Refworld by UNHCR
Refworld by UNHCR
New Rohingya arrivals from Myanmar take shelter in the UNHCR Transit Centre in Kutupalong camp. Many new arrivals say they fled Myanmar due to movement restrictions, violence, threats of violence and fear of disappearance. © UNHCR/Roger Arnold/2017
REFWORLD
UNHCR (2020)
International Law
Refworld is a tool created and maintained by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and is the leading source of information for making quality decisions about the status of asylum-seekers and refugees. Refworld focuses on providing information on international and national legal frameworks, case law, and UNHCR guidance related to refugees, statelessness, and internal displacement. It serves as an essential resource for researchers, legal practitioners, and anyone interested in refugee and asylum-related issues.
INTERVENTION
UNDERSTAND & DEFINE
Mindmapping
User Research :
- Shadowing
- Users Interviews
Workshop animation (remote)
User testing
UX / UI DESIGN
Conception :
- Card sorting
- Wireframes
Graphic layout of the MVP
Prototype
Started in 2016, this redesign is a significant project for UNHCR. When I joined the dedicated team in 2020, I worked on the design and optimization of the primary user journey in Refworld: document search.
During this mission, I initially worked with a lawyer who had the entire project history. Later, she went on maternity leave, and an independent consultant named Hannah Freeman took over to assist me in project coordination and organizing interviews and user tests (the technical team was located in the United States and Jordan).
Note: The identities of the participants in interviews and tests are confidential.
« I have ever, ever, ever used the advanced search on Refworld ! and I’m on Refworld everyday ! and I never use it. It just doesn’t work. It’s easier to go on Google and put Refworld plus whatever words I’m looking for and it will come up that way, rather than using the advanced search. »
[Verbatim from the first round of the user research]
CHALLENGE
How can we streamline the search process on Refworld, saving time for legal experts and avoiding the need for them to resort to Google to find crucial documents within their cases?
ASSIGNMENT
👉 Simplify the Homepage
Retain the most relevant information for users.
Streamline the content to avoid overwhelming users.
👉 Update the Design
Ensure it adheres to current digital standards (responsiveness, personalization, etc.).
Modernize the visual elements to enhance user experience.
👉 User Onboarding Enhancement
Make it easier for users to get started (features, navigation, search, etc.).
Provide clear instructions and guidance.
👉 Page Restructuring
Reorganize page layouts to reduce cognitive load for users.
Emphasize document consultation.
UNDERSTAND
Document Synthesis
Summarize the documents produced so far (MindMap and content mapping).
Interview Organization and Facilitation
Organize and conduct interviews (in English) with users located in different countries.
Insights Compilation
Synthesize the insights gathered.
CONCEIVE / PROTOTYPE / TEST / PRIORITIZE / DESIGN
Card Sorting (via Optimal Workshop) and Information Architecture Creation
Design of a Typical User Journey (Document Search)
Remote User Testing
Modification and Optimization of Wireframes
Creation of Initial Visual Concepts
Asset Preparation and Guide Creation for the Production Teams at the London Office
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The website redesign had already begun 4 years before my involvement. The Refworld team had previously collaborated with several consulting firms, and my initial task was to immerse myself in the conclusions they had reached. I began by sorting and synthesizing the data at my disposal, including stakeholder mapping, persona creation, benchmarks, interviews, insights synthesis, taxonomy, and wireframes.
I opted to create a Mind Map of the provided content. Additionally, to visually represent all available content and the underlying themes, I set up multiple boards on Miro. Subsequently, I annotated aspects related to UX, areas needing clarification, content considerations, and technical dependencies.
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The first topic I delved into was the site’s structure. I needed to synthesize all the information gathered over the past 4 years to outline the site’s framework. One aspect involved document search and organizing content by themes, while another focused on the UNHCR, its mission, objectives, and its role within Refworld—along with how it categorizes its content1
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As a neophyte in the field of international law, I encountered difficulties understanding the various labels on Refworld. Quickly, I realized that this issue wasn’t unique to me; several terms were ambiguous for users. Our approach began with clarifying these terms, eliminating redundancies and outdated labels. While Hannah faced challenges recruiting users for the research and testing phase, I created another board on Miro to map out the content and engaged in discussions with Refworld’s internal staff. Later, during interviews, we could query users about this taxonomy using card sorting via the Optimal Workshop tool, verifying if the proposed labels were clear and comprehensible.
