - Associations category.
Key Takeaways
This project reinforced the value of modular design in academic environments and strengthened my skills in rescuing and reshaping a project under challenging circumstances. It also deepened my experience in creating human-centered UI designs that respect institutional legacies while pushing for visual and functional modernization.