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ECPAT-USA
UX & Accessibility Redesign
With a mission as serious as child trafficking prevention, information shouldn't be hard to find. This project focused on improving clarity, navigation, and accessibility to help users quickly locate the resources they need.​
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By refining the site's structure and current flow, we aimed to make an already impactful organization even more effective online.
Project Overview
TL;DR Edition
Team: Cross-functional externship team
Duration: 8 weeks
ECPAT-USA is a nonprofit organization working to end the sexual exploitation of children. This project focused on improving usability, accessibility, and content structure to help partners, stakeholders, and advocates quickly find critical resources.
ECPAT’s website contained essential resources, but usability and accessibility issues made it harder for users, especially partners and administrators, to navigate content, access restricted information, and complete key tasks efficiently.
UX Designer / Web Extern
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Conducted usability and accessibility evaluations
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Designed and implemented user-centered website improvements in WordPress, balancing accessibility, security, and organizational needs
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Collaborated with stakeholders to balance user needs, security, and organizational goals
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Usability testing and WCAG-focused accessibility audits
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User flow analysis for partner access and registration
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Wireframing and iterative design improvements
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Implementation and validation through testing
Improved website clarity, accessibility, and user flows, resulting in a more inclusive and efficient experience for partners accessing sensitive resources and administrators managing approvals.
This project deepened my understanding of accessibility as a core UX responsibility, especially in mission-driven work, and highlighted the importance of designing secure, user-friendly systems that serve diverse user needs.
Now... To make a short story long
Project Overview
ECPAT-USA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children from sexual exploitation through prevention, education, and advocacy. This project was completed through the Rutgers MBS Externship and focused on improving the website’s usability and accessibility to better support partners, stakeholders, and internal administrators.
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The existing site housed critical information and restricted resources. Still, usability challenges and accessibility gaps made key tasks, such as navigating content and requesting partner access, less efficient and more time-consuming than they needed to be.
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This project blended UX design, accessibility auditing, and usability testing to create a more inclusive, secure, and efficient web experience aligned with ECPAT-USA’s mission.
The Problem
Key information on ECPAT-USA’s website wasn’t always easy to access when users needed it most. Navigation friction, inconsistent labeling, and accessibility gaps made routine tasks, like finding resources or requesting partner access, more time-consuming than expected. For a mission-driven organization working with sensitive content, these barriers risked slowing down people doing critical work.
My Role
I worked on usability, accessibility, and workflow improvements for ECPAT-USA’s website, supporting a mission-driven organization with complex content and privacy considerations.
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Key Contributions:
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Led usability evaluations and WCAG-focused accessibility audits to identify barriers impacting navigation and task completion
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Designed and implemented UX improvements in WordPress, prioritizing clarity, accessibility, and intuitive navigation
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Created and refined secure partner access and registration flows, balancing ease of use with organizational privacy needs
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Collaborated closely with stakeholders and administrators to align solutions with real-world workflows and constraints
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Validated design decisions through testing, iterating based on user feedback and accessibility best practices
Tools Used
Tools used throughout the Rutgers MBS externship to research, design, and implement UX improvements.
Key Contributions
Partner Registration & Access –
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Designed and implemented a “Become a Partner” request flow that allowed users to apply for access to restricted research materials. Admins received instant notifications, could approve requests with one click, and authorized partners were automatically sent login instructions.
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Impact: Streamlined a previously confusing approval process, saving time and reducing friction for both partners and administrators.
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Content Control & Navigation –
Set up permission-based access so only approved partners could view sensitive materials. Logged-in users were redirected to a centralized Research Presentations hub, eliminating unnecessary searching and dead ends.
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Impact: Partners could immediately find the content they were approved for, improving efficiency and reducing support requests.
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Accessibility Improvements –
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Conducted accessibility audits using Axe DevTools and the NVDA screen reader, addressing issues such as color contrast, heading hierarchy, ambiguous link text, and missing landmarks. Ensured updates aligned more closely with WCAG standards.
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Impact: Improved usability for assistive technology users and created a more inclusive, consistent experience for users with visual and cognitive disabilities.
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Usability Refinements –
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Analyzed usability feedback collected through Optimal Workshop to identify where users struggled to locate information or understand next steps. Reorganized content, simplified navigation paths, and clarified instructions related to partner access.
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Impact: Reduced confusion during key tasks and helped users move through the site with greater confidence and clarity.
​Thank You
For viewing my work with ECPAT-USA!
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Working on a mission-driven nonprofit challenged me to think beyond aesthetics and focus on clarity, accessibility, and real-world impact. This project deepened my understanding of designing for diverse users, especially when content is sensitive, restricted, or time-critical.
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Through accessibility audits, usability evaluations, and collaboration with stakeholders, I learned how thoughtful structure and inclusive design can directly support trust and usability. It reinforced the importance of balancing user needs, organizational goals, and accessibility standards in a real production environment.
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This experience strengthened my belief that good UX is responsible UX, and that design has the power to make meaningful information easier and safer to access.