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Overview

Challenge

Client interview

The counselor expressed the need for a landing page that clearly presented her counseling services and background, with a pathway directing potential clients to her SimplePractice portal for session booking. She emphasized a desire for a calm yet reassuring aesthetic tailored specifically to veterans and mental health. She had a week to launch the site.

I began by researching accessibility needs common to veterans and mental health clients. I followed this with a brief competitive analysis of similar counseling websites, utilizing these insights to prompt Relume’s AI to generate a user-focused page hierarchy, which I refined with a calming veneer that reflects the client’s vision.

Solution

Research

veteran disabilities

Hearing loss is the most common service-connected disability among veterans, with over 2.3 million receiving VA disability compensation for it as of 2023; additionally, more than 2.7 million veterans are compensated for tinnitus, a condition that frequently accompanies hearing loss.

Approximately 30% of veterans with service-connected disabilities report mobility limitations, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Among veterans who utilize VA healthcare services, PTSD prevalence is notably higher than in the general population, with approximately 13% experiencing current PTSD and 23% having had PTSD at some point in their lives.

Research conducted per ChatGPT* and interview with Client

Research conducted with ChatGPT* and interview with Client

competitive analysis

I conducted a competitive analysis of five websites: the Wounded Warrior Project, Gary Sinise Foundation, two counseling service landing pages, and a wellness center. These sites offered a focused view of veteran-centered and wellness-driven experiences. The analysis revealed gaps in accessibility, overwhelming option sets, inconsistent button navigation, and limited support for users with cognitive or motor impairments. These insights informed opportunities to create a more streamlined, inclusive, visually distinctive experience.

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wireframes

Wire-framing with Relume

I used a Role-Task-Format (RTF) prompt to guide Relume’s AI in generating the initial site structure and wireframe for the main page. After reviewing the output, I tailored the sitemap, rearranged key elements and feature components, then moved into building the design system and refining styles and copy.

AI Integration

color palette

For my mockup, I selected a muted version of the soft, warm tones from the Riverstone Wellness brand logo to create a calming, distinct visual identity. This palette contrasts with the rich, energetic hues used by similar sites, offering a more grounded feel. In addition, chose ivory and darker tones for foreground and background to avoid the starkness of black and white, reinforcing a gentle aesthetic.

optionality

I limited the number of button types to maintain clarity while ensuring they were rounded rather than rectangular to avoid visually harsh elements. Each button exceeded the recommended size of 180 by 50 px for easy visibility and touch accessibility. Clear interaction states, such as hover and press feedback, were built into the design system to enhance usability

accessibility

I applied a clear heading hierarchy to support keyboard navigation and screen reader use. Autoplay videos were avoided to reduce cognitive load and potential triggers, as seen on the current Gary Sinise Foundation site. Stable, rounded shapes were used to convey balance while still guiding the user through the experience, creating a calm, accessible layout that supports intuitive navigation.

Figma Adee Tool

I used the Adee accessibility tool’s contrast checker to ensure all text met color contrast standards for readability. This helped validate that font sizes, weights, and background pairings supported legibility across the interface, particularly for users with visual impairments.

Had the project continued, I would have followed additional Adee guidelines to address broader accessibility needs such as alt text for all meaningful imagery, design considerations for users with color blindness, and further refinements to support screen readers and other assistive technologies.

mockups

insight

insight

insight

Despite the client ultimately canceling the project to create her own site, this case study taught me the importance of asking the right questions to clarify client needs and define scope effectively. Within a rapid timeframe, I explored several AI tools to accelerate design iterations and improve efficiency. I was also struck by how few sites meet accessibility standards—despite serving vulnerable communities—which reinforced the reality that only 3% of the web is accessible. Further development of this mockup would have included a colorblindness checker, especially given the muted, green-focused palette, among other things to broaden access to the site while maintaining its organic calmness.

Despite the client ultimately canceling the project to create her own site, this case study taught me the importance of asking the right questions to clarify client needs and define scope effectively. Within a rapid timeframe, I explored several AI tools to accelerate design iterations and improve efficiency. I was also struck by how few sites meet accessibility standards—despite serving vulnerable communities—which reinforced the reality that only 3% of the web is accessible. Further development of this mockup would have included a colorblindness checker, especially given the muted, green-focused palette, among other things to broaden access to the site while maintaining its organic calmness.

thank you