UCLA LIBRARY
ROLE
UX Researcher UI Designer
EMPLOYER
UCLA
TOOLS
Figma Jira Google Forms Illustrator Notion
TEAM
Dylan Wan Mila Luo Michelle Navaretta
OVERVIEW
I conducted a comprehensive heuristic evaluation of the Film & Television Archive website, assessing it against established usability principles to identify friction points and opportunities for improvement.
To validate findings, I developed a multi-method research strategy that combined heuristic analysis, live user testing using a think-aloud protocol, and analytics review to ground insights in real behavioral data.
I led moderated usability testing sessions with students, faculty, researchers, and elderly users. I created testing protocols, realistic task scenarios, and documented observations in real time, focusing on navigation, search, content clarity, mobile responsiveness, and accessibility.
Projects
User Testing Driven Page Redesigns
The page redesign was grounded in usability testing with target audiences, particularly elderly visitors attending screenings at the Billy Wilder Theater. Through moderated sessions, I observed how users navigated event details, ticketing information, and accessibility resources in real time.
Insights from these sessions directly informed layout adjustments, clearer content hierarchy, simplified navigation paths, and improved legibility. The redesign prioritized clarity, wayfinding, and accessibility to better support real-world use cases — especially for users less comfortable with complex digital interfaces.
the team on the day of user testing
freebies given to testing participants
Branding / Design System Refresh
Alongside two designers, I contributed to a broader design system refresh by creating 50+ scalable, reusable icons. I ensured consistency in stroke weight, visual language, and accessibility standards across all new assets.
This expanded the system’s visual language, increased component scalability, improved brand consistency, and reduced reliance on inconsistent third-party assets.
live site with new icons
new icons
Site Audit
Beyond usability, I conducted a structural audit of years’ worth of components, templates, and design files. The system had accumulated inconsistencies, redundant patterns, and outdated assets that created friction for both users and internal teams.
I organized and categorized components, identified design debt, and mapped opportunities for consolidation. This work established clearer structure, reduced duplication, and created a stronger foundation for scalable, system-driven design moving forward.
Takeaways
This project reinforced the importance of systems over one-off solutions. Designing reusable components and establishing consistency created more long-term impact than isolated page updates.
It also strengthened my ability to balance visual refinement with structural decision-making, prioritizing clarity, scalability, and alignment over surface-level aesthetics.