Edge Media Network — UI/UX Website Redesign
This was a direct client engagement — scoped, proposed, and contracted independently through Larkspur Creative Studio.
CASE STUDY: EDGE MEDIA
SERVICE: UI/UX Design & Digital Strategy
YEAR: 2023
Approach
Edge Media Network is one of the largest LGBTQ+ digital media platforms in the country — a network of publications, news sites, and content channels serving millions of readers. When Creative Director Darin Slyman brought me in to redesign their website, it wasn't a small ask. The existing site had structural and navigational problems that were getting in the way of the content — and the content was the entire product.
I began with a research and discovery phase — auditing the existing site architecture, mapping user flows, and identifying where the experience was breaking down. The core challenge was complexity: Edge Media serves multiple content categories (news, entertainment, lifestyle, podcast) across a network of regional and national publications, with advertising placements that had to be integrated thoughtfully without overwhelming the editorial content.
The goal was a site that felt as authoritative and navigable as the journalism it was built to serve.
This was a direct client engagement — scoped, proposed, and contracted independently through Larkspur Creative Studio at a total project value of $20,000.
Solution
I led the full UI/UX process from research through final wireframe delivery across three distinct page templates:
Home Page — A redesigned landing experience with a clear content hierarchy, prominent LGBTQ+ Top Stories section, featured video integration, and advertising placements built into the layout rather than bolted on. Designed for both desktop and mobile with responsive breakpoints throughout.
Story Page — An article template optimized for reading experience and content discovery, with clean typography hierarchy, embedded advertising at natural scroll points, and a "Next Story" navigation pattern to reduce bounce and keep readers in the content ecosystem.
Chapter Page — A category-level template allowing readers to navigate within specific content verticals (News, Entertainment, Lifestyle) with sub-navigation, featured stories, and a "More in Category" section for depth browsing.
All three templates were delivered as full responsive wireframes — desktop and mobile — along with a sitemap, content hierarchy documentation, and design specifications ready for development handoff.
Impact
Following launch, Edge Media saw meaningful improvements in two key areas: a significant increase in newsletter signups, reflecting stronger audience engagement and direct reader relationships, and a notable jump in mobile traffic — a direct result of the responsive design system built into every template from the ground up.
For a media network whose revenue depends on advertising impressions and audience reach, both outcomes represent real business impact beyond the visual redesign.
The full scope was delivered on time and in full — research, sitemap, wireframes, and design specifications across all three templates. This was a complex, multi-phase digital engagement managed independently from discovery through delivery, demonstrating the kind of end-to-end creative and project leadership that defines how Larkspur operates.
