Research & Impact Support Portal
Streamlining research information for 500+ university researchers
The Challenge
Researchers at VU Amsterdam were struggling to find critical information scattered across the university website. Research support resources were outdated, hard to locate, or simply missing entirely.
Key Insight
Researchers think in project phases, but information was organized by department structure.
Design Process
Discover
Competitive Analysis & User Research
- Analyzed research portals from universities worldwide
- Conducted in-depth interviews with researcher groups
- Identified pain points in current information-seeking behaviors
- Explored what researchers valued in competitor solutions
Define
Insights & Information Architecture
Key insight: Researchers think in project phases, but information was organized by department structure.
This led us to restructure the entire information architecture around the research lifecycle rather than organizational departments.
Design
Prototype & Test
- Created interactive Figma prototypes based on research findings
- Designed a timeline-based navigation system
- Conducted task-based usability testing with researcher groups
- Iteratively refined based on user feedback
The Solution
Timeline-Based Information Architecture
Organized content around research phases rather than departmental structure, allowing researchers to easily find relevant information for their current project stage.
Explore Your Idea
Initial research exploration and ideation resources
Prepare Your Proposal
Proposal writing guidelines and funding information
Check Your Responsibilities
Laureate checklist, ethics, responsibilities and legal support
Conduct Your Research
Active research support and methodology resources
Share Your Outcomes
Publication and dissemination support
Finalize Your Project
Project completion and archival guidance
Before & After
Before
- Information scattered across multiple sites
- Organized by department structure
- Outdated and hard to find resources
- No clear research workflow guidance
After
- Centralized resource hub
- Phase-based information architecture
- Up-to-date, relevant content
- Clear research lifecycle guidance
Impact & Results
Key Learning
Aligning information architecture with users' mental models (project phases vs. organizational structure) dramatically improved findability and user satisfaction.