Philadelphia Housing Authority
About this project
This project focused on enhancing the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) website by addressing usability challenges, refining its information architecture, and implementing user-centered recommendations to improve the overall experience for its users.
Role: UX Designer
Company: Philadelphia Housing Authority
Team: 3 UX Designers
Tools Used: Figma, Miro
Timeline: 2 Months
Research Questions
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What are the main pain points users face when navigating the current PHA website?
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How can the information architecture be improved to better support user tasks?
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What accessibility features would best serve PHA’s diverse user base?
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How does the PHA website compare to competitors in usability and functionality?
Goals
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Simplify navigation and information retrieval.
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Improve website accessibility and inclusivity.
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Ensure a user-centered design approach based on real user needs.
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Align website functionality with the PHA’s mission of providing housing resources.​​
Impact
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Improved User Experience: Users can navigate and retrieve information more efficiently.
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Increased Accessibility: The website now caters to a broader audience with diverse needs.
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Streamlined Processes: Simplified pathways for users to complete tasks such as applying for housing or finding
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emergency resources.
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Enhanced Trust: Clearer navigation and consistent branding boost user confidence.
Site Map
Tree Testing
We used a few different test scenarios, the one below depicts this task: "How would you go about navigating to find information on Emergency Housing vouchers" within the Philadelphia housing website.
Card Sorting
We created the main categories - Business Opportunities, Housing Residents , landlords and Residents.
We then named the sub categories or nested menu items and asked the users to group those items to the appropriate group.
Information Architecture Recommendations
Based on user feedback and testing (tree testing and card sorting), the following improvements were made to the site map to ensure better navigation and clarity:
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Streamlined Categories: Simplified grouping of content based on logical user flows.
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Clear Labels: Ensured all categories and subcategories are labeled intuitively.
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User-Centric Structure: Grouped content based on user personas and their specific needs.
Recommendations
Updated Events Page
Emergency Vouchers
A dedicated section for all crisis-related information
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Accessibility Enhancements: Integration of tools to support diverse needs.
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Search Optimization: Implementation of features like autocomplete, query suggestions, and alternative search recognition.
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User Assurance: Enhanced external login pages for trust and clarity.