Redesigning an Academic Resource Library with Human-Centered UI Design
Davey Awards - Gold: Features-Website Redesign - 2023
Lead UI Designer
2022
The Story
The American Anthropological Association is the world's largest organization of anthropologists, dedicated to advancing human understanding through research, education, and practice. Their digital resource hub served thousands of researchers, educators, and students, but the platform wasn't living up to its potential. The AAA needed a complete redesign to create a clean, accessible, and well-organized platform that could truly serve as the central source for anthropological scholarship and community engagement.
My Journey
As Lead UI Designer, I focused on creating a visual identity that would make academic content feel approachable without losing its scholarly credibility. I built upon the proposed color palette, selected typography that balanced readability with academic authority, and curated imagery that reflected the diversity of anthropological research. Drawing inspiration from symbols found in Mayan pyramids, I designed decorative UI elements that brought a more human and cultural richness to the interface. My approach was modular from the start, creating flexible content slides and sections that could adapt to the AAA's evolving needs.
Challenge and Solution
How do you simplify complexity without losing depth? The existing site was cluttered with complicated navigation and content structure that buried valuable resources under layers of confusion. Our challenge was creating a clean, modern experience that respected the academic rigor and AAA's institutional legacy while making anthropological knowledge accessible to a broader community.
I designed UI layouts with accessibility and clarity as core principles. Using warm, readable fonts like Grava and Albert Sans, we built a modular design system that could grow and evolve with the organization.
What We Build
The redesigned AAA platform transformed how researchers and educators access anthropological resources. Users found content faster, navigated more intuitively, and engaged more deeply with the scholarly community. The positive feedback from both users and the AAA team validated our human-centered approach.
The project's success was recognized with a 2023 Gold Davey Award for Association websites, acknowledging excellence in digital design for academic organizations.
Key Takeaways
This project deepened my understanding of how modular design systems can serve complex academic institutions. Balancing respect for institutional history with modern usability isn't about compromise; it's about finding design solutions that honor both legacy and innovation. The experience reinforced that academic platforms don't just organize information; they make knowledge feel alive and accessible.