MSU | University-wide Functionality

Michigan State University's College of Arts and Letters needed its department websites brought into a more accessible, manageable, and brand-consistent CMS. As the sole UX designer on the team, I led the migration effort by combining content auditing, accessibility improvements, and close collaboration with department stakeholders to deliver sites that were easier to use and maintain long-term.

Migrating a college's worth of department sites meant balancing technical accessibility requirements with the practical needs of non-technical administrators under a tight timeline.

• Redundant content — existing Concrete5 sites carried years of accumulated, repetitive content that had to be carefully audited and minimized before migration
• Accessibility gaps — imagery across the old sites lacked proper alt text, requiring a thorough review and curation process to meet accessibility standards
• Tight turnaround — the pace of the migration required efficient prioritization of pages in coordination with department stakeholders to keep the project moving
• Cross-functional communication — bridging the gap between a student designer and department heads meant establishing clear expectations and consistent accountability across teams

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My process began with a thorough content audit of the existing Concrete5 sites, evaluating what was worth carrying over and what could be retired. From there I migrated relevant copy and imagery into WordPress, curating alt text across all visual assets to close the accessibility gaps present in the old CMS.

Once pages were live, I conducted QA reviews and worked directly with department stakeholders to prioritize and refine high-traffic pages. That close collaboration kept the project moving at a pace that wouldn't have been possible otherwise, and ensured the final sites reflected each department's actual needs rather than assumptions made at the start.

To support continuity beyond my time on the project, I created documentation to onboard later hires and train administrators on managing their own content. The goal was to leave behind something the team could grow with, not just a finished product.

• Content strategy through auditing — systematically evaluating existing content ensured only relevant, accurate material made it into the new CMS
• Accessibility as a baseline — curating alt text and addressing imagery gaps established inclusive design practices as a foundation rather than an afterthought
• Stakeholder-driven prioritization — collaborating directly with department heads kept page priorities grounded in real user needs and institutional goals
• Documentation for longevity — creating onboarding materials ensured the work could be maintained and built upon well after the migration was complete

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The College of Arts and Letters department sites were successfully migrated to WordPress, landing well with stakeholders and moving at a pace that reflected strong cross-team coordination. The accessibility improvements, streamlined content, and admin documentation left the college with a more sustainable digital presence than it had before.

• Remote work-life balance — pivoting to self-directed project management and task delegation built discipline around ownership and follow-through without direct oversight
• Relationship management — consistent communication with department heads and stakeholders established the trust needed to keep a complex, multi-site project on track
• Facilitation for all types of management — customizing the WordPress interface for non-technical administrators meant thinking beyond the design and into how people would actually use what I handed off
• Beautiful experiences build trust — delivering brand-aligned, accessible department sites gave students and staff a more confident starting point when navigating university resources