Robert Ferguson Observatory
Improving navigation and visual clarity for an observatory website
Role
Product Designer
Team
3 Designers
4 Devs
1 PM
skills
Design Systems
User Testing
Visual Design
Timeline
May - Aug 2025
Introduction
The Robert Ferguson Observatory is a nonprofit with over 10,000 annual website visitors
The observatory, also known as RFO, is dedicated to promoting public science and astronomy education through a variety of astronomy-related programs such as events, volunteer opportunities, and ticketed experiences.
Problem
Unintuitive navigation and lack of visual appeal weaken the observatory’s mission
Key flows took too many clicks
Finding events, becoming a volunteer, and becoming a member were too difficult
Lacked the "magic" of the universe
Deliver the kind of "wow" factor the observatory's mission calls for
RFO's website prior to the redesign
Solution Preview
14+ unique screens across desktop and mobile
The process
Communicating ideas to the client in clear, non-technical language
Show, not tell
Easier to express ideas visually than verbally
Options > Open-ended
Presenting options makes it easier for clients to decide
