Designing a Personalized Homepage Experience for Ivy Tech

Several years after a full website redesign, Ivy Tech partnered with Williams Randall to refresh the look and feel of their site to better reflect who they are today. Rather than starting with aesthetics alone, we began by stepping back and asking a more fundamental question: Who is the homepage really for—and how can it better support their needs?

What we quickly confirmed through research and analytics is that Ivy Tech’s homepage serves two very different audiences. Prospective students visit less frequently, but the homepage plays a critical role in guiding them toward key conversion goals like applications, requests for information, and class registration. Current students, on the other hand, return often with a very different mindset—seeking fast, efficient access to tools and information they already know they need.

The original homepage attempted to serve all audiences simultaneously, which meant it didn’t fully support either experience. Our solution was to personalize the homepage itself: creating two versions of the page—one designed to support the prospective student journey, and another tailored to current students’ most frequent tasks.

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  Prospective Student Homepage

A Homepage Designed Around the Prospective Student Journey

With the primary version of the homepage, we focused on guiding prospective students through a clear, supportive journey—from exploration, to application, to envisioning their future at Ivy Tech.

At the top of the page, the experience is centered on exploration. User research revealed that program filters and popular program links were among the most heavily used elements of the existing homepage, so we preserved quick access to those tools. We also learned that uncertainty about what to study is one of the biggest barriers to higher education, second only to cost. To address that, we introduced a highly visual way for students to explore programs by field of interest, making discovery feel less overwhelming and more intuitive.

The next stage of the journey focuses on applying. To reduce friction and build confidence, we included scannable steps that clearly outline the process from application through class registration, helping prospective students understand that getting started is both achievable and straightforward. Research also showed that at key moments, students want reassurance from a real person. To support that need, we incorporated a clear path to connect with a local representative for guidance or next steps.

Finally, the homepage helps prospective students envision themselves at Ivy Tech. Large, authentic photography showcases programs, classrooms, interactions with faculty, and student life. Paired with these visuals, we highlight four core benefits—Quality Programs, Affordable Tuition, Personal Attention, and Flexible Schedules—to reinforce Ivy Tech’s value and help students imagine what success could look like for them.

Supporting Current Students Through Personalization

While prospective students drive the primary goals of the homepage, current students represent a smaller but far more frequent audience. To support their needs without competing with the prospective student journey, we created a cookie-based alternate version of the homepage tailored specifically to current students.

This version prioritizes quick access to the tools and content students use most often, enabling self-service and efficiency. By separating these experiences, the homepage can work harder for both audiences—supporting conversion goals for prospective students while making everyday tasks easier for current ones.

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Refreshing the Look and Feel Through Research and Testing

Stylistically, we aimed to make Ivy Tech’s homepage feel contemporary, welcoming, and reflective of the breadth of opportunities available. We modernized the design and incorporated photography and video throughout the page to help students see themselves at Ivy Tech and imagine future careers.

We also introduced subtle motion through scroll animations and hover interactions to add visual interest without distraction. Because research and analytics guide everything we do, we developed two distinct homepage design concepts and tested them alongside the existing site. This user testing allowed us to understand what resonated most across design, content hierarchy, and functionality. The final homepage combines the strongest-performing elements from each concept, resulting in a design shaped directly by user feedback.

A Stronger First Impression—for Every Audience

Through close collaboration with Ivy Tech, insights from user research, and thoughtful design iteration, we created a personalized homepage experience that better reflects how real people use the site. The result is a stronger first impression for prospective students—one that guides them confidently toward becoming an Ivy Tech student—while also delivering a faster, more efficient experience for current students.

By recognizing that one homepage doesn’t have to serve everyone in the same way, Ivy Tech is now better positioned to support its audiences where they are, with what they need most.