Breathing new life into a classic institution.

Since the start of 2022, I have collaborated closely with the corporate web team at ETH Zürich—the "MIT of Europe"—to identify and capitalize on opportunities for infusing a more vibrant, contemporary, and visually striking aesthetic into the institution's expansive online presence. Visit: ethz.ch

Project Principles

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

UX Research & Design

As a UX Designer for the ETH Zürich web team, my primary focus has been conducting extensive taxonomical research on the university's diverse ecosystem of websites. By meticulously examining redundancies and gaps in content types, I have been able to identify and define new components that cater to the specific needs of the corporate communications department, authors of individual sites, and visitors. This in-depth analysis has allowed me to create a comprehensive and cohesive user experience, ensuring that each stakeholder's requirements are addressed effectively. My work at ETH Zürich demonstrates my commitment to delving deep into the underlying structure of digital platforms, enabling me to craft intuitive, user-centric solutions that promote seamless navigation and foster enhanced engagement across the board.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

UI & Web Design

In my function as UI & Web Designer, I transform component concepts into visually stunning and functional mockups and prototypes, covering all variations and breakpoints using Figma. My keen attention to detail ensures that I provide developers with comprehensive specifications to facilitate a seamless development process. In addition to my design expertise, I have the ability to create coded prototypes when necessary, further enhancing clarity and bridging the gap between design and development. My work embodies a harmonious blend of aesthetic sensibilities and technical proficiency, resulting in intuitive and captivating user interfaces that elevate the overall user experience across web platforms.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Process Optimization

At ETH Zürich, I play a crucial role in analyzing and optimizing the web team's collaboration process. Through analyzing the existing process and conducting interviews with my teammates, I have been able to identify key problem areas and gather valuable feedback. Armed with these insights, I have devised a series of proposals for a more efficient workflow, which includes the implementation of a master Kanban board for enhanced project visibility, the introduction of new component file types in Figma to streamline design collaboration, and the creation of comprehensive documentation artifacts to ensure consistent understanding among all team members. My efforts in process improvement have not only strengthened the team's cohesion but also elevated the overall quality of our work, ultimately delivering a superior user experience on the ETH Zürich website.

ethz.ch

External companies usually find it difficult to work effectively and efficiently with us due to the interdependency of our 700+ websites and the huge number of stakeholders.

However, Nick Niles has proven to be an extremely competent UX designer and has approached our web design projects with the needed flexibility and knowledge resulting in very successful and well-accepted design changes for the websites in our web content management system. As a member of the institution’s web team, I can say it has been a pleasure working with him.

Christine Khammash

CMS manager and web consultant, ETH Zurich

Eager to elevate your web presence? Get in touch to discuss your project.

Nick Niles
nick@nickniles.com

Contact Info

Location: Ojai, California, USA
Phone: +1 805 450 3774
Email: nick@nickniles.com
Twitter: @flavrcrystals
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nickniles