Usability Sciences
A research firm's content overhaul
Problem
Jargon doesn’t win over customers
Usability Sciences, a Dallas-based user research agency, struggled to attract new clients. The research team wrote dense, technical content that felt more like reading an essay collection. Without visuals or hierarchy, their research expertise got lost, along with business opportunities.
How might Usability Sciences flip the script to connect with potential clients through engaging and approachable content?
Stats
-85%
Decline in business since 2016
600+ words
Average count per page
92% of pages
No visual content
MY ROLE
Increase conversion with words
I reignited Usability Science’s research-heavy content with a product manager and 2 product designers. As the ‘word nerd’ of the team, I rewrote and condensed all copy over 3 months to align with the agency’s goal: attract new business.
Along with the writing process, I handled microcopy, content strategy, and typography to ensure readability and accessibility.
Tasks
Audit current content
Rewrite and restructure copy
Create content style guide
DISCOVERY
Research goals ≠ business goals
I met with the CEO to get a sense of the site’s ideal voice and tone. She needed approachable content that didn’t scare folks away, with copy that invited companies to ‘swipe right.’
A content audit, heuristic evaluation, and a reading of the site with a fine-toothed comb revealed a major issue: the content was not written for potential clients. Academic language ironically focused more on recruiting ordinary folks for research studies, who weren’t the agency’s primary target.
Insights
90% of CTAs
Geared toward participants
72% of pages
Use academic terms
0
Client showcases
REFINING
Customer-first content
To strengthen readability and accessibility, I chose Figtree, a sleek, modern sans-serif font. I also reduced character length and left-aligned all text for optimal scanning. Clear headlines led to crisp, engaging copy that spoke directly to prospective clients and invited them to book a call.
To set up the agency for success and ensure future content consistency, I created a detailed style guide for the CEO and the research team to use as the site grew.
Improvements
100% of pages
Meet accessibility standards
-60%
Reduction in links
45-75
Characters per text line
FINAL DESIGN
Meet (the new) Usability Sciences
A copy refresh transformed the agency’s messaging and experience, aligning the voice and tone with a human, relatable connection to research. With a new identity that embodied clarity and trust, Usability Sciences gained renewed confidence to attract new clients.
Impacts
56%
Client increase after launch
70%
Increase in time spent on site
-40%
Bounce rate
REFLECTION
Lessons learned
This project taught me to keep the team fully aligned on content direction. I learned to communicate copy updates early and often, giving stakeholders visibility into changes and ensuring they resonated with the site’s new direction.
My background working with scientists and university folks helped me navigate ‘academic speak’ and encouraged the agency’s team to shift toward a client-focused message, leading to an effective writing workshop series.
Even the best research needs the right words to make an impact.
Let's explore and create together
Made with a compass and a pot of Earl Grey by Ian Wright, 2025
