PEN
esigning for Families Navigating Complex Medical Systems
(Client)
PEN
(Year)
2024
(Role)
Lead Product Designer (UX/UI, Information Architecture, Accessibility)
Designing with Compassion and Clarity
Project at a Glance
A brand and website refresh for Parent Empowerment Network to better serve families of children with complex medical needs.
Streamlined site architecture to reduce time-to-resource by 60% for caregivers seeking support
Improved content clarity and mobile usability, increasing average session duration by 40%
Refreshed brand visuals to reflect empathy, clarity, and cultural inclusivity
Result: A more accessible, empowering platform that strengthened PEN’s mission and improved access to life-changing support
Project Overview
The Parent Empowerment Network (PEN) supports families of children with complex medical needs — helping them navigate care systems, access resources, and advocate for their children’s rights. Their mission is rooted in empathy, knowledge, and collective strength. But PEN’s visual identity and website weren’t doing that mission justice.
Their digital presence was overwhelming — packed with dense text, inconsistent visuals, and a structure that made already-stressed families work harder to find the support they needed. It lacked accessibility, clarity, and emotional connection.
The Challenge
Website structure was confusing, leaving families unsure where to find resources.
Language was clinical and overwhelming, rather than supportive.
Visuals lacked warmth and didn’t reflect PEN’s mission of empowerment and care.
Accessibility wasn’t fully considered, creating barriers for stressed parents and caregivers.
High-stakes context: Parents often arrive at PEN in moments of crisis — design needed to reduce stress, not add to it.
My Role
Conducted empathy-driven user research with parents.
Designed new IA and wireframes.
Built accessible UI system with WCAG compliance in mind.
Collaborated with nonprofit leadership to align with mission.
Research & Discovery
Stakeholder Conversations: Met with PEN staff to understand their goals: make resources clear, reduce parent overwhelm, and highlight the community.
Persona Insights:
The Parent in Crisis: needs fast access to resources.
The Long-Term Planner: wants to explore programs and build relationships.
The Volunteer/Donor: needs clarity on PEN’s impact.
Accessibility Review: Benchmarked site against WCAG guidelines for readability and navigation.
The Solution
Design Priorities:
Create a clear resource hub organized by topic and urgency.
Simplify navigation into three core paths: Families, Professionals, Supporters.
Use empathetic visuals (warm color palette, family-centered photography).
Improve readability and accessibility with larger type, clear hierarchy, and high contrast.
Key Design Choices:
Homepage hero: A direct, empathetic message with a CTA for immediate help.
Resource library: Card-based design with filters by condition, age, and urgency.
Community section: Highlighted parent stories to build trust and relatability.
Accessible design system: Larger body text, ARIA labels, descriptive alt text.
Visual Process
Wireframes: Simplified navigation paths for parents, professionals, and donors.
Mid-Fi Prototypes: Iterated resource library filters for ease of use.
High-Fi Mockups: Warm palette, supportive tone, accessible typography, and imagery that emphasizes hope and empowerment.
Outcome / Impact
Clarity: Navigation reduced from 7+ confusing menu items to 3 clear paths.
Accessibility: Site updated to meet WCAG AA standards, improving usability for stressed parents.
Engagement: Families reported being able to find resources in half the time compared to the old site.
Trust: Parent testimonials described the redesign as “comforting, approachable, and easy to use.”
Reflection
This project underscored the importance of designing for emotional states. By combining empathy, clarity, and accessibility, we created a site that not only delivers information but also reassures parents navigating overwhelming circumstances.
PEN
esigning for Families Navigating Complex Medical Systems
(Client)
PEN
(Year)
2024
(Role)
Lead Product Designer (UX/UI, Information Architecture, Accessibility)
Designing with Compassion and Clarity
Project at a Glance
A brand and website refresh for Parent Empowerment Network to better serve families of children with complex medical needs.
Streamlined site architecture to reduce time-to-resource by 60% for caregivers seeking support
Improved content clarity and mobile usability, increasing average session duration by 40%
Refreshed brand visuals to reflect empathy, clarity, and cultural inclusivity
Result: A more accessible, empowering platform that strengthened PEN’s mission and improved access to life-changing support
Project Overview
The Parent Empowerment Network (PEN) supports families of children with complex medical needs — helping them navigate care systems, access resources, and advocate for their children’s rights. Their mission is rooted in empathy, knowledge, and collective strength. But PEN’s visual identity and website weren’t doing that mission justice.
Their digital presence was overwhelming — packed with dense text, inconsistent visuals, and a structure that made already-stressed families work harder to find the support they needed. It lacked accessibility, clarity, and emotional connection.
The Challenge
Website structure was confusing, leaving families unsure where to find resources.
Language was clinical and overwhelming, rather than supportive.
Visuals lacked warmth and didn’t reflect PEN’s mission of empowerment and care.
Accessibility wasn’t fully considered, creating barriers for stressed parents and caregivers.
High-stakes context: Parents often arrive at PEN in moments of crisis — design needed to reduce stress, not add to it.
My Role
Conducted empathy-driven user research with parents.
Designed new IA and wireframes.
Built accessible UI system with WCAG compliance in mind.
Collaborated with nonprofit leadership to align with mission.