Following these initial exchanges and collaborative content work, I presented an initial site structure that we iteratively refined with my client.
« Let me be frank and honest, I do a fair amount of work on Refugee Law, and I’m also asked to speak publicly on the topic, so if I had access to the materials and the ressources here, really, it’s everything in one place ! [...] But I think, from the overarching way, in which it covers areas of interest, from the one end to lawyers, to judges, to NGOs, to activists, to people who are affected by political turmoil in their country, it can provide something to everybody and I think that, that is wonderful that it's not exclusive, in a sense that it's a place for lawyers and researchers. But different people will get different value out of that and I suppose that's what it's intended to do, it's not intended to speak to one category of users. I certainly - if all the information was there -, I wouldn't have to be looking everywhere which I often do. »
[Verbatim form the second user research round]
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J’ai pu alors travailler (puis tester) sur le parcours le plus commun : celui d’une recherche avancée.
👉 Proposer une page d’accueil plus épurée
👉 Possibilité de personnaliser le contenu de la Home (les utilisateurs ont des spécialités et s’intéressent qu’à 2 voire 3 types de contenus)
👉 Donner accès à la recherche avancée dès la page d’accueil
👉 Limiter le nombre de filtres et simplifier certains composants (e.g. listes déroulantes trop longues)
👉 Présenter les résultats de recherche avec des informations et des fonctionnalités pertinentes pour les utilisateurs (e.g. option Cite as, mise en avant de l’éditeur lorsqu’il s’agit d’une publication du HCR)
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The first test revealed the following insights:
👉 The UNHCR signature needed reworking.
👉 Advanced search controls could be further simplified.
👉 On the homepage, thematic sections were more appreciated and important to users than news.
👉 Users require more details to assess the relevance of news (e.g., category, date, source).
👉 Some labels were still ambiguous.
👉 Certain options on the Document page (search results) were redundant (highlighting a naming issue in the CMS).
👉 Icons needed alternative text for better inclusivity and understanding (given the low target resolution, interface dimensions limited space for associated text).
👉 A fixed navigation bar while scrolling through search results would allow users to quickly modify filters.
The second test validated the changes and explored other paths, including mobile:
👉 User onboarding for the new interface was straightforward (search, navigation, document consultation, etc.)—as mentioned in the verbatim above.
👉 There’s still significant work needed on labels to address numerous ambiguities (industry-specific terms), along with assistance for novice users (e.g., a glossary).
👉 While thematic sections are successful in content, their structure lacks consistency (managed by different teams, requiring editorial alignment).
👉 Incorporating micro-animations throughout the journey could enhance user flow and reduce the learning curve.
👉 Users expressed genuine interest in customization options.
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La phase d’UX (interviews, tests et conception) et les rapports furent des phases très longues car il y avait 1. beaucoup d’enjeux et 2. plusieurs parties prenantes. La création des maquettes elle, fut assez brève (en comparaison 😅).
Je livrais toutefois les prémices d’une direction graphique avec l’aval des équipes créa de Londres, les assets et un guide graphique (GUI). Le développement était pris en charge par des équipes aux US et en Jordanie.
KEY LEARNINGS
If our work always begins with immersion in a specific domain, it becomes even more complex when diving into a project that started 4 years ago with multiple providers, especially when familiarizing oneself with legal jargon—all in English.
The UX phase was underestimated by both parties because the more stakeholders to consult and align, the more time it takes. Organizing tests and interviews was also challenging due to busy interlocutors (the project unfolded during a pandemic) across different time zones.
This mission was a true challenge and incredibly enriching. I had the immense pleasure of interacting with remarkable individuals—people whose calling is to assist those facing extremely difficult situations. Women and men who took the time to explain legal concepts, sometimes complex. This project deeply moved me, and for the first time in my career, I felt proud to work for an organization that embodies the noblest values: Help, Empathy, Solidarity, Tolerance, Respect, and Ethics.
The website has been live since February 2024: refworld.org
« It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Romina. It is rare to encounter someone with Romina's level of expertise, dedication and drive. Romina took on responsibility for a complex project with UNHCR, with many interlocking aspects. She proposed creative solutions based on thorough research and an in-depth understanding of user requirements. She delivered each step in a timely fashion, thus helping UNHCR steer through a sequence of interlinking decisions. I cannot praise Romina's professionalism highly enough. »
_ Katinka Ridderbos, Country Guidance Adviser, UNHCR, 2021