A full usability study and redesign of AZFriends.org — identifying friction in adoption, donation, and volunteer flows, then redesigning to increase conversions and emotional connection.
AZFriends.org is a volunteer-based nonprofit dedicated to rescuing and rehoming animals in Gilbert, AZ. The site serves as the primary tool for donations, adoptions, and volunteer recruitment — but usability issues were limiting user efficiency and reducing conversions. I conducted a full UX audit across the site using heuristic evaluation, user surveys, and task-based usability testing, then redesigned the highest-impact areas.
To evaluate AZFriends.org's usability I combined multiple research methods to get both behavioral and attitudinal data — understanding not just what users did, but why they struggled.
Three core task scenarios were tested: Volunteer Flow — locate and sign up for a shift; Adoption Flow — find pet details and review adoption requirements; Donation Flow — navigate donation options and understand fund use.
The research surfaced a clear pattern: users trusted and liked AZFriends as an organization — but the website created unnecessary friction at every critical conversion point. 80% trusted the org but 60% still wouldn't return without UX improvements.
Each recommendation was prioritized by severity and impact on conversion — directly tied to the usability findings from testing.
The redesigned homepage introduced a cleaner hero, improved navigation structure, clear CTAs for adoption and volunteering, and a contact section — all in a warmer, more emotionally engaging visual system.
This project reinforced how much UX friction can undermine genuine user intent. People came to AZFriends.org already motivated — to adopt, donate, volunteer. The website was the barrier. By fixing navigation consistency, restructuring pet profiles, adding meaningful filters, and clarifying the donation flow, every change directly translated to fewer abandoned sessions and more successful adoptions. It's one of the most meaningful problem spaces I've worked in — where good UX has a direct real-world impact on animal welfare.