Role: UX DESIGNER/UX RESEARCHER (Jan 2020 - June 2020)

Responsible for end-to-end product life cycle including producing product & design spec, prototyping & wireframing, conducting user research studies and leading usability testing. Integrated research insights to UI Design and iterated themes and versions of user flows and prototype design toward product shipment.

CastAway. Know. Act. Change.

A one-stop platform to learn about the refugee crisis and take meaningful action—because awareness is just the beginning.

Overview

Refugees seeking refuge within the United States are denied entry due to government policies. The common misconception is that refugees pose security risks and overuse government resources. This leads to prejudice and policies that continue to deny refugees. Currently, there are 1.4 million refugees who need resettlement, 37,000 people are forced to leave their homes everyday and 70.8 million internally displaced people. Millions of refugees around the world face displacement, lack of resources, and limited support. Despite the urgency of the crisis, many people are unaware of how they can contribute to meaningful change. Castaway is a web platform I designed and developed to bridge this gap—informing users about the refugee crisis while providing concrete ways to help through donations, petitions, and volunteer opportunities.

Understanding The Problem

Many individuals want to support refugees but face three key barriers:

  1. Lack of accessible, reliable information – Existing resources are scattered across different platforms, making it difficult for users to understand the crisis in depth.

  2. Unclear paths to action – People who want to help often don’t know where to start or how their contributions make an impact.

  3. Engagement drop-off – Complex donation processes and disconnected resources discourage user participation.

Castaway was designed to address these challenges by creating a seamless, user-friendly digital hub that raises awareness and empowers users to take action.

Research & Insights

Targeted Audience

From the start, we envisioned Castaway as a platform catering to multiple user groups: the general public and media professionals. Our goal was to provide a reliable, centralized source of information to counteract misinformation and disinformation often amplified by other media outlets. By tailoring content and resources for these distinct audiences, we aimed to foster greater awareness and drive informed action. To achieve this, we began by designing wireframes that addressed the specific needs and behaviors of each user group.

To design a platform that effectively engages and informs users, I conducted extensive research, including:

1. User Research & Surveys

  • Surveyed 100+ respondents to understand perceptions of the refugee crisis and barriers to action.

  • Key finding: 65% of users felt overwhelmed by the amount of scattered information online, and 70% wanted clearer ways to contribute.

2. Competitive & Content Analysis

  • Studied existing humanitarian websites, analyzing UX patterns, accessibility, and engagement.

  • Identified best practices for presenting educational content and calls to action in an intuitive way.

3. Usability Testing

  • Conducted task-based testing with users to evaluate site navigation, readability, and action flow.

  • Finding: Simplified donation and petition sign-up flows increased conversion rates by 40%.

Design & Development Approach

1. Intuitive Information Architecture

  • Designed a clear, structured layout to guide users from education to action seamlessly.

  • Created progressive learning sections that help users build knowledge without overwhelming them.

2. Action-Oriented User Experience

  • Integrated calls to action at strategic touchpoints—allowing users to donate, sign petitions, or volunteer directly within the platform.

  • Streamlined donation processes by reducing steps and providing transparency on fund impact.

3. Accessible & Engaging Content

  • Used storytelling and real-life refugee narratives to create emotional connections.

  • Implemented interactive data visualizations to help users understand statistics more effectively.

4. Community & Social Sharing Features

  • Added social media integration for easy content sharing.

  • Enabled user-generated initiatives to encourage grassroots participation.

Design Process

Our design process began with high-fidelity wireframes exploring different visual themes tailored for each user group. To ensure alignment, we presented these variations during our weekly stand-up meetings, where team members voted on the most effective direction. Once a cohesive style was selected, we shifted focus to defining key platform features for each audience. Through collaborative brainstorming sessions, we identified essential functionalities before translating them into structured wireframes, ensuring an intuitive and engaging user experience.

For the media center, our primary focus was efficiency—ensuring that users could access relevant information with minimal clicks and in the shortest possible time. To achieve this, we designed the homepage to prominently feature the latest news, policy updates, and key reports related to the refugee crisis.

For the general public, we adopted a more gradual content hierarchy, guiding users through foundational knowledge before introducing more in-depth resources. The platform begins by explaining the distinctions between refugees and immigrants, followed by interactive pages that allow users to explore specific topics at their own pace.

Narrowing The Scope

After our initial exploration, research, and prototyping, we needed to narrow our focus. Our backend developer highlighted that launching a fully functional platform for two distinct user groups within three months would be unrealistic. With a long list of features we wanted to implement, we had to prioritize. To streamline development, we listed out essential features and determined that focusing on the general public aligned best with our goals and principles. This decision allowed us to create a more impactful and user-friendly experience within our timeframe.

Final Product Features

Understanding More

This section provides users with a clear distinction between refugees and immigrants, helping to dispel common misconceptions. By presenting digestible and visually engaging content, users can quickly grasp the unique challenges and legal definitions associated with each group.

History

Understanding the evolution of refugee policies and immigration laws is key to grasping today’s challenges. This timeline highlights significant milestones in refugee history, offering users an informative, structured way to explore past events that shaped current policies.

Make an Action

Empowering users to contribute is a core aspect of the platform. This section offers actionable steps such as donation options, advocacy tools, and ways to get involved. With a search feature, users can find specific opportunities that align with their interests and capacity to help.

Myth Debunk

Misinformation surrounding refugee issues is prevalent. This feature offers fact-based clarifications on common myths, categorized by region—United States, General, and Global—to provide contextually relevant information that combats stereotypes and misconceptions.

Fact Check

This section presents a curated set of frequently asked questions related to the refugee crisis. By addressing concerns with verified sources and clear explanations, users can access reliable, up-to-date information that counters misinformation.

How Can You Help

Providing a structured roadmap for engagement, this section outlines different ways users can support refugees. Whether through resettlement assistance, legal aid, or advocacy, it highlights concrete ways to make a difference.

Design Specifications

Results & Takeaways

Creating CastAway reinforced my belief that design can drive social impact. By combining usability, accessibility, and compelling storytelling, we built a platform that not only educates users but also empowers them to take meaningful action. As the refugee crisis continues to evolve, future iterations could explore personalized user experiences, expanded global partnerships, and AI-driven content recommendations to further increase engagement and impact.

While our initial goal was to design for both the general public and media professionals, we had to narrow our scope due to time and resource constraints. Despite this, we successfully implemented 80% of the planned designs and launched a functional product. One of our key challenges was shifting entirely to an online workflow during COVID-19, which prevented in-person usability testing. However, we adapted by leveraging UserTesting.com to collect valuale user insights remotely.

Navigating this project also required balancing different work habits across disciplines. Through clear goal-setting, prioritization, and collaboration, we maintained alignment and delivered a cohesive final product. Beyond contributing to the full project lifecycle, CastAway was a pivotal learning experience in leadership and cross-functional teamwork. Taking ownership of the UX and design direction reinforced the importance of structured design systems, leading me to implement a design library for developers to improve efficiency and streamline handoffs.

Additionally, I saw firsthand how diverse perspectives elevate design—early on, I encouraged the team to share inspiration aligned with our product vision, and many final design elements evolved as a fusion of these shared ideas. This project solidified my ability to adapt, lead, and foster collaboration while designing for meaningful impact.