Ontario Colleges offered a vast catalogue of programs, colleges, resources, and application information, but much of that content existed across disconnected pathways. Prospective students needed a faster way to explore opportunities, compare options, and understand next steps without feeling overwhelmed by the volume of information available.

Discovery Ecosystem

Search-Driven Discovery

Ontario Colleges serves as the primary discovery platform for Ontario’s public college system. Students arrive with varying goals, from researching specific programs to broadly exploring educational opportunities.

Rather than relying on a single search experience, I designed a connected discovery ecosystem that combined search, navigation, filtering, maps, and college exploration tools. These experiences worked together to support users at different stages of decision-making, helping them move from exploration to informed action.

This approach ensured users could engage with the platform in the way that best matched their needs, whether conducting targeted research or beginning their post-secondary journey with little idea where to start.

Created a connected discovery ecosystem that supported users from initial exploration to informed decision-making.

Navigation & Information Architecture

As the platform evolved, Ontario Colleges needed a navigation system capable of supporting a growing ecosystem of programs, admissions information, student resources, events, and institutional content without overwhelming users.

The navigation strategy focused on information architecture first. Content was organized into clear categories that reflected how users naturally approached their goals, whether researching programs, understanding admission requirements, exploring colleges, or seeking support resources.

Because navigation played a critical role in discovery, consistency across devices was a key consideration. Desktop and mobile experiences were designed to preserve familiar navigation patterns while adapting to different screen sizes and interaction models.

The result was a scalable navigation framework that supported a large volume of content while remaining approachable, predictable, and easy to navigate. The system provided users with multiple pathways to information while maintaining a consistent experience across the platform.

Transformed a growing content ecosystem
into a clear, intuitive experience that users could navigate with confidence.

Supporting Long-Form Content

Some program and information pages contained substantial amounts of content that users needed to review when evaluating educational options. Research indicated that important information could be overlooked when users were required to scroll through long pages without a clear understanding of what content remained below.

To improve orientation and content discoverability, we introduced an “On This Page” navigation pattern that exposed the structure of each page and allowed users to move directly to relevant sections. The component also provided visual feedback indicating the user’s current position within the content.

This approach reduced the cognitive effort required to navigate long-form information while making page structure more transparent and predictable.

Improved content discovery by making
complex information easier to navigate.

Exploration Beyond Search

Not every prospective student arrived at Ontario Colleges knowing exactly what they were looking for. While search played an important role in helping users find specific programs, many visitors were still exploring their options and needed different ways to discover opportunities.

The platform supported exploratory discovery through college directories, geographic exploration tools, maps, and browse experiences that allowed users to navigate the system based on location, institution, credential type, and personal interests. These experiences complement search by helping users move from broad exploration toward more informed decisions.

By providing multiple discovery paths, the platform accommodated a wide range of user behaviours and decision-making styles. Whether users were comparing colleges, exploring opportunities near home, or researching programs offered by a specific institution, the experience was designed to make complex information easier to navigate and understand.

Enabled users to discover educational opportunities through multiple exploration and discovery pathways.

Outcomes

The redesigned experience launched on schedule and received positive feedback from college partners immediately following release.

Following launch, several partner institutions contacted OCAS to discuss enhancements to their college profiles and explore additional marketing opportunities, indicating increased engagement with the platform.

The nature of user support requests also shifted. Questions regarding how to navigate the experience or locate information decreased, while requests became more task-oriented and technical in nature. This suggested that users were finding content more successfully and encountering fewer discovery-related barriers.

The project established a stronger foundation for future content, marketing, and discovery initiatives across the platform.