EduHam UX Overhaul: Simplifying Learning, Amplifying Impact
Mission———
The Hamilton Education Program (EduHam) is an initiative by the Gilder Lehrman Institute, Hamilton producers, and the Rockefeller Foundation. It teaches students American history through primary sources and creative projects like songs or poems, inspired by the musical. Initially for Title I schools, it now offers an online curriculum for broader access, helping students connect history with the arts.
Project goals———
The 2023 EduHam website left users frustrated with buried pathways and disorganized resources. In 2024, we set out to rewrite the script for the EduHam online curriculum, beginning with a website design as dynamic and engaging as the show that inspired it. This case study explores the strategy behind creating a more streamlined and visually engaging experience, empowering students and teachers to focus on the materials, rather than the of struggles of trying to find them.
Task
Overhauling the Hamilton Education Program website to streamline the experience for Educators, Students, and the general public.
- The website misses opportunities to incorporate iconography, which would assist users in better contextual interpretation.
- Resources are scattered and deeply buried across the website, organized by content type rather than subject matter. This disorganization not only makes it difficult for users to locate what they need but also disrupts students’ ability to focus, hindering a smooth learning experience.
- Content visibility is the same for all users, regardless of their role as a teacher or student, leading to confusion on content relevance between user groups.
- The platform lacks essential features like an admin center for teachers or a dashboard for students and guardians to track progress and manage tasks.
- The visual design is dull and uninspiring, failing to reflect the passionate and inspirational essence of the Hamilton play. This undermines the perceived quality and integrity of the program.
- Users struggle to navigate and find the resources they need to complete assignments due to the illogical organization of content at the information architecture level.
- The site falls short of meeting 508 compliance standards, despite the brand’s strong potential to uphold accessibility.
Educators
Grade 6–12 educators receive curriculum materials that include primary source documents related to Alexander Hamilton and the Founding Era of the United States. They can use these resources to teach the historical context of Hamilton’s life, the American Revolution, early America, and the broader social and political issues of the time.
Students (Grades 6–12, Ages 11–18)
Students in grades 6–12 conduct research using the primary source documents provided, gaining insights into the historical figures and events depicted in the musical. They then create original performance pieces inspired by the primary source materials they have studied, including songs, rap, poetry, scenes, or other forms of artistic expression.
General Public (Interested Students, Parents of Students, and Potential Educators)
This audience includes prospective students curious about the program, parents seeking enrichment opportunities for their children, and educators exploring how EduHam can enhance their teaching strategies. They rely on the platform for clear, engaging information about the program, its benefits, and how to get involved.
I approached exploring mood board variations with an open mind and genuine eagerness to test the limits of the brand within the given parameters. Embracing the creative challenge, I collaborated closely with the Hamilton branding team to shape a cohesive vision for the next step in the design process. Recognizing that they held the final say in selecting the foundation for the overall UX, we ensured our ideas aligned seamlessly with the brand’s overarching vision while still pushing creative boundaries.
With a clear direction established from the mood boards, I transitioned into the wireframing phase, focusing on translating the brand’s vision into functional and user-centric responsive layouts.
This phase was truly about finding the right balance between creativity and usability. I created wireframes that prioritized key user flows while ensuring consistency with the brand’s aesthetic and objectives. Frequent feedback loops with the client and internal contributing teams was instrumental, enabling me to iterate quickly and refine the designs to the clients liking while maintaining alignment with the overarching UX strategy.
By introducing a restructured navigation system with prominently placed menus dropdowns, and visual aids, the design to reduce the cognitive load, or more directly the recall of information organization for users. E.g., Educators can now navigate directly to teaching resources and lesson plans without needing to sift through unrelated content to find the materials they need to pair with their lessons. For instance, information architecture now allows a teacher preparing a unit on Alexander Hamilton to instantly access primary source materials categorized by topic or era.
For instance, instead of navigating through scattered content based solely on format, students studying the Revolutionary War can now find all relevant materials—videos, documents, and interactive tools—consolidated in one place. This approach ensures a more cohesive and efficient learning experience, tailored to the needs of both the curriculum and the user.
By leveraging role-based account details, we designed tailored interfaces for Educators, Students, and Guardians, presenting each user group with content and tools specific to their needs. Public-facing sections were strategically curated to showcase engaging previews of programs and resources, offering potential new educators and students a glimpse into the platform’s value while ensuring logged-in users have a streamlined and focused experience.
To enhance accessibility and inclusivity for students of all background learning in the US, we introduced multilingual support across the platform. Users can seamlessly toggle between English and Spanish, not only for the web interface but also for downloading and uploading resources. For example, educators can upload lesson plans in either language and download documentation that matches their preferred language, ensuring all users can engage effectively regardless of linguistic preferences.
