M3+ Mutual Mentoring
Overhauling a Dallas UX mentorship website
OVERVIEW
Reimagining a website for a DFW UX community
Organization
M3+ Mutual Mentoring
Role
UX Research
UI Design
Systems Design
Team
9 Members
Duration
2 Months
The problem
M3+ Mutual Mentoring is a non-profit organization that aims to create a welcoming UX community. However, their website's outdated design, unclear messaging, and overly corporate tone didn't reflect their values.
Outcome
We redesigned their website and branding from the ground up, creating a warm and welcoming hub where M3+ can share resources, engage members, and reflect the collaborative spirit of their community.
Key Results
screens designed
As a team player, I
1
Formulated user flows to reduce user friction
2
Researched sites to make competitive analysis
3
Aided in creating a new and refreshed design system
4
Designed a core navigation page
problem
Outdated website ≠ user retention
New UX designers visiting M3+ for the first time couldn't tell if the group was right for them. The outdated site caused promising members to bounce before ever attending.
What was broken:
Outdated design that looked abandoned, not actively maintained
Unclear messaging that left visitors guessing what M3+ actually offered
Corporate tone that contradicted the friendly, collaborative culture members loved
Outdated content still promoting services M3+ no longer provided
For an organization built on good UX practices, the site didn't reflect its values.
ideation
Understanding M3+'s vision
Using insights from member interviews, we worked with M3+ leadership to create HMW (How Might We) statements.
After grouping them into themes, we identified three priority goals:
These goals guided us through every design decision.
User flow
Ensuring a smooth user process
I created a user flow showing how someone discovering M3+ on LinkedIn could seamlessly navigate to attending their first event.
The goal was simple: remove every point of confusion or hesitation between "I'm curious" and "I'm coming."
competitive analysis
Patterns across design websites
I analyzed 7 design and mentorship sites to understand how successful communities create inspiring, welcoming digital experiences.
Key findings:
Leading sites used vibrant color and abstract shapes to break away from conventional corporate aesthetics
Visual playfulness signaled creativity and approachability
Design-forward choices made users feel excited to participate
We carried these principles into M3+'s redesign, using color and shape to reflect their creative, collaborative community.
Design system
Creating a cohesive brand identity
Working with another designer, I co-created M3+'s design system to ensure consistency across their website and future materials.
What we built:
Typography guidelines that balance professionalism with warmth
Refreshed branding that feels modern and approachable
Component library for scalable, consistent design
This system gave M3+ a unified visual language that could grow with their organization.
Mid-fi wireframes
Reducing user friction
Hi-Fi Wireframe
Bringing the vision to life
I applied our design system to create the final About Us page, transforming the wireframe structure into a polished, welcoming experience.
The result:
Friendlier, more design-forward aesthetic that matches M3+'s collaborative spirit
Clearer messaging hierarchy that guides users through key information
Functional, straightforward layout that reduces cognitive load
Cohesive visual identity that builds trust and professionalism
The new design doesn't just look better, it works better.
The M3+ website redesign is currently in development, with an expected launch in 2026.
Takeaways
Reflection
Through this project, I learned:
1
How to create a design system for a global Figma file and how to teach others to use it
2
How to prioritize effectively when working on large-scale projects with tight deadlines.
3
I became aware of creating designs that enable smoother developer handoff