Jeff Selingo
Jeff Selingo is a journalist and best-selling author who’s spent more than 25 years in the world of higher education. From writing and advising university leaders to launching new ideas as an edupreneur, he’s had a front-row seat to how this $700 billion industry really works.
location
industry
US
Writer
project type
disciplines
Website
Wireframing
UI design
Design system
QA
Jeff Selingo is a leading voice in higher education, a best-selling author of four books, and a frequent guest on national news networks in the US. Yet his outdated, corporate-looking WordPress site didn’t capture his personality or provide a strong showcase for the full range of his work.
Outline
As design lead, I partnered with the project manager to plan workloads and keep the project on track. I guided the entire design process — from setting the visual direction through concepts and building the UI design system to shaping component functionality and visuals, and finally preparing polished designs for developer handoff.
My role
I collaborated closely with a strategist to develop a set of low-fidelity wireframes that mapped out key action-driven user journeys and established clearer page content hierarchies.
It was important to highlight Jeff’s three main areas of work — his books, speaking engagements, and the partnerships he’s built. We also restructured the resources section, transforming it into a central hub for easier access and discovery.
Wireframing
Taking the improved page structures created during wirefaming I crafted a cleaner, brighter, and more approachable visual style with the goal of moving away from the corporate look and create something that feels more personal, warm, and engaging.
One of the first changes you’ll notice is the logo placement. By centralising the logo in the navigation, the design immediately shifts away from a rigid business feel and places the focus back on you.
Structurally, the design feels more ordered and considered. Straighter lines, clearly defined tiles, and a move away from full-width imagery create a smoother flow, removing the hard stops that large imagery can sometimes introduce. Subtle background gradients further connect content blocks, helping the narrative flow seamlessly from section to section.
Design
Finally, I’ve expanded the colour palette with two new tones. A darker blue replaces flat black, adding depth without the heaviness or formality. Alongside this, a light oatmeal colour takes the place of grey, introducing warmth and a friendlier, more approachable feel. Together, these colours complement the existing blues and give the brand a more welcoming personality.
For the last 5 years Jeff Selingo has used Hubspot to power his CRM which helped him build a connected community of higher ed leaders, parents and counsellors. Now his new and improved website has been brought in to Hubspot he is better placed than ever to grow his community.
Outcome
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