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Planned Parenthood

Website Audit

User Experience Design 2

Prof. Tyler Benari | Spring 2026

Overview

Role: Lead UX Auditor & Designer

Scope: Homepage, Get Care, Learn, and Appointment Scheduler

Core Goal: Identify usability and accessibility barriers to ensure fast, friction-free access to critical healthcare services.

The Challenge

When users visit Planned Parenthood, they are often seeking time-sensitive, high-stakes care. While the site builds brand trust well, navigating health topics and booking appointments involves cognitive overload, disorienting redirects, and accessibility barriers.

Core Insight: In healthcare UX, Efficiency = Real-Life Impact. Unnecessary clicks or confusing flows directly reduce successful care bookings.

Key Findings

Navigation & Information Architecture

  • Cluttered Submenus: The Learn dropdown mixes general health topics with target audiences (e.g., For Parents), confusing users trying to find specific info.

  • Redundant Links: Links like Donate and Get Involved take up prime top-level menu space separately.

Appointment Scheduling Friction

  • Endless Vertical Scrolling: Locations and appointment times are listed in a single massive vertical column.

  • Disorienting Redirects: Auto-filled search forms and sudden handoffs to 3rd-party scheduling tools diminish user confidence.

Accessibility & WCAG Gaps

Contrast Failures: Light blue and white text combinations fail WCAG 2.1 AA minimum contrast standards (4.5:1 ratio).

Missing Alt Text: Key visual assets and promotional banners lack screen reader descriptions.

Ambiguous Call-to-Actions (CTAs)

Identical Button Labels: Separate CTAs labeled "Abortion" under Get Care vs. Learn lead to completely different destinations.

Key Takeaway

Making healthcare interfaces simpler, fully accessible, and predictable helps users get the care they need without added stress or delay.