Olin website redesign
THE CHALLENGE
WashU Olin needed a smarter, more intuitive path to enrollment.
As a globally ranked business school with a wide range of programs, Olin faced the challenge of delivering a digital experience that could serve vastly different audiences while prioritizing intuitive conversion. The redesign required a modular CMS capable of personalized user journeys, UX patterns built for exploration and application, and integration with third-party systems.
The goal was a dynamic platform that could evolve, inform, and guide prospective students from discovery to application in real time.
ROLE
Lead Visual Designer
PRIMARY SKILLS
Research & Discovery
UI & Interaction Design
Reusable Pattern Library
WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance
Interactive Prototyping
Stakeholder Management
Style Guide Creation
BARKLEYOKRP WEB TEAM
Heather Morrison (User Experience)
Dave White (Development)
Mandy McFadden (Client Experience)
Megan Kelly (Project Management)
Plus many more who deserve a massive amount of gratitude!
Our key message is to communicate how Olin’s approach is different from those of other business schools in its data-driven, ethical approach. The homepage features a Programs section that encourages users to self-select the types of programs they seek, beginning the user flow and personalizing the experience.
THE INSIGHT
The Olin web redesign project employed diverse stakeholder interviews, user research, and brand insights.
By integrating existing branding research with primary research findings, we ensured a well-informed design and content strategy.
A key insight was the need for self-selecting personalization, enabling users to tailor their homepage experience. This unique approach was validated through testing, leading to the creation of dedicated environments for each program, meeting user needs effectively and creatively.
My design approach is deeply rooted in Atomic Design. After discovery, the first design artifact created for Olin was a library of foundational building blocks. It included color, iconography, typography scale, inputs, selectors, buttons, and more.
These foundational building blocks come together to form components for specific content types. For Olin this library consisted of various masthead styles, a storytelling component to highlight the current student or alumni experience, and numerous other components to support the vast array of content types. So a singular, cohesive library of components was created to address the multiple audiences for this particular university.
The team created a bunch of page templates to balance flexibility and cohesion for the range of site audiences. There were over a dozen templates including kitchen sink style templates all the way to hyper-focused templates such as a Podcast Details.
THE SOLUTION
The Olin redesign delivered measurable impact across the entire enrollment journey — increasing engagement, improving user flow, and strengthening the brand’s digital presence.
Custom tracking and analytics powered deeper insight into user behavior, creating a foundation for smarter targeting, stronger content, and sustained ROI.
THE RESULTS
39% increase in engagement
68% increase in average session duration
32% increase in pageviews per user
22% decrease in bounce rate