redesign & development of key signposting page

uncovering pain points

The page consisted of an Airtable database embedly directly onto the page and invisible filters, meaning users couldn't find events and training programs they would consider attending or applying to.

To uncover less obvious pain points that users were having, I wrote a user testing script and recruited four participants from the two user groups that are likely to use the page most.

Orienters

early-stage in their interest in AI safety, building a mental model of the field

Explorers

looking for specific opportunities in the field such as jobs

7 key findings

1. The page is overwhelming for orienters and invisible content causes drop-off
2. Category labels are unclear to orienters
3. Location filtering is a critical unmet need for orienters and explorers
4. The Airtable embed creates significant UX friction
5. Application status accuracy and data freshness are essential for creating trust
6. Key decision information is missing from listings
7. Users are not using filters for various reasons

Beyond these findings, the team sent me various pieces of feedback they had collected, and I used Claude to bring together all of the findings into a Design Requirements document which could be referred to throughout the design process.

data-driven design

The hero section tells users what they can expect to find on the page and includes a link to the training page which was previously combined with this one.

Improved newsletter form so that users don't need to click away from the page to sign up.

Cards from the site's existing design system that include key practical information, with a simplified event category taxonomy that reduces confusion.

Featured events for orienters to reduce overwhelm and help with building a mental model of the field.

Search and filter that prioritise location and application status, found to be most important in user interviews.

Less prominent CTAs are deprioritised and placed in the sidebar, allowing power users to find them without distracting first-time visitors.

Event types are colour-coded, making it easier for users to find what they're interested in.