​The Challenge

Aetna’s public-facing website presented several UX challenges:

• Disorganized navigation

• Inconsistent visual branding

• Difficulty accessing key features like plan information and member login

These issues created friction for users—particularly new visitors—trying to explore healthcare plans or manage their accounts.

 

Objectives

• Streamline navigation for top user tasks (e.g., “Find a Plan,” “Log In,” “Get Help”)

• Establish a more cohesive visual system aligned with Aetna’s brand

• Improve accessibility to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards

• Deliver a responsive, modern prototype demonstrating UX best practices

 

Research & Discovery

I reviewed six competitor sites (including Sutter Health, Kaiser Permanente, and UnitedHealthcare) to analyze:

• Navigation clarity

• Visual hierarchy and CTAs

• Layout spacing and accessibility

• Brand consistency

This inspired a visual library and content audit to guide the redesign.

​

UX Design Process

Information Architecture

• Reorganized site structure to prioritize key user flows

• Grouped content under intuitive categories: Members, Plans, Support

Wireframing & UI Design

• Created responsive wireframes using Figma

• Applied Aetna’s purple + white brand palette with accessible contrast

• Designed reusable UI components for consistency and scalability

Accessibility Enhancements

• Chose legible typography and high-contrast colors

• Designed for keyboard navigation and clear focus states

• Used proper semantic hierarchy for screen readers

​

Outcome & Results

• Reduced navigation complexity by 30%

• Delivered a clickable Figma prototype (mobile + desktop)

• Created a scalable component library

• Improved task clarity in feedback from 3 informal user tests

• Designed a clean, accessible, brand-aligned experience

​

Reflection

This project sharpened my ability to align brand consistency with user-centered design. It taught me how to elevate trust, clarity, and accessibility in the healthcare space—balancing thoughtful design with real user needs.