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I’d love to hear from you — whether you have a project in mind, or just want to say hi.
reneelkennedy@outlook.com
ME/CFS Network
I designed the public-facing website for the ME/CFS research network at RTI International to communicate ongoing efforts, share research goals, and respond to growing public demand for transparency. The site needed to serve multiple audiences—including patients, researchers, and the broader public—while addressing a highly sensitive and often stigmatized condition.
Condition-aware experience design.
CHALLENGE
The work centered on four priorities: rebuilding trust with a historically underserved community; communicating progress with empathy and clarity; reducing stigma while preserving scientific credibility; and representing multiple research centers without bias. Just as critically, the experience had to translate complex research into something low-effort and accessible—supporting users with limited energy and attention, while scaling cleanly across contributors.
MY APPROACH
Clear, Low-Cognitive Entry Points on the Homepage reduced cognitive load and allowed users to quickly access what mattered most to them.
I designed for non-linear engagement and we implemented a system allowing users to pause and resume without losing context or data—supporting the energy limitations common within the ME/CFS community. To address internal dynamics between research centers, I created a layout system that ensured equal visibility and avoided hierarchical emphasis.
RESULTS
Homepage imagery is authentic, diverse, and emotionally honest—avoiding exaggerated or clinical portrayals and resonating more deeply with underserved ME/CFS patients. This approach strengthened trust and collaboration, reflected in high user satisfaction and strong engagement. As a result, the registry grew to over 4,000 participants, with steady weekly increases. The site also established a scalable brand and communication system that extended across additional ME/CFS research and impact initiatives.
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