The University of Michigan is one of the premier public institutions in the world. University Human Resources (UHR) serves more than 100,000 people. TUG partnered with design firm Q Ltd to redesign and develop the website to improve findability and user experience for the University’s employees, job seekers, and retirees.

The Problem: A Fragmented Website That Did Not Communicate Value

When we started, the UHR digital footprint spanned nearly 30 different sites. The primary website did not fully communicate the resources available to employees and retirees nor the value of working at U-M. They needed to put “more H in HR.” 

• HR information was fragmented into individual websites organized by internal departments rather than user needs.

• Users had difficulty navigating and finding information.

• The websites were not optimized for phone and tablet use.

• The visual design was dated and did not fully reflect current U-M brand standards.

• A variety of content management platforms were used.

• Content was not “web-friendly” and was difficult for staff to manage and update.

The Solution: Integrate Content from Dozens of Sites into One Easy-to-Use Portal

TUG worked with the design agency Q Ltd to architect a new site that integrated the content from dozens of sites into a new easy-to-use portal serving all the needs of employees and their families.

The top navigation was re-architected to serve user needs. The primary navigation now divides into three paths, reducing users‘ cognitive load.

The new structural framework consolidates all previous HR websites within a simple, overarching taxonomy.

How We Succeeded: Stakeholder Interviews and Goal Setting

Q + TUG conducted one-on-one interviews with staff, faculty, retirees, and other stakeholders. Through this process, we clarified the goals of the HR Communications project team and learned how users searched for content.

• All HR content is now consolidated under three main sections: Working at U-M, Benefits and Wellness, and About UHR.

• The visual design maintains continuity among sections, resulting in a more holistic, unified face of UHR.

• The new site structure avoids overwhelming the user by revealing content gradually as the user progresses deeper into the site.

• The responsive design works on all devices and includes: persistent primary navigation; bold section landing pages with easily scannable “topics”; large type size to improve readability; engaging, human-centered imagery.

• The site was developed with Drupal 7 and includes custom code for sophisticated menu and image delivery systems.

• The content entry process is now simplified for UHR staff.

• The site fully conforms to W3C accessibility guidelines.

Epilogue

The new site was well received and the updated taxonomy has proven resilient enough to continue to accommodate the constantly changing information needs of this diverse community.