Global Genes
Take a look at some of my recent projects where I’ve applied my design expertise to create impactful and user-focused solutions.
Case Study
Global Genes Web Design and Development
CHALLENGE
Global Genes—a leading nonprofit supporting the rare disease community—had a sprawling website filled with vital resources, but the user experience was disjointed. Content was difficult to find, resources were scattered, and outdated technology limited accessibility and real-time data updates. Despite their strong mission, the digital platform wasn’t effectively serving the needs of patients, caregivers, or advocates navigating complex health journeys.
GOALS
- Redesign the website to deliver a seamless, accessible, and empowering experience for diverse audiences.
- Unify messaging, tone, and visual identity across all digital touchpoints.
- Build a modern, scalable technology stack to support future growth and content maintenance.
- Connect users with the right resources at the right time through personalized and intuitive UX.
- Strengthen engagement through improved SEO, social reach, and email conversion.
ROLE
As UX and UI Lead, I directed a human-centered design process across research, strategy, design, and implementation. I partnered with stakeholders, product managers, and developers to:
- Conduct a full audit of content, architecture, and analytics.
- Lead stakeholder interviews and persona development to align the experience with community needs.
- Design an intuitive, responsive UI with a modular system for disease and resource exploration.
- Architect a tech stack that integrates real-time data and simplifies backend workflows.
- Create messaging frameworks and channel strategies for social, email, and events.
- Oversee implementation and train internal teams for long-term site management.
The end result: a cohesive, accessible digital platform that significantly improved user engagement, resource discovery, and brand reach—furthering Global Genes’ mission to serve 400 million people affected by rare disease worldwide.
Technology, Analytics & UX Audit
As the lead UX and UI designer for the Global Genes website transformation, I championed a design-led approach to solve complex usability challenges and elevate the organization’s digital impact. The project aimed to unify fragmented resources into a cohesive, accessible experience that could better serve the rare disease community.
From the outset, I partnered with stakeholders and a cross-functional team to define a strategic vision grounded in empathy, functionality, and clarity. We began with comprehensive research—including UX audits, stakeholder interviews, and user behavior analysis—to uncover pain points around navigation, accessibility, and discoverability.
These insights fueled the design direction. I developed a new information architecture and modular design system that prioritized user autonomy, allowing visitors to self-identify their needs and dive deeper into content pathways at their own pace. Accessibility best practices were embedded throughout, ensuring the platform met the diverse needs of its global audience.
Beyond UX and interface design, I played a central role in aligning the website’s technical and marketing ecosystems. Working with SEO strategists, I supported the development of a content and keyword strategy that elevated organic visibility while reinforcing Global Genes’ thought leadership. I also collaborated with developers to integrate third-party tools, streamline backend systems, and ensure long-term scalability.
The outcome was more than a website redesign—it was a reimagining of the user experience through the lens of design thinking. The new Global Genes platform is intuitive, responsive, and future-ready—delivering clarity, connection, and confidence to a community that depends on timely, trustworthy information.
Tools Used
Figma, Miro, Adobe Creative Suite, Google Analytics, Hotjar, Amplitude, FullStory
My Role / Deliverables
As the UX Lead for the Global Genes website transformation, I directed a research-driven design process to rebuild the digital experience around user needs, accessibility, and strategic content delivery. My focus was to unify scattered resources into a coherent, engaging, and scalable platform that empowers the rare disease community to find the support and information they need.
Deliverables included:
Revised Sitemap
Informed by stakeholder workshops and user research, I restructured the sitemap to improve resource discoverability, streamline navigation, and simplify entry points for multiple audience types.
Core Page Wireframes
Developed both low- and high-fidelity wireframes for key user pathways—including resource libraries, community engagement hubs, and condition-specific content pages—to ensure clarity and consistency across the user journey.
User Journey Mapping
Created a detailed journey map capturing behavioral patterns, decision-making touchpoints, and emotional states of users—from initial visit through to content exploration and resource conversion.
CMS Platform Recommendation
Conducted a platform assessment and confirmed WordPress as the ideal CMS, based on Global Genes’ editorial workflows, ease of content management, accessibility features, and scalability for future growth.
