Improving Navigation for the National Center for PTSD
The National Center for PTSD website had grown significantly over time, becoming difficult to navigate for users seeking mental health resources. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was receiving frequent calls from users unable to locate key information.
The VA engaged our team to assess the site’s navigation and content structure and provide recommendations to make it easier for users—particularly veterans and their families—to find relevant support tools and resources independently.
Client: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Role: UX Designer
My Role & Contributions
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Conducted a navigation audit of the existing site structure
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Facilitated stakeholder interviews and heuristic evaluations
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Mapped existing content into logical groupings using card sorting
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Created an improved information architecture (IA) and revised site map
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Delivered low-fidelity navigation wireframes with proposed hierarchy changes
The Process
Discovery & Analysis
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Reviewed user support call data to identify high-friction navigation points
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Performed a content inventory and gap analysis
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Conducted comparative research on similar government and health resource sites
IA Redesign
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Developed a revised sitemap to align with user mental models
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Simplified navigation labels and introduced topic-based grouping
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Recommended a persistent global navigation with audience-specific pathways
Wireframing
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Designed wireframes showcasing the new navigation structure
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Focused on clarity, accessibility, and mobile usability
The Impact
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Reduced user confusion by restructuring over 100+ content items
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Provided clear navigation logic aligned with real user needs
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Helped position the VA team to decrease support call volume and improve self-service access to mental health resources
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Set the foundation for a full site redesign informed by user-centered architecture
