Child health & development Institute

Simplifying access to complex children’s mental health research

Overview

CHDI’s website contained a deep body of research - but its structure made the information difficult to scan, trust, and use. We redesigned the experience to simplify complex content, clarify the organization’s work, and position CHDI as a credible leader in children’s mental health.

My role

Lead UX/UI Designer
UX Strategy

Information Architecture
Design Systems
Stakeholder Collaboration

Deliverables

UX Design
UI Design
Information Architecture
UX Strategy

The Problem

Over time, CHDI’s website had grown into a complex system of pages, publications, and program descriptions maintained by multiple contributors.


The result was a fragmented experience that made it difficult for users to quickly understand CHDI’s work or navigate the site with confidence.

Key challenges:

  • Dense, text-heavy pages that increased cognitive load

  • A sprawling site structure with unclear hierarchy

  • Publications presented as a large archive with little guidance

  • Important actions buried within long blocks of content

  • A visual design that no longer reflected CHDI’s credibility as a research leader



Over time, CHDI’s website had grown into a complex system of pages, publications, and program descriptions maintained by multiple contributors.


The result was a fragmented experience that made it difficult for users to quickly understand CHDI’s work or navigate the site with confidence.

Key challenges:

  • Dense, text-heavy pages that increased cognitive load

  • A sprawling site structure with unclear hierarchy

  • Publications presented as a large archive with little guidance

  • Important actions buried within long blocks of content

  • A visual design that no longer reflected CHDI’s credibility as a research leader



Old Site

Key contributions

  • Reduced cognitive load through simplified navigation, clearer hierarchy, and scannable layouts

  • Improved discoverability of research and tools by reframing publications as a structured Resource Library

  • Stronger credibility through modern UI, consistent templates, and visible impact content

  • Introduced a clear CTA strategy to guide visitors toward key actions

  • Designed a modular, scalable design system that supports ongoing content growth

the most important design decision

Reducing Cognitive Load

We didn’t simplify the work. We simplified access to it.

The Outcome

A clearer, more modern digital experience that reduces cognitive load, makes resources easier to discover, strengthens credibility, and creates clear pathways for learning, partnership, and engagement.

© 2026

All Rights Reserved

© 2026

All Rights Reserved

© 2026

All Rights Reserved

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