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Case Story 
Rhode Island Energy

content migration & strategy

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overview


This is a case story about redesigning outdated interfaces with a fresh content strategy, SEO-friendly copy, and an engaging new design for Rhode Island Energy, resulting in an SEO-optimized and human-centeredwebsite.

Project: Content migration and strategy

What I did: My team and I strategized on the pages and contributed to content strategy. I led UX writing, developed navigation and information architecture, collaborated on design improvements, and advocated for accessibility and consistency. I also:
  • Led UX writing for responsive web and mobile interfaces
  • Co-developed site-wide information architecture and navigation
  • Partnered on wireframes, content placement, and flows
  • Advocated for accessibility and plain language throughout
  • Integrated SEO strategy via targeted keyword optimization
  • Created internal documentation including UX voice and tone standards
  • Collaborated with a lead content strategist on the audit and prioritization process

    Tools:     Figma, Google Suite, CMS (Content Management System)

    Date:     Fall 2022 – Spring 2024
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overview


Rhode Island Energy’s legacy site had a common problem: content sprawl. Over time, it had become difficult to navigate, filled with inconsistent messaging, outdated resources, and buried user tasks. The result? Frustrated customers unable to complete simple actions like paying a bill or reporting an outage.

I led the UX writing and content strategy effort, collaborating with designers, developers, and a lead strategist to untangle the content and redesign the experience with users and search engines in mind.

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scalable content management

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While redesigning content, I also looked ahead to anticipate the needs of future teams who would manage and grow the site.

Rhode Island Energy’s CMS, Sitecore, had a steep learning curve and limited flexibility, often creating bottlenecks for content creators unfamiliar with its quirks.

To solve this, I developed a comprehensive set of Sitecore authoring guidelines that demystified the platform and enabled consistency across teams. These included:

  • Step-by-step instructions for structuring and tagging content within Sitecore
  • Field-specific guidance to prevent formatting and layout issues
  • Recommendations for metadata entry and SEO field optimization
  • Best practices for preserving accessibility and UX standards during content updates

These guidelines helped reduce publishing errors, empowered non-technical contributors, and ensured our hard-won improvements would scale — without sacrificing clarity or cohesion.

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View Sitecore Guide
View Research Files
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understanding the user

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Before any audit, we started with user research. Partnering with the research team, I helped develop key personas — residential customers, small business owners, and contractors. These personas shaped content decisions, voice, and prioritization throughout the project.

What did we learn?

The Rhode Island Energy webpages were not optimized for search engines, which made it difficult for users to find critical resources like payment assistance or energy-saving programs. This lack of optimization significantly impacted the website's visibility and usability.

To address this, we developed a list of high-performing keywords and incorporated them into the rewritten copy to improve both visibility and relevance. I worked closely with our SEO specialist to identify the most effective keywords users search for when looking for energy-related content on Google.

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View Personas

audit & analysis


I helped analyze and annotate these findings with a user lens, shaping the content roadmap and migration plan.
Our 100+ page audit taught us the old site contained:

No cohesive design or IA
‍The site lacked a consistent design framework, and content was scattered without a clear strategy for organization or navigation.

Outdated copy and content
Information was no longer relevant or accurate, with outdated statistics and references to the company’s prior brand identity.

‍Unclear instructions 
There was no defined strategy for how users arrived at key pages or where they should go next, creating a frustrating experience.

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writing guidelines

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I created the PPL house UX writing guidelines to establish a clear, consistent voice and tone for all content. These guidelines became a valuable reference point, informing every piece of copy and ensuring a cohesive user experience across the site.

They prioritize:

  • Using plain language
  • Brand voice definitions and tonal examples
  • SEO best practices and content accessibility tips
  • Guidance for buttons, CTAs, page titles, and instructional text

By following these principles, my team could craft concise, user-focused content that reflects RIE's brand identity.

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View writing guidelines
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sitemap navigation

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To improve the website's usability and ensure customers could quickly find the information they needed, I built out a clear and logical sitemap navigation for Rhode Island Energy. This involved analyzing user behavior and common pain points to determine how customers typically accessed key services, such as bill payment, energy assistance programs, and outage reporting. By organizing content into intuitive categories and prioritizing high-demand resources, I created a navigation structure that made it easier for users to locate critical information while reducing frustration.

The sitemap served as the foundation for both the content migration and the redesign, ensuring a seamless and user-friendly experience across the site.
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results

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We redesigned not just pages, but entire flows — translating complex processes into intuitive, supportive experiences.

before & after

Clear navigation


Before: Disjointed navigation and ambiguous tiles
After: Humanized messaging, clear content pathways, and strong visual hierarchy — improving orientation and increasing time on page

Information hierarchy


Before: Dense, system-first language with emergency info buried in sidebars
After: Clear headings, plain language, and immediate access to critical safety instructions

Clear user journey

We redesigned not just pages, but entire flows — translating complex processes into intuitive, supportive experiences.
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Before: Users didn’t understand what “estimated” or “exact” meant, and key benefits were unclear
After: We reworded content to clarify outcomes, demystify process steps, and add reassurance

Thoughtstul SEO


SEO-optimized copy (with fewer words on the page) boosted search engine rankings, increasing organic traffic by 18% within the first month post-launch

our revamp offers...

Better user experience

Improved navigation and clear, concise copy made it easier for users to find critical information quickly.

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Improved accessibility

The site now serves a broader audience, including individuals with disabilities, through inclusive design and content.

Stronger brand

Consistent tone and voice reinforced Rhode Island Energy’s mission to provide reliable energy services.

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final thought

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The content migration work for Rhode Island Energy had a transformative impact on the website’s usability and effectiveness.

By streamlining over 100 pages ofcontentinto a cohesive structure, we eliminated redundancies and ensured that critical information was easy to access. The improved navigation allowed customers to quickly find resources like bill payment options, energy assistance programs, and outage updates, significantly reducing user frustration. Additionally, the migration process modernized outdated content, aligning it with the company’s new branding and accessibility standards.

The result was a more intuitive, user-friendly platform that better served Rhode Island Energy’s diverse audience.

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