Key Achievements:

• Consolidated and optimized two competing websites while maintaining distinct purpose
• Created clear user pathways for both sustainability champions and casual visitors
• Developed scalable templates now used by other USC departments
• Established new information architecture that became a university standard

What is Sustainability at USC? 

The University of Southern California is a leader in education, athletics, and — more recently — sustainability. They’ve woven their commitment to an eco-friendly campus throughout the institution, from LEED-certified buildings and innovative research to community outreach and individual efforts championing the cause.

The Challenge 

While USC's sustainability efforts gained traction, the Office of Sustainability embraced experimentation and iteration — however, this rapid growth led to an unexpected challenge: the sprawling influx of content left their digital presence fragmented and confusing. Two separate websites, green.usc.edu and sustainability.usc.edu, were serving nearly identical functions. Meanwhile, the Communications team was planning a high-level sustainability section on www.usc.edu to showcase their latest achievements. This growth was admirable, but not sustainable enough to attract and retain users.

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The Ask 

I was brought in to bring clarity to these digital spaces, optimizing them for everyone from dedicated researchers to curious visitors. The first priority? Understanding how these tools evolved and why they existed in their current form. This meant diving deep into the technical infrastructure, user behavior, and organizational needs that had shaped this digital landscape.

Embracing Constraints 

When first approaching this project, the obvious solution seemed to be consolidation — merge everything into a single, comprehensive sustainability website. However, due to technical and organizational constraints, neither site could be fully deprecated and the to-be-launched high-level page on the main USC site would also remain. While this initially appeared to be a limitation, it became an opportunity to think differently about content organization against rigid guidelines.

Instead of fighting against this structure, I saw an opportunity to leverage the distinct spaces it required. Sustainability permeates so many aspects of USC’s culture and operations that the existence of two separate domains, and even the third high-level space, could actually serve our users better than a single consolidated site depending on the intent and enthusiasm of our audiences. This realization led to a key insight: not all content serves the same purpose, and not all users approach our content with the same level of engagement.

This insight aligned perfectly with my thoughts around spectral design — addressing both power users and casual visitors first, then letting the middle-funnel audience draft off of these targeted experiences. By maintaining two distinct but interconnected sites, I could create tailored user journeys that better served users at both ends of the engagement spectrum:

• Casual visitors could quickly find basic information on and simple actions to contribute to sustainability efforts at USC
• Power users and true believers could access deep data and comprehensive resources with a handful of clicks
• Each site could be designed and optimized for its specific audiences without compromising the other's experience

First Principles Approach 

After mapping the structure of both sites, conducting stakeholder interviews across the university, and analyzing the performance metrics of existing pages and services, a clear path forward emerged.

Instead of forcing consolidation, I could leverage the natural separation between core and adjacent content to create two distinct but complementary digital spaces:

• sustainability.usc.edu became the main gateway for sustainability practices at USC. Here, students, faculty, and staff can access essential tools, current news, and actionable steps to contribute toward USC's sustainability goals as defined in the university’s Assignment: Earth plan.‍
• green.usc.edu transformed into an ideal home for sustainability-adjacent content and deep dives into campus data. It now hosts a comprehensive Green Directory, Sustainability Course Finder, Research Finder, and Data Hub — resources that support the individual while enhancing the core sustainability mission.

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Implementation Strategy 

The new information architecture clearly delineates between two tiers of involvement:

Primary Site (sustainability.usc.edu):

• Core sustainability initiatives and programs
• Direct action items and engagement opportunities
• Latest news and updates
• Primary tools and resources

Secondary Site (green.usc.edu):

• Comprehensive data and research tools
• Sustainability-adjacent programs
• Collaboration opportunities
• Deep-dive resources

This natural separation created a clear hierarchy while maintaining accessibility for all users. The design process wasn't just about organizing content, it was about creating intuitive pathways that would serve all types of visitors effectively. And, with this streamlined approach, the high-level main site page featured clear pathways to highlight efforts and resources while promoting big wins in the “green” space. 

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Results and Impact 

The transformation went beyond mere reorganization. In addition to increasing user traffic by 34%, I:

• Established clear user journeys to encourage varying levels of engagement
• Created Wordpress templates that became the standard across USC departments
• Built comprehensive resource centers serving diverse needs
• Improved engagement metrics across all user segments
• Simplified content management and workflows for the sustainability team

Key Insights

• Constraints often lead to innovative solutions. By embracing the technical limitation of maintaining two sites, we discovered a more effective way to serve our users.
• Meeting users at both ends of the engagement spectrum creates a more inclusive and effective digital experience.
• Sometimes the best approach isn't consolidation, but thoughtful separation. By embracing the natural division between core and adjacent content, we created a more intuitive experience that served all users better.

Looking Forward 

The design templates and information architecture developed for this project have become a model and starting point for many other USC departments, demonstrating how thoughtful digital design can scale beyond its original purpose and how turning constraints into opportunities can create more effective digital experiences.

Ready to talk about how these principles could transform your digital presence? Contact me at the link below.