Makerspace website redesign for 1,000+ members
Overview
Open Lab is a makerspace at the University of Pittsburgh that supports more than 1,000 members across students, faculty, and staff. I led an end-to-end redesign to simplify how users find and access resources, equipment, and training, resulting in a 37% increase in satisfaction and a 51% faster booking process.
context
Designing for a multipurpose makerspace
Open Lab is a high-traffic makerspace at the University of Pittsburgh that serves as a hub for hands-on learning, collaboration, and fabrication. It supports a diverse community who use it for academic, technical, and creative projects.
Students
Needs to find and book equipment easily to complete academic or personal projects.
Faculty
Wants to integrate maker tools into courses, but unsure of what’s available or how to start.
Staff
Needs to coordinate training and workshops, using the site to share updates and resources.
problem
Members couldn’t find key information or resources
Members frequently asked staff for help finding training materials, hours, and booking links. Confusing navigation buried key actions, causing staff to handle questions the site should have answered.
The original onboarding went through several screens.
How can we turn complexity into clear, self-service pathways for members?
solution
Clarifying the site around user needs
I refined the site hierarchy and visual design so members could quickly find bookings, training, and resources. Each page now supports faster orientation and fewer dead ends.
Faster onboarding for new members
Before: Form with branching paths
After: Clear pathways and CTAs for each member type
Improved wayfinding for hours and location
Before: Hidden behind a mouseover
After: Clear icons and hierarchy
Easier ways to connect with community
Before: Outdated articles
After: Workshop registration and Instagram redirect
impact
37% increase in satisfaction
After the redesign, 11 of 13 frequent members reported being satisfied with the site experience (up from 8 before).
57% faster access to booking
In task testing with 5 users, the average time to reach the booking portal dropped from 23.5 seconds to 10 seconds after the redesign.
Findings are based on interviews and quick task-based tests with members conducted on-site.
Journey
The site is a touchpoint in a larger service
I met with stakeholders to have a better understanding of what to solve for. This placed the website in context: it serves as an entry point in the member journey, helping people discover what the lab offers and how to get started. It connects online exploration with in-person use, acting as a key touchpoint between interest and participation.
1
Learn about space
Hear about Open Lab through classes, word of mouth, or campus events.
2
Explore online
Visit the website to learn what the lab offers and how to get started.
3
Complete training
Access online modules on Canvas to earn tool certifications.
4
Visit in person
Book time, get help from staff, and work on projects in the lab.
user insights
Research findings exposed navigation and hierarchy gaps
I interviewed 13 frequent members and conducted quick task-based walkthroughs with five lab stakeholders. Both groups surfaced similar structural issues, especially around navigation and key action visibility.
information architecture
Streamlined architecture improved clarity and focus
Using insights from member and stakeholder feedback, I restructured the site hierarchy to align content with key user tasks. This reduced redundant links and surfaced primary actions for faster discovery.
low fidelity
Working through multiple iterations
I began with quick low-fidelity wireframes to translate the site’s new structure into screens. Starting mobile-first helped me identify which content mattered most and how users would flow between key actions.
After expanding into the desktop versions, I refined key layouts with input from staff and other stakeholders.
visual design
Translating Pitt's brand into a distinct visual style
The main focus of the visual design was refining the site within existing University brand guidelines. The final look highlights the lab’s open, collaborative identity while maintaining consistency with Pitt’s design requirements.
UPitt branding guidelines
I cross-referenced the University’s guidelines on color, typography, tone, and content to establish a site-specific style guide. I also used the inspect tool on the existing site to ensure pixel accuracy.
Photography
I worked with the lab’s digital media intern to source photos and reviewed social media archives to find visuals that reflected hands-on collaboration. These visuals helped the site feel more connected to real lab activity.
With the brand constraints and imagery defined, I translated the screens into final high-fidelity designs in Figma.
Hand-off
Implemented in WordPress staging site
I implemented the redesigned pages in WordPress to test layout translation and responsiveness. Using a staging site helped refine interactions, fix alignment issues, and confirm that the design performed as intended across devices.
1
Responsive design: Implemented breakpoints for cross-platform consistency
2
Custom code: Wrote CSS and JS to better fine-tune behavior and overcome WordPress limitations
wishes
Next steps if I was still on the project
Feedback survey for updated site: Given the scope of the member base, I felt that my testing sample was insufficient. If I was still working on this I would conduct a large-scale survey to continue monitor and update the design.
Performance and SEO: Lower impact concerns I had were load time and findability from search engines, as multiple digital links have information about Open Lab.