About
This project focused entirely on the discovery phase for the Chicago Park District’s website redesign. The team was approached with a request for an updated site, but no clear requirements had yet been defined. My role was to dig into the existing site and uncover what was holding it back. To do this, I combined a usability and visual comparative analysis with five similar organizations, synthesized over 300 employee survey responses, and reviewed site analytics to understand common behaviors and pain points. By pulling these insights together, I helped define the problems that mattered most and laid the foundation for the design and development work that followed.
Duration: May. 2024 - Aug 2024
Collaborators: Eric Leech,
Mel Tangonan
Project Type: UX Design
Softwares: Notion, Excel, Google Analytics
Role: UX Researcher
Client: Chicago Park District
Discovering the Problem Statement
The main objective of our discovery work was to define a clear problem statement. A well-defined problem is essential to the success of any project, as it creates alignment, uncovers user needs, and provides a focused direction for the design and development phases that follow.
Process
The challenge of this effort was to consolidate this abundance of information into concise and actionable insights. To achieve this, we adopted a two-fold approach:
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Theme Identification: We identified the most recurring themes, desires, and pain mentioned across the different data sources. Items repeatedly highlighted and recommendations based on the frequency with which these items were
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Prioritization by Frequency: From the identified themes, we prioritized
recommendations based on the frequency with which these items were
mentioned across the different data sources. Items repeatedly highlighted and
mentioned were given higher priority and should be more highly considered.
Competitive Analysis
Feature Analysis
1. Home Page
Across the sites, home pages varied in navigation and structure. CPD had one of the largest navigation bars, which risked clutter. Its use of a slideshow aligned with some peers, but the overall hierarchy felt less streamlined compared to sites that highlighted fewer, clearer sections.
2. Parks (Landing Pages)
Most park systems offered search, filters, and maps. CPD did provide these features, which was a strength, but its filters were minimal compared to others. Visuals and photos were also weaker, reducing engagement.
3. Search Features (Parks)
While several sites supported advanced filtering with dozens of options, CPD’s search tools were limited. It lacked multi-select filtering, which made narrowing results harder for users.
4. Parks: Content Pages
Other sites included detailed sections like alerts, amenities, and fees. CPD offered a decent amount of content but was harder to scan and less structured, making it more difficult for users to quickly find what they needed.
5. Facilities Pages
Facilities were better defined on competitor sites. CPD’s presentation was less organized and offered fewer resources, which limited usability.
6. Programs & Memberships
CPD provided a high number of program categories but did not spotlight or filter them, unlike some peers. This made navigation harder for users looking for specific activities.
7. Events
CPD’s event section was one of its stronger points. It included search, filters, and even a map, which most other sites did not. However, it offered fewer categories overall.
8. Permits & Rentals
Competitor sites often featured robust search tools, inquiry forms, and resources. CPD only listed broad categories, which limited users’ ability to explore and book effectively.
Visual Analysis
For the visual analysis, I compiled the user interfaces of the Chicago Park District website alongside five competitors and reviewed them side by side. This approach made it easier to see how CPD’s design compared to others and where it fell short.
Logos
Home
Navigation
Activities
Permits/ Rentals
Park Maps
Analysis Takeaways
Outdated and Clunky Design
There is frequent mention that the site’s overall design is perceived as outdated and is not appealing. Stakeholders noted the excessive spacing between sections, which detracts from the overall visual clarity.
Content Presentation
Information is layered and stacked too deeply, making navigation unintuitive. Readability is compromised by unclear fonts and poorly spaced layouts. Lack of clear publish/unpublish dates for media items, resulting in outdated content being displayed.
Highlighting Key Information
Important and timely information is not highlighted effectively as it can be.
User Surveys
Employee Responses
To better understand the challenges staff were facing with the Chicago Park District website, we distributed an internal survey that received over 300 responses from employees. The survey asked a wide range of questions about usability, content, and functionality. My role was to synthesize this large dataset into something more actionable. I gathered all responses, organized the feedback into categories, and counted the number of mentions in each area. This method allowed us to highlight not just individual pain points, but also the scale of each issue by showing how frequently it was raised.