Technology & Systems Integration Plan
Outlined how the redesigned website would interface with Global Genes’ existing ecosystem, including marketing tools, donor platforms, CRM systems, and third-party plugins—ensuring smooth cross-platform functionality.
Measurement & Performance Framework
Defined key performance indicators (KPIs) for traffic, engagement, accessibility compliance, SEO impact, and user satisfaction—establishing a baseline for ongoing optimization and impact measurement.
UX Audit & Insights
As UX and UI lead for the Global Genes website transformation, I worked closely with stakeholders and cross-disciplinary partners to reimagine how the organization connects with its global rare disease community. My role focused on crafting a strategy-led, user-first experience that addressed both organizational goals and community needs.
We began with an in-depth audit of the existing digital presence—reviewing content architecture, usability challenges, SEO performance, and technical constraints. Through stakeholder workshops, user research, and persona mapping, we uncovered critical gaps in how patients, families, and researchers navigated the site and accessed resources.
From these insights, I led the design of an intuitive and accessible user interface that simplified search and discovery. We created a clean, responsive layout and improved content hierarchy to ensure users could find relevant disease-specific resources with ease. Simultaneously, we architected a new technology stack that aggregated real-time data from various sources—ensuring that disease information remained up to date and actionable.
Our team also created a comprehensive content and communication strategy, including messaging guidelines, tone of voice aligned with patient perspectives, and a multi-channel outreach plan across social, email, and events. This helped unify the Global Genes brand voice while extending its reach.
To support scalability and sustainability, we built a powerful yet manageable backend system, trained internal teams to maintain the platform, and developed a flexible CMS framework tailored to editorial workflows.
The result was a redesigned site that dramatically improved user engagement, accessibility, and brand coherence. Post-launch metrics showed significant increases in traffic, social media growth, and email signups—amplifying Global Genes’ mission to provide hope and resources to the 400 million individuals worldwide affected by rare disease.
Insight Clustering
Information Architecture
Lo-Fidelity Wireframes
Hi-Fidelity Wireframes
UX Process
Research & Discovery
Ran usability testing with customers to understand pain points with research team.
Analyzed behavioral data using Data Analytics and reviewed feedback from Troutman stakeholders and customer community.
Researched competing automation platforms to identify best practices in workflow setup and monitoring.
Mapped potential use case and scene collaborative boards, translating technical challenges into actionable design insights.
Definition & Ideation
Mapped our user journeys to highlight major friction points.
Applied progressive disclosure principles to guide users gradually through complex steps.
Redesigned the Staff Bio interface to surface relevant workflows clearly.
Designed a comprehensive automation and metrics dashboard to centralize control, monitoring and troubleshooting.
Deployment & Iteration
Refined interface to align with Troutman Design System, ensuring interface consistency.
Introduced smart error handling, with clear alerts, suggested fixes, and interactive debugging tools for faster troubleshooting.
Optimized automation monitoring and giving users real-time visibility and control execution status and system performance
Refined through iterative testing, ensuring every addressed real user needs.
"At the heart of our process was the creation of a detailed site plan—a strategic blueprint that brought together research insights, creative direction, and technical requirements."
The Troutman Pepper website project marked a transformative step forward in aligning the firm’s digital presence with its forward-thinking brand. Grounded in deep research and a user-first mindset, the design process focused on improving content discoverability, elevating brand perception, and streamlining the user journey. My collaborative approach allowed us to integrate business goals, audience needs, and emerging digital best practices into a comprehensive site plan that guided every phase of design and development.
At the heart of our process was the creation of a detailed site plan—a strategic blueprint that brought together research insights, creative direction, and technical requirements. This included a revised sitemap grounded in user behavior analysis, wireframes that showcased intuitive page flows, and a final CMS recommendation that confirmed WordPress as the ideal platform for Troutman’s internal needs. We also delivered customer journey maps and a systems integration plan to ensure a seamless experience across internal tools and client-facing content.
During the process undertake guidance and input of stakeholders I also established a robust measurement framework, outlining KPIs aligned with Troutman’s business objectives to continuously track the site’s performance. From initial discovery through to final hand-off, I ensured the design and functionality worked together to drive engagement, inspire trust, and support conversion. The result is a scalable, accessible website that will grow with the firm—rooted in strategy, shaped by insight, and designed for real-world impact.
Let's Work Together!
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