Manos Home Care
Building Trust. Expanding Impact
A full website overhaul and user-centered content strategy helped Manos improve accessibility, build trust, and support future growth, while seamlessly integrating AlayaCare to better serve users across the region.
Project Overview
Manos Home Care has provided in-home and community-based support services for individuals with developmental disabilities since 1989, serving over 10,000 clients across the East Bay.
While their community presence is strong, their outdated website made it difficult for clients, caregivers, and case managers to find relevant information.
To better reflect their mission and improve accessibility, Manos partnered with us to create a clearer, more user-friendly digital experience.
My Role
As Lead Content Strategist and UX Designer, I redefined Manos Home Care’s messaging to better engage users and reflect their mission. I led stakeholder interviews, audited the site, and crafted a clear, compassionate content strategy.
Working closely with designers and developers, I helped create a welcoming, trustworthy, and easy-to-navigate website for both clients and caregivers.
Tools
Despite its strong community roots, Manos Home Care’s outdated website made it hard for clients, case managers, and caregivers to find critical information. As they prepared to expand across the Bay Area, they need clearer messaging, a better content structure, and seamless integration with their new client management system, AlayaCare.
The Problem
A full website redesign—with a user-centered content strategy—offered a chance to improve accessibility, strengthen trust, and support growth. By organizing content around audience needs and integrating AlayaCare, Manos could better connect with users and scale its impact across the region
The Opportunity
The Solution
We redesigned the Manos Home Care website to reflect their mission and support regional growth — creating a user-first experience with clear messaging and intuitive navigation for clients, case managers, and providers.
The result is a modern platform that strengthens trust, improves access to care, and positions Manos for long-term expansion.
Key Screens & Feature Highlights
A Tailored Experience for Every Audience
Audience Gateways: Dedicated landing experiences for clients, case managers, and service providers — making it easy to find relevant services and next steps.
Simplified Services Navigation: Clean, action-driven service pages that clearly outline offerings and eligibility, with easy contact points.
Seamless Client Access and Tools
Integrated Client Portal (AlayaCare): A direct, visible link for easy access to client accounts, reducing confusion and improving the user journey.
Quick Action Buttons: Persistent navigation for core actions like applying for services, joining the team, or reaching out.
Stronger Brand Storytelling and Messaging
Updated Brand Voice: Clear, compassionate language across the site that builds trust and reflects Manos’s values.
Content Hierarchy: Key information prioritized based on audience needs and goals, driving faster decision-making and engagement.
Built for Growth and Efficiency
Flexible CMS: Easy content management enables the Manos team to keep information fresh without technical roadblocks.
Performance Analytics: Built-in tools to track site engagement, measure outcomes, and guide future improvements as Manos expands into new markets.
The Impact
The new Manos Home Care website positions the organization for greater visibility, stronger community engagement, and operational growth.
By delivering a user-centered experience and consolidating key resources, Manos is now better equipped to attract new clients, build partnerships, and extend services into new regions — all while ensuring their digital presence matches their decades-long commitment to community care.
We integrated HubSpot to track site performance, user behavior, and lead conversions — giving Manos real-time insights into what’s working and where to grow
“The new site gives Manos the visibility and tools we need to grow — while staying true to our mission of community care. It will be incredibly useful once we start expanding to new areas. ”
Industry Research
Content