University of Tennessee System Website Redesign

In 2025, the University of Tennessee System redesigned its flagship website to improve usability, clarity and engagement for external audiences while relocating internal-facing content to a separate intranet. The project transformed a fragmented, institution-centric site into a streamlined, user-centered digital platform.

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Project Snapshot

Role

As Assistant Director of Web and Digital Communications, I served as a strategic lead throughout the redesign, guiding research-informed decisions, shaping site structure and content priorities, and supporting implementation and performance measurement.

Project Type

Website Redesign

Partner

NewCity (external digital agency)

Timeline

2024 — May 21, 2025

Audience

Prospective students, families, elected officials, partners

The Challenge

The legacy site contained more than 6,000 public-facing pages organized around internal structure rather than user needs. This resulted in fragmented navigation, inconsistent mobile performance and low engagement across key audiences. Internal and external content also coexisted within the same environment, making it difficult to design clear pathways or measure meaningful user actions.

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Strategic Approach

The redesign followed a data-driven, audience-first strategy that I helped co-lead on behalf of the UT System Division of Communications and Marketing, in close partnership with NewCity. Rather than preserving an outdated architecture, the team made a deliberate decision to separate internal operational content into a new intranet, allowing the public-facing site to be purpose-built for external users.

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Strategy principles included:

  • Research-led decision-making
  • Audience-based content organization
  • Measurement of high-value actions
  • Long-term sustainability over incremental visual updates

From Research to Structure

With direction from NewCity, quantitative analytics were paired with qualitative research methods, including stakeholder interviews, user surveys, first-click testing and task-based usability testing with non-UT participants. Insights from this research directly informed navigation, content hierarchy and page design. More than 6,000 pages were consolidated into approximately 230 public-facing pages organized around five primary sections:

  • About
  • Academics and Student Success
  • Research and Innovation
  • State Impact
A mobile-first, accessibility-conscious approach ensured performance across devices.

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Results

Following the May 21, 2025 launch:

  • Total sessions increased more than 300 percent compared with the same period prior to redesign
  • Engaged sessions more than tripled, indicating sustained interaction
  • Average engagement time increased despite significantly broader reach
  • The UT Promise scholarship page generated 7,100+ eligibility checks and 460 application clicks
  • Consolidation of career-related content increased visibility, with page views rising more than 50 percent
 

These outcomes reflect the effectiveness of research-led strategy, cross-functional collaboration and disciplined execution across the project lifecycle.

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What Made This Project Distinctive

Audience-First by Design:

Facebook was the strongest-performing platform overall, delivering the lowest cost per click ($0.11) and the only confirmed mural submissions. Carousel ads proved especially effective, balancing reach, engagement, and conversion efficiency.

Measurement Maturity:

Instagram generated high engagement through shares and saves—particularly among younger alumni—supporting brand awareness goals. However, lower click-through rates indicated the platform was better suited for visibility than direct action.

Efficient Use of Resources:

LinkedIn ads produced longer dwell times on carousel formats but underperformed in budget efficiency. Geo-targeting constraints limited precision, and reported “conversions” reflected engagement rather than mural submissions.

Lasting Impact and Future Use

The UT System website redesign established a sustainable foundation for future digital growth. Modular design, improved governance and ongoing analytics continue to inform refinements and related initiatives across the system.

Lessons from this project are now being applied to other UT System platforms, reinforcing the role of strategic web design in advancing transparency, public service and statewide engagement.

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