RSPCA
Redesigned RSPCA Australia’s KnowledgeBase
Year
2025
Timeline
7 Weeks
Category
NGO
Service
UX Design
Goal
The RSPCA is Australia’s leading animal welfare charity. However, their Knowledge Base (KB) functioned more as a static archive than a dynamic resource. The mission was to transform this "encyclopedia" into a user-centric digital ecosystem that empowers pet owners and animal lovers with actionable, trustworthy advice.
Result
I have organized the necessary redesign features into three critical focus areas: - Authority Building trust by including the About Author Card and a Fact-Checked Label on articles. - Navigation Ensuring effortless exploration with Filter/Sort By options, a Floating "Top" Button for long articles, and Side-by-Side Nav to clearly connect the KB and the main site. - Seamless Discovery Driving deeper engagement through AI Summaries, Interactive Quizzes, and a Newsletter Subscription option.
Strategic Reframing (The "What-How-Why")
To frame the challenge before designing anything, I used the What-How-Why framework based on the project brief and stakeholder interview: - WHAT: Retain visitors, cross-promote related content, and establish RSPCA as a trusted, authoritative source. - HOW: Make navigation clearer and more intuitive so users can explore content effortlessly. - WHY: Make the site feel resourceful, trustworthy, and worth coming back to.
Research & Discovery
I used four research methods to ground the redesign in real evidence before designing anything. 1. Prior Research Findings Existing data and two previous design studies (Victoria Tran, Trudi Adams) revealed consistent patterns: - Google Analytics showed: 60% of users access the site on mobile, Average engagement time: just 30 seconds, High traffic with low conversion to returning users - UX Research showed: Users skim quickly and leave — no emotional moment to make them stay, Navigation leads to dead ends with no clear next step, Help is hidden: tone and vocabulary don't reflect how users actually think. 2. Competitive Analysis Three platforms analysed to identify gaps: - Asia for Animals Coalition: strong mega-menu, multi-language support - Animal Welfare Toolbox: expert credibility, downloadable resources with previews - World Animal Protection: age-targeted content, strong visual engagement 3. Heuristic Evaluation Current KnowledgeBase assessed across three usability dimensions: - Consistency & Standards: navigation unclear and inconsistent - Flexibility & Efficiency: no filtering or shortcuts for different user needs - Aesthetic & Minimalist Design: cluttered layout, poor scannability on mobile These four methods together defined what needed to change — and why.
Defining the "Three Lenses" (Design Principles)
To guide the redesign, I established three fundamental pillars: - Authority: Showing expertise through verified labels and author credentials. - Navigation: Ensuring the user never feels lost, regardless of the device. - Seamless Discovery: Encouraging "Information Grazing" where users naturally move from one topic to the next.
Home & Navigation
- Folder/Tab-Style Menu: Implemented a dual-navigation system for seamless switching between the main RSPCA site and the Knowledge Base. - Clear Introduction: Added a distinct KB introduction and kept the search function visible for instant utility.
Information Architecture (IA) Overhaul
I restructured the content hierarchy to prioritize Scannability. - Outcome: Implemented an icon-based grid system for the homepage and a clear "Document Type" tagging system (Video, Article, PDF). - Impact: This allows users to filter content based on their preferred learning style and urgency.
Advanced Drop-Down Menu
- Accessibility: Ensured the search page can be accessed from any point in the user journey. - Engagement Hooks: Integrated the Quiz feature and links to the Adoption page directly within the navigation to drive user action.
Optimized Search & Filtering
- Customisable Category View: Users can now sort results by "Newest," "Most Popular," or "Recommended" based on their personal priorities. - Downloadable Documents: Included visual previews of PDF reports so users understand the format and content before downloading.
Article Scannability
- Quick Access: Added clickable table of contents for direct navigation within long-form articles. - AI-Generated Summaries: Introduced short AI summaries and a floating "Top" button to significantly improve scannability on mobile devices.
Building Trust & Engagement, Gamified Learning & Future Impact
Reflection & Mentor Evaluation
Mentor evaluations highlighted strengths in Synthesis, Resourcefulness, Presentation, and Empathy — reflecting Midweight-level design capabilities. Looking back, the strategic framing and research foundation were strong. If I had more time, I would have validated the redesign through usability testing with real users — particularly pet owners in urgent situations, where finding the right information quickly matters most. The next step would be measuring whether the design decisions actually reduce time-to-find-information on mobile, where 60% of users are.
