Reflection
This project demonstrated how strong information architecture can transform a brand’s storytelling potential. By grounding the redesign in user journeys, accessibility, and semantic structure, you helped Milk.org evolve from a static information site into a dynamic, user-centered digital platform celebrating Ontario dairy.
Client: Dairy Farmers of Ontario (milk.org)
Role: Senior Information Architect | Agency: No Fixed Address
Project Overview
Milk.org, the public-facing brand of Dairy Farmers of Ontario, needed a complete redesign of its digital presence to better connect with consumers, farmers, and industry stakeholders. The project’s goal was to modernize the site’s information architecture, improve accessibility, and establish a more engaging brand narrative that celebrates Ontario dairy while providing clear, usable content pathways for multiple audiences.
The Challenge
The existing Milk.org website had grown over time into a fragmented experience. Content was buried under inconsistent navigation, accessibility compliance was limited, and mobile usability was poor. The site also needed to serve three distinct audiences — consumers, educators, and farmers — each with different goals and content needs. The challenge was to rebuild the site’s structure and content model from the ground up, ensuring users could intuitively find information while reflecting the warmth and authenticity of Ontario’s dairy community.
My Role & Contributions
As the lead Information Architect and UX strategist, I was responsible for the discovery, structure, and usability foundation of the redesign:
- Discovery & Research
- Conducted stakeholder workshops with marketing, communications, and farmer representatives to define content priorities and KPIs.
- Analyzed site analytics, user feedback, and competitor benchmarks to identify high-value user journeys and pain points.
- Information Architecture & Content Strategy
- Designed a new site map and navigation framework optimized for both public storytelling and functional search.
- Created detailed taxonomy and metadata models for recipes, educational content, and sustainability initiatives.
- Defined content hierarchy and labeling systems to simplify readability and meet AODA/WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards.
- Wireframes & Prototypes
- Developed low- and mid-fidelity wireframes in Axure and Sketch to visualize structure, responsive layouts, and content blocks.
- Validated early concepts through internal and stakeholder feedback sessions.
- Collaboration & Handoff
- Partnered closely with creative directors, designers, and developers to ensure the IA supported visual storytelling and brand tone.
- Documented the information architecture, interaction flows, and accessibility guidelines for design and content teams.
- Mentored junior designers on accessibility and navigation best practices.
Outcomes & Impact
- Delivered a completely restructured and accessible website architecture aligned with Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s brand vision.
- Improved content findability and search efficiency through a cleaner taxonomy and simplified navigation paths.
- Created a scalable IA foundation that supports future content growth and campaigns.
- The new design improved mobile engagement and accessibility compliance, reinforcing Milk.org’s commitment to inclusive digital communication.
