THE CONTEXT
The original Proud Science Alliance website had no defined membership flow - only a single blue underlined “contact us” email link buried in text.
There were no CTAs, no structure, and no sense of entry point for people wanting to join or support the Alliance.
Stakeholders wanted to increase engagement and formalise membership, but without making the experience feel bureaucratic or cold.
THE CHALLENGE
The original PSA website offered no clear membership options users could only email the organisation.
Research revealed two primary audiences: individual members and companies/organisations.
The goal was to create a clear, intuitive membership experience that communicated benefits, supported tiered memberships
and encouraged sign-ups while remaining accessible and straightforward.
RESEARCH INSIGHT
Before design began, I conducted a short discovery phase combining:
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Stakeholder interviews with PSA’s steering team
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A survey with 5 network leads from the Alliance
The goal was to understand how members and partner organisations currently engage and where they experience friction.
KEY INSIGHT:
These findings clarified the opportunity:
To establish a visible, trustworthy and structured membership experience that speaks differently to individuals and organisations - while keeping it inclusive and low-friction.
DESIGN STRATEGY
To create transparency and meet users’ expectations while aligning with business goals (membership growth),
I designed a three-path entry system that reflects how people naturally look for “joining” options.
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Dedicated membership pages for individuals and companies, using card-based layouts to present benefits clearly and comparably.
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Step-by-step registration flow, reducing cognitive load while progressively revealing information.
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Multiple access points: initial prototype had two entry points; final iteration added a direct link in the navigation menu, improving discoverability while keeping the flow simple.
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Iterative refinement based on feedback: wording adjustments, phone number formatting, inclusive language, and clarity on newsletter and volunteer options.
USER FLOW
BEFORE & AFTER
RESULTS AND IMPACT
Usability testing revealed that while users could complete the flow easily, several expected to find a direct way to “Join” within the navigation.
In response, I added a third access path - introducing “Join the Alliance” in the main menu with two clear options: Join as an Individual and Join as a Company.
This adjustment reflected how 4 out of 5 participants described their natural discovery path and aligned with PSA’s two distinct audience types.
As a result, users could reach the right membership form in fewer clicks and expressed greater confidence in where to start.
REFLECTION
This wasn’t just about adding buttons - it was about transforming a passive information site into an inclusive invitation.
The redesign balanced user clarity and organisation control, building both trust and conversion potential.