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UC Davis Graduate School of Management (GSM) is a graduate business school at the University of California. As a leading business school, they are committed to continuous improvement. Their website is a space to entice prospective students by showcasing their programs, highlighting students and faculty, and providing helpful resources.
Engineering, Data & Testing, Content

Using data to determine hierarchy of information

One of the most notable elements on GSM’s homepage was the “What’s Trending” section, which held prime real estate close to the top of the page. Highlighting “What’s Trending” was a recurring point of discussion for the internal GSM team, but they were at odds about how users actually interacted with the tool and how much prominence to give this section.

We implemented Hotjar, a site heatmap and behavior analytics tool, on GSM’s homepage to gain insights into how users were interacting with various page elements. The data provided valuable proof and transparency in the decision-making process, giving us clear direction on how to prioritize and organize content on the homepage. Specifically, the findings revealed that the "What's Trending" section was not well utilized, making a clear case to move it to a less prominent position on the page.

Based on this data-driven approach, we were able to make informed adjustments that aligned with user behaviour. By repositioning underperforming elements and optimizing the flow of high-priority content, we improved user engagement and created a more intuitive user experience.

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