PLNU - Modernizing a Higher Education Website Through Continuous UX and Search Optimization
Subtitle - How an AI-powered chatbot and user-centered navigation improved content discovery at PLNU
Introduction
Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) came to us with a clear goal: they were looking for more than technical support. They needed a trusted digital partner who could be proactive, bring strategic insight, and help evolve their website over time.
Instead of chasing large rebuilds, they wanted ongoing, meaningful improvements that could enhance the student experience and make the site work harder for its users.
The Challenges
PLNU’s website serves a wide audience that includes prospective students, current students, faculty, and staff. But despite a robust content library, users were struggling to find what they needed. Navigation was confusing. Key information was buried. And users were often unsure where to begin.
Rather than scrap everything and start over, PLNU chose to work with Symetris to unlock more value from their existing platform.
We began with a discovery phase to map the user experience, analyze the site’s structure, and identify content bottlenecks. From there, we proposed focused enhancements that would make a difference quickly.
Structured Navigation
We introduced a new Mega Menu designed around user journeys for undergraduate, graduate, and online students. Each group now has clearer paths to relevant information.
Smarter Search
The programs page was modernized with a new layout and an improved search tool, helping prospective students explore PLNU’s offerings by subject, format, or interest.
Conversational Guidance
We added an AI-powered chatbot that answers real user questions and provides personalized content recommendations. It serves both prospective and current students, offering faster access to information.
“This redesign is one of our web team’s biggest wins of 2025, and I’m incredibly proud of everyone who had a hand in the strategy, design, research, development, testing, and storytelling that made it possible. We truly believe we have created a homepage where any student — undergrad, grad, adult learner, prospective or current can land and immediately feel like, “This is for me. This helps me move forward.”
— Nate Hamill - Director of Content Strategy
A Model for Future Growth
Our partnership with PLNU shows what’s possible when a digital platform is treated as a living system. Instead of rebuilding from scratch, we worked with the existing foundation, applying strategic upgrades that directly supported user needs.
For organizations with complex websites, in higher education and healthcare, this kind of evolution delivers results faster, with less disruption.
