Finalist 2023

Headspace Homepage Redesign - Digital Design

Portable / headspace: National Youth Mental Health Foundation

An innovative redesign of the headspace website homepage, driving users intuitively to information relevant to their mental health needs.

The Portable team partnered with headspace, the National Youth Mental Health Foundation, to revamp their website's homepage.

The goal was to direct young users more intuitively to relevant content, by streamlining their navigation journey.

Using research insights and user testing, we designed a centralised banner that enables users to select their group and desired content, making it significantly easier for users to find services, empower headspace's campaigns, and increase support for ongoing initiatives.

Design Brief:

Our task was to redesign the homepage of headspace's website to better cater to the needs of its evolving audience.

Since the website's launch, the organisation had grown, campaigns had multiplied and there was a new focus on getting young users to create a headspace account.

Furthermore, research showed that users were more likely to find information secondarily through the homepage.

The desired outcome was to create a homepage that could act as an intuitive launch pad to direct visitors efficiently to the information and services they were seeking.


This project was developed by:

Design Process

The project was approached using a waterfall model, as it suited the context of the engagement. We started by gaining a deep understanding of headspace's requirements and the research that had led to the need for a homepage redesign. These informed our user stories and acceptance criteria. From the brief, our Experience Design team developed two prototype solutions, which were presented to the headspace team for collaborative feedback and then user tested with website visitors.

Feedback from these sessions was instrumental in guiding the design direction. The final design, featuring a central banner that allows users to specify their group and content preferences, was selected for its intuitive nature and ease of navigation.

Using the established headspace design system, our designers created a high-fidelity design template for implementation on the front end. The technical team developed the new editable components, ensuring full accessibility. Custom Google Tag Manager events were added for data insights.

The new homepage was launched after quality assurance and user acceptance testing was completed.

Design Excellence

This project achieved design excellence by combining functionality, aesthetics, safety, and quality in a user-focused design. The homepage is functional, providing users with an efficient and intuitive way to find the information they are looking for. Aesthetically, it adheres to the headspace brand and ensures a cohesive visual experience.

In terms of safety, all new components developed are fully accessible by screen readers and keyboard navigation, ensuring accessibility for all users. Quality is evidenced by the smooth integration of the new homepage design with the existing site and its successful user acceptance.

This project sets a new benchmark for design excellence in Victoria by showing the tangible benefits of investing in professional design. It illustrates how a well-designed website can significantly enhance user experience, increase engagement, and ultimately contribute to the wellbeing of young people seeking mental health support.

Design Innovation

This project presented an innovative solution to the challenge of improving website navigation for diverse users with varying needs.

The introduction of a centrally placed banner on the homepage, which allows users to select their group and the type of content they are seeking, was a unique feature that transformed the user journey.

This user-centered design answered the individual needs of its users, providing them with a personalised, intuitive navigation experience. This solution also offers flexibility to accommodate the changing needs of users, a key feature considering the dynamic nature of mental health.

Design Impact

The redesigned headspace homepage has had a significant impact, not only on the organisation but also on its users. It has improved the user experience by making it easier for different audience groups to find the content they need.

In addition to the social impact of directing young people more efficiently to mental health resources, there are also commercial benefits. The new homepage supports headspace in showcasing campaigns more effectively, driving increased user engagement and donations.

By investing in professional design, headspace has enhanced its digital presence and set a benchmark for other organisations. This project highlights the importance and benefits of design, contributing to the reputation and status of Victoria's design and creative culture.

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