A research-driven redesign that transforms MSU’s digital display into an intuitive, accessible experience.

MSU students walked by the library's digital display every day without understanding it functioned as an interactive screen. Students thought it was just a poster. The widespread lack of understanding about the display's interactive nature led to complete failure during the first round of testing. The MainMSU interface redesign aimed to make interactions clear while providing easy navigation and accessibility features which transformed an unused screen into a functional student tool.

Project Type: MSU Library Interface Redesign
Role: Experience Researcher & Designer — led research-driven redesign
Duration: January 2023 - May 2023
Tools: Figma

Introduction

Students walked past the digital display in MSU’s Main Library every day — but few ever touched it. Most assumed it was just a static poster. One student even said, "I thought this was just a poster," before walking away. That moment stuck with us. If students didn’t even know the kiosk was interactive, how could it possibly serve its purpose? design features, and streamlined content to enhance usability and guide behavior more effectively.

I led the redesign of the MainMSU interface to solve this problem. Our goal was to turn a forgotten screen into a helpful, accessible touchpoint for students navigating campus life.


Research

To understand where things were going wrong, we used a layered research approach:
Heuristic Evaluation
Competitive Analysis
User Interviews

Insights

Three key findings shaped the redesign:

  1. Perceived as Non-Interactive: No visual affordances led users to treat it like a poster
  2. Navigation Confusion: Users couldn’t access more than one location or task
  3. Accessibility Gaps: No audio or contrast tools for users with different needs
Design Principles

These insights informed our guiding principles:

  1. Make Interactivity Obvious: Use prompts, idle animations, and touch cues
  2. Provide Guided Navigation: Simplify paths using a tappable map and back/home structure
  3. Design for Inclusivity: Implement contrast modes, scalable text, and audio narration
How might we design the Main Library display so that it clearly signals interactivity and helps every visitor find what they need without confusion?
Design Process

Iteration 1: Wireframes

  • Created low-fidelity layouts (Map, Hours, News)
  • Users still didn’t engage — validated need for interaction cues
Iteration 2: Interactive Prototype
  • Added “Touch Here to Begin” banner and idle animations
  • Introduced tappable map and navigation flows
  • Testing showed increased engagement and deeper interaction
Iteration 3: Accessibility Refinement
  • Added high-contrast toggle, audio narration, larger fonts
  • Removed distractions like social icons
  • Final prototype was clear, focused, and inclusive
Results

Our final solution is expected to:

Reflection & Next Steps

Lessons Learned:

This project reminded me that great UX isn't just about design — it's about reducing friction, guiding behavior, and making sure users know when (and how) to interact.

zaydalghaza@gmail.com