top of page
NYU SUSTAINABILITY

A website refresh for sustainable action

Data analysis

Information architecture

Stakeholder engagement

Content management

The NYU Office of Sustainability oversees the University-wide effort to build a healthier and more sustainable NYU. This website revamp improved the information architecture of the Office of Sustainability website and led to dynamic and action-orientated user experience.

A clear call to action

The Office of Sustainability’s website served as an information hub, but users of the website lacked a clear path or call to action.

Why does it matter?

During my time at NYU, sustainability gained prominence under the University's leadership. This led to a shift in the Office of Sustainability's focus, emphasizing community involvement in making the University more sustainable. Simultaneously, NYU introduced a mobile-responsive and digitally accessible Content Management System, significantly transforming the Office of Sustainability's online presence.

How might we restructure the information architecture of the Office of Sustainability’s website to help users find and participate in sustainable action?

CONTENT MANGEMENT

Layout and content design to improve user experience

USER RESEARCH

Synthesized insights from stakeholder engagement

DATA ANALYTICS

Data analysis from Google Analytics and email marketing insights

INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE

A new site map to reflect updated information architecture

Key project deliverables

Listening to stakeholders

We actively engaged with key university stakeholders including representations from student government, undergraduate admissions, and orientation programs to tailor our communication to attract prospective, new, and current students, gathering valuable insights from these conversations.

The empathy map below captures the sentiments that emerged from a handful of conversations with about eight stakeholders over the course of a year.

74% of college applicants

say that a university's commitment to sustainability to some extent influences their decisions to apply to attend a school, according to an annual survey from the Princeton Review.

PAINS

  • Has a lot to balance with academic and student life; finds sustainability to be pretty low on the list of priorities

  • Doesn't have a lot of time to research and find opportunities to take sustainable action

  • Adjusting to life in a new city

  • Is inundated with information 

GAINS

  • Is part of a community that is dedicated to making sustainable action easy

  • Lives in a city where they are inherently lowering their environmental footprint

  • Learning about sustainability as a part of the overall story of NYU 

SAYS

  • "How do I get involved in sustainability at NYU?"

  • "I don't know what sustainable actions are more impactful."

  • "I'd like to know what NYU is doing to make it easier for me to be sustainable."

  • "I'd be more sustainable if it was easy."

THINKS

  • What are the top actions I can take to be more sustainable?

  • Will my actions make a difference?

  • Is NYU really a sustainable campus?

  • Will being sustainable help me save money?

DOES

  • Googles around for sustainability recommendations.

  • Takes individual actions whenever possible

  • Uses the NYU website to connect with any opportunity to learn about how to get involved 

FEELS

  • Overwhelmed by the amount of information NYU sends and provides

  • Unsure of what sustainable actions are impactful

  • Worried about living on their own in NYC

  • Concerned about school above all else

  • Excited to learn more about what NYU has to offer

Empathy Map

2X THE CLICK RATE

In our newsletters for links to sign up for a program, event, or a resource guide than a news article or announcement.

48% OF SITE VISITOR

navigated to the “Get Involved” page for information on how to take action, according to Google Analytics.

Reacting to the data

Let us point you in the right direction

Based on feedback from our stakeholders, we developed a new site map, where we arranged the hierarchy of information categorically. This way “ACTION” is more easily delineated.

Action Guides

The stakeholder feedback also informed a new way of organizing content. We created audience-specific guides to help visitors navigate the website content by their University affiliation. These guides:
 

  • Make it easy for visitors to find specific and timely information

  • Allow student leaders to more efficiently direct new students to sustainability advice and opportunities

  • Provide information that is unique to living in New York City.

  • Ensure sustainable recommendations also address other student concerns such as afforability and ease.

Results

Within a year of implementing these updates to the design and content of the Office of Sustainability’s website, traffic to engagement-focused and action-oriented content increased 20%. Ongoing conversations and engagement with stakeholders will only continue to ensure the site remains up to date and relevant to those who need and use it most.

bottom of page