Cleveland Institute of Music

Helping a world-class conservatory show up online the way it performs on stage.

challenge

The Cleveland Institute of Music had a website that had grown disorganized over time, making it difficult for prospective students, faculty, and the broader arts community to find information or feel inspired by the institution. Navigation was complex, user pathways were unclear, and the visual presentation didn't reflect the prestige and creativity of a world-class conservatory.

solution

I led a complete redesign of CIM's primary website, starting with onsite workshops with leadership, students, and faculty, followed by user interviews and card-sorting sessions to reorganize the site architecture. From there I developed multiple visual directions and worked iteratively with leadership to refine content, navigation, and a design system that matched the caliber of the institution.

Nearly a decade later, the site is still standing — a testament to getting the architecture and visual foundation right the first time.