Early Childhood Texas

It's as straightforward as that. For the Early Childhood Texas project, we were tasked with adapting an existing website to align with the Texas Workforce Commission's (TWC) new design templates. My primary responsibility was to update the homepage design, using it as a foundation for further updates to the TWC design system.

During our brief discovery phase, I made it a point to conduct a thorough heuristic analysis of nearly every page in the existing content structure. Aside from the obvious and expected issues, such as outdated visuals and accessibility elements, the most notable concern was the overall inconsistency in style.

The lack of cohesion presented an opportunity not only to enhance the site's visuals but also to create a concise brand identity. In the original site, I observed a consistent use of the kite illustration from their logo; however, it primarily served as a decorative piece rather than having a functional purpose. I decided to develop the kite string as a motif, transforming it into a wave that would be featured across all site banners. This would serve as a subtle nod to the kite-themed ECT brand.

The story I wanted to convey was one of connection, treating this portal as the thread that connects parents to the resources that would support them on their journey of parenthood.

Beyond the homepage, the redesign extended across the full site structure — topic landing pages, child development resources, childcare and education hubs, and program detail pages. Each was brought in line with the new visual language while preserving the content hierarchy that parents and caregivers rely on.