Recurring Themes
The biggest theme was around finding information. Employees often described how hard it was to search or navigate, with many saying even simple tasks like locating programs or events felt confusing. This frustration carried into how information was presented, with park and event details often vague and important content hidden instead of highlighted.
Trust and accuracy came up again and again. Outdated contact information, park details that were hard to update, and limited photos left the site feeling unreliable. Many also wanted a clearer brand presence and a more modern design, since visuals shape how professional and user-friendly a site feels.
Smaller issues like maps, calendars, and permits appeared less often but still showed friction in daily use. Taken together, the feedback told a clear story: the site was not broken by one issue, but by a collection of barriers that made it harder for users to find, trust, and use the information they needed most.
Key Takeaways
The survey showed that employees struggled most with navigation and search, often finding the site confusing and the search bar unreliable. Content was another major concern, with outdated information, inconsistent presentation, and limited media making the site feel untrustworthy. Staff also highlighted the need for better maps, stronger filters, and clearer event visibility to reduce friction in finding key details.
User Analytics
Mobile Responsivity
Mobile optimization should be a top priority. If the mobile site is not responsive, fast, and easy to navigate, a large portion of users will struggle. Design decisions should start from a mobile-first perspective, ensuring that critical features like search, navigation, and booking are seamless on small screens.
Top Search Keywords
Search needs to better handle variations in capitalization and spelling so users don’t miss results. The high number of program-related searches also shows that events and program registration should be prioritized in navigation and highlighted on the homepage. Seasonal keywords like “summer camp” suggest a need for flexible design that can spotlight timely content.
High Traffic Pages
The fact that the search page has the highest views indicates that users heavily rely on search to find what they need. This reinforces survey findings about frustration with navigation and clunky search functionality. Improving the search experience (filters, accuracy, usability) should be a priority, and the homepage should direct users quickly into these high-demand pathways.
Recomendations
01. Prioritize modernization and visual design enhancement
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Implement a modern, clean aesthetic with consistent visual elements, high-quality photos, and videos to engage users.
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Focus on readability and user experience with clear fonts and well-spaced layouts to enhance accessibility of important information.
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Enhance visual clarity and appeal by removing extra spacing between sections and providing options for different colors and designs for specialty pages.
02. Prioritize improving UX, searchability & navigability info
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Enhance the search functionality to provide more intuitive and accurate results, helping users quickly find parks, programs, and facilities.
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Simplify site navigation with clear and user-friendly menus and tools, ensuring easy access to events, facilities, and registration information.
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Eliminate ineffective auto-search functions and improve filtering options to streamline the search process.
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Create intuitive navigation paths to help users easily browse and find relevant information without
needing exact titles or terms.
03. Content-related items are still crucial factors indirectly related to this redesign
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Implement processes to regularly update information about parks, facilities, programs, and events, ensuring that all content is current and accurate.
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Simplify jargon and park-specific language to make content more accessible to the general public.
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Offer more flexibility in page design to accommodate various types of content and layout needs.
04. Potentially introduce new interactive features and functionality to the site
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Implement processes to regularly update information about parks, facilities, programs, and events, ensuring that all content is current and accurate.
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Simplify jargon and park-specific language to make content more accessible to the general public.
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Offer more flexibility in page design to accommodate various types of content and layout needs.
05. Market and leverage the website as a communication tool
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Enhance the website's role as a primary communication tool for park-related updates, programs, and events to engage users more effectively.
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Highlight and promote the website's extensive features and content to ensure users are aware of the available resources and tools.
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Use the website to improve transparency and communication with the community, showcasing ongoing capital projects, budgets, and park district initiatives.
Takeaways
This project helped me understand the true depth and value of a detailed discovery phase. I learned how important it is to use research and data to uncover problem spots and guide the direction of a project. While none of the tasks felt overly challenging, the experience showed me how valuable a well-structured discovery phase can be and pushed me to become more detail oriented and research backed in my work.