Identity Research Labs hero graphic.

Identity Research Lab [ I d R L ] explores how identity takes shape across data, language, interaction, and lived experience. As the lab expanded its work, it became clear they needed a digital space that could hold their ideas, connect projects, and communicate their research in a way that feels accessible and intentional.

This case study walks through how we approached that challenge. Starting with the early signals, the gaps we uncovered, and the decisions that shaped the final website.

Problem

With IdRL's research spread across scattered tools and conversations, it became hard for Dr. Jess to communicate the depth of their work. This section highlights the early friction points and signals that showed the need for a dedicated site to bring their research together.

Outcome

We designed and launched a website that makes it easy for Dr. Jess to communicate their research, share findings, and publish ongoing identity-focused projects in a clear and accessible way.

Role

Product Designer

Strategy, UX, and facilitation

Timeline

Ongoing

Team

  • Cornelious Williams
  • Dr. Jess Westbrook
  • Coraline
IdRL Logo

Identity
Research Lab

Exploring digital identities through design, data, and human connection.

What We Stand For

“We explore the multifaceted dimensions of identity, from individual perceptions to societal constructs, using innovative research methods.”

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Our Why

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Get involved with us!

We are researchers located in Chicago, Illinois!

Lead Researcher

Dr. Jess

Lead Designer

Cornelious Williams

Lead Developer

Coraline

We are dedicated to fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing. Join our community to contribute to cutting-edge research and shape the future of digital identity.

Identity Research Lab

© IdRL 2025

ResearchPhilosophyActivity & OutreachJoin the Lab

Project Overview

Identity Research Lab is a digital space designed to hold complex ideas, connect disparate projects, and communicate research in a way that feels accessible and intentional.

We implemented empathetic interactions that foster transparency, autonomy, and privacy for researchers and participants alike, creating a cohesive ecosystem for identity-focused work.

My Role

I primarily lead the translation of findings into tangible solutions. I was responsible for layouts, design cues, and final visuals.

As UI and Visual Design Lead, my key contributions included transforming research insights into user-friendly designs, structuring screens, and crafting the final look.

Research and discovery

We spent ten weeks identifying who would use this site and how they would engage with the research. The audience ranged from students and faculty to external partners and the broader public, which made accessibility a core requirement rather than a feature. Because this work is meant to be open and usable by everyone, WCAG compliance became a primary design constraint from the beginning.

01 Research & Design

10 weeks identifying who uses the site + how they navigate research. Interviews + IA/content review highlighted friction in findability and accessibility. Audience ranged from students → faculty → public viewers, making WCAG compliance a core requirement, not an add-on.

02 IA & Early Design

Converted dense research content into a clear structure. Built an initial IA + content map, then designed early screens to test layout, spacing, and hierarchy. Prioritized readability, contrast, and scalable components for future publications.

03 Prototyping + Testing

Usability sessions validated navigation and content clarity. Users struggled with labeling + discovery, so we reorganized categories and improved visibility. Findings directly shaped final UX and accessibility decisions.

Problem statement

With IdRL's research spread across scattered tools and conversations, it became hard for Dr. Jess to communicate the depth of their work.

Navigation decisions

Building on the journey map pain points, we restructured navigation so researchers, collaborators, and visitors can jump straight to publications, methods, and people.

Before Image

Before

Research lived across scattered emails, decks, and Drive folders. There was no central place to find or connect these resources, making the full scope of work invisible.

After Image

After

Clear labeling and a lean top-level IA reduced clicks for our primary persona. Complex topics are now scannable, ensuring researchers can find what they need in seconds.

Research categorization

We grouped work by research theme, method, and publication type, so visitors can filter by what they need instead of guessing where content lives.

Before Image

Before

Visitors had to rely on knowing exact project titles or navigating through dense chronological lists, often missing related work entirely.

After Image

After

Each bucket mirrors how the lab actually works, minimizing cognitive load and making it easy to return to artifacts with clear, thematic filtering.

Introducing our persona

We created a persona to ground every design decision in research and clarify who we were designing for. This helped us keep the user's needs at the forefront of the process.

Journey map

We created a customer journey map to align stakeholders and highlight pain points in the current experience. This visualization revealed key opportunities for improvement.

Interaction + UX decisions

With the structure set, we focused on how people move through the site. Each interaction keeps cognitive load low and helps users find what they need without getting lost.

Wireframes to high fidelity

Early wireframes prioritized hierarchy: research first, supporting context second. As we iterated, we kept the layout calm—ample spacing, restrained color, and predictable patterns—so readers could focus on the work, not the interface.

Persona → user flow

For our primary persona, the critical path is: land → scan current research → dive into a publication → download or share. Every decision—nav labels, link density, and content grouping—keeps that path short.

Reducing cognitive load

Plain language labels, consistent spacing, and minimal color keep focus on content. We removed decorative noise and made links obvious so readers never question where to click next.

Interaction rationale

Interactions stay intentional: gentle motion for feedback, no hidden controls, and clear states for hover, focus, and active. When we tested alternatives that added friction, we cut them to preserve clarity.

Visual & brand system

The visual language stays quiet so the research can speak. Below is the brand system with Seabirds typography and the updated palette: pure white, true black, and light gray.

Primary Typography

Aa

Seabirds

Light, Regular, Bold

Heading 01Seabirds Bold · 20pt
Heading 02Seabirds Bold · 16pt
Body 01Seabirds Regular · 16pt
NumbersSeabirds Bold · 40pt

Secondary Typography

Aa

Seabirds

Light, Regular, Bold

Heading 01Seabirds Bold · 20pt
Heading 02Seabirds Bold · 16pt
Body 01Seabirds Regular · 16pt
NumbersSeabirds Bold · 40pt
#FFFFFF
#000000
#D9D9D9

Impact + reflection

We measure success through clarity: how quickly people find what they need, and how confidently they can engage with the research.

Outcomes to track

Time on page, completion of key reads, and publication downloads are the signals for whether the site is doing its job. These will be baseline metrics as more content ships.

Analytics goals

Goals: reduce backtracking, increase research downloads, and raise completion rates on long-form reads. We will validate these once more publications and data are available.

Future iterations

Next steps include richer publication metadata, better cross-linking between projects, and refined filters as the corpus grows.

Reflection

The process reinforced that clear IA and gentle interactions matter more than decorative polish for research-heavy experiences. Keeping the brand quiet let the work lead.