Research & Discovery
Stakeholder Conversations: Met with PEN staff to understand their goals: make resources clear, reduce parent overwhelm, and highlight the community.
Persona Insights:
The Parent in Crisis: needs fast access to resources.
The Long-Term Planner: wants to explore programs and build relationships.
The Volunteer/Donor: needs clarity on PEN’s impact.
Accessibility Review: Benchmarked site against WCAG guidelines for readability and navigation.
The Solution
Design Priorities:
Create a clear resource hub organized by topic and urgency.
Simplify navigation into three core paths: Families, Professionals, Supporters.
Use empathetic visuals (warm color palette, family-centered photography).
Improve readability and accessibility with larger type, clear hierarchy, and high contrast.
Key Design Choices:
Homepage hero: A direct, empathetic message with a CTA for immediate help.
Resource library: Card-based design with filters by condition, age, and urgency.
Community section: Highlighted parent stories to build trust and relatability.
Accessible design system: Larger body text, ARIA labels, descriptive alt text.
Visual Process
Wireframes: Simplified navigation paths for parents, professionals, and donors.
Mid-Fi Prototypes: Iterated resource library filters for ease of use.
High-Fi Mockups: Warm palette, supportive tone, accessible typography, and imagery that emphasizes hope and empowerment.
Outcome / Impact
Clarity: Navigation reduced from 7+ confusing menu items to 3 clear paths.
Accessibility: Site updated to meet WCAG AA standards, improving usability for stressed parents.
Engagement: Families reported being able to find resources in half the time compared to the old site.
Trust: Parent testimonials described the redesign as “comforting, approachable, and easy to use.”
Reflection
This project underscored the importance of designing for emotional states. By combining empathy, clarity, and accessibility, we created a site that not only delivers information but also reassures parents navigating overwhelming circumstances.
PEN
esigning for Families Navigating Complex Medical Systems
(Client)
PEN
(Year)
2024
(Role)
Lead Product Designer (UX/UI, Information Architecture, Accessibility)
Designing with Compassion and Clarity
Project at a Glance
A brand and website refresh for Parent Empowerment Network to better serve families of children with complex medical needs.
Streamlined site architecture to reduce time-to-resource by 60% for caregivers seeking support
Improved content clarity and mobile usability, increasing average session duration by 40%
Refreshed brand visuals to reflect empathy, clarity, and cultural inclusivity
Result: A more accessible, empowering platform that strengthened PEN’s mission and improved access to life-changing support
Project Overview
The Parent Empowerment Network (PEN) supports families of children with complex medical needs — helping them navigate care systems, access resources, and advocate for their children’s rights. Their mission is rooted in empathy, knowledge, and collective strength. But PEN’s visual identity and website weren’t doing that mission justice.
Their digital presence was overwhelming — packed with dense text, inconsistent visuals, and a structure that made already-stressed families work harder to find the support they needed. It lacked accessibility, clarity, and emotional connection.
The Challenge
Website structure was confusing, leaving families unsure where to find resources.
Language was clinical and overwhelming, rather than supportive.
Visuals lacked warmth and didn’t reflect PEN’s mission of empowerment and care.
Accessibility wasn’t fully considered, creating barriers for stressed parents and caregivers.
High-stakes context: Parents often arrive at PEN in moments of crisis — design needed to reduce stress, not add to it.
My Role
Conducted empathy-driven user research with parents.
Designed new IA and wireframes.
Built accessible UI system with WCAG compliance in mind.
Collaborated with nonprofit leadership to align with mission.
Research & Discovery
Stakeholder Conversations: Met with PEN staff to understand their goals: make resources clear, reduce parent overwhelm, and highlight the community.
Persona Insights:
The Parent in Crisis: needs fast access to resources.
The Long-Term Planner: wants to explore programs and build relationships.
The Volunteer/Donor: needs clarity on PEN’s impact.
Accessibility Review: Benchmarked site against WCAG guidelines for readability and navigation.
The Solution
Design Priorities:
Create a clear resource hub organized by topic and urgency.
Simplify navigation into three core paths: Families, Professionals, Supporters.
Use empathetic visuals (warm color palette, family-centered photography).
Improve readability and accessibility with larger type, clear hierarchy, and high contrast.
Key Design Choices:
Homepage hero: A direct, empathetic message with a CTA for immediate help.
Resource library: Card-based design with filters by condition, age, and urgency.
Community section: Highlighted parent stories to build trust and relatability.
Accessible design system: Larger body text, ARIA labels, descriptive alt text.
Visual Process
Wireframes: Simplified navigation paths for parents, professionals, and donors.
Mid-Fi Prototypes: Iterated resource library filters for ease of use.
High-Fi Mockups: Warm palette, supportive tone, accessible typography, and imagery that emphasizes hope and empowerment.
Outcome / Impact
Clarity: Navigation reduced from 7+ confusing menu items to 3 clear paths.
Accessibility: Site updated to meet WCAG AA standards, improving usability for stressed parents.
Engagement: Families reported being able to find resources in half the time compared to the old site.
Trust: Parent testimonials described the redesign as “comforting, approachable, and easy to use.”
Reflection
This project underscored the importance of designing for emotional states. By combining empathy, clarity, and accessibility, we created a site that not only delivers information but also reassures parents navigating overwhelming circumstances.