How I designed a scalable content system from scratch to serve three distinct user segments simultaneously — reaching 168,000+ interactions through research-driven, data-informed design.
MIT Solve connects social entrepreneurs with the resources they need to drive global change — from education access in prisons to affordable autism therapy to assistive technology for the visually impaired. But the innovators and their work were complex, technical, and deeply contextual. The challenge was making their stories accessible and compelling to three very different audiences simultaneously.
There was no existing content framework. No templates, no editorial guidelines, no established voice. I was building the entire content strategy from scratch — figuring out how to tell stories that would educate the general public, inspire fellow innovators, and give donors confidence that their investment was creating real impact.
I started by mapping the three user segments and their distinct needs. The general public needed context and emotional connection — they didn't know what assistive technology for the visually impaired even looked like. Innovators needed validation and visibility — proof that their work mattered. Donors needed evidence of impact — concrete outcomes that justified continued investment.
Using this analysis, I designed a content architecture that layered information: lead with the human story (for everyone), build in the technical innovation (for innovators), and close with measurable impact (for donors). One experience, three user segments served.
Each piece required deep research and a founder interview. I developed a repeatable research framework that extracted the right information for all three user layers: the personal origin story, the technical approach, and the impact data. This framework ensured consistency across 3+ pieces per month while allowing each story to feel unique and authentic.
I applied progressive disclosure principles to the content structure. Complex topics like prison education technology or AI-powered Braille displays were introduced through the founder's personal journey first — building empathy and context before introducing technical concepts. This mirrors the UX principle of reducing cognitive load by revealing complexity gradually.
For example, the piece on UnlockED didn't start with "learning management systems in correctional facilities." It started with Jessica Hicklin being sentenced to life at age 16 and teaching herself to code without internet access. By the time users reached the technical details, they cared.
I built an analytics framework across 5 platforms, tracking 50+ metrics to understand what content resonated with which user segment. I ran A/B tests on headlines, formats, and distribution timing — then used the data to iterate on the design strategy. This wasn't just publishing; it was a continuous feedback loop between design decisions and user behavior.
Every piece opened with the founder's personal journey — not the product or the data. This created an emotional entry point that worked for all three user segments, regardless of their technical background.
Rather than creating separate content for each segment, I designed a layered architecture: narrative hook (public), technical depth (innovators), impact evidence (donors). Users naturally self-selected the depth they needed.
I built a structured interview guide that consistently extracted origin story, innovation details, and impact metrics from every founder. This ensured quality and consistency at scale — 3+ pieces per month without sacrificing depth.
Content wasn't a one-way broadcast. The analytics framework I built turned every piece into a design research opportunity — what headlines worked, which stories drove donor engagement, where users dropped off. Each insight fed back into the next design decision.
Interactions across social platforms
Articles published per month
Social platforms with integrated analytics
Reduction in reporting time through automated KPI tracking
This project shaped how I think about product design at its most fundamental level. Every piece was essentially a micro-experience — taking someone from "I know nothing about prison education technology" to "I understand why this matters and how it works" in a 5-minute interaction. The principles are the same whether you're designing a product feature or a content experience: know your users, scaffold the complexity, lead with relevance, and measure what works.
Working at MIT Solve also deepened my commitment to accessible design. Writing about innovators building assistive technology for the visually impaired, education tools for incarcerated populations, and therapy kits for children with autism reinforced that good design meets people where they are — not where we assume they should be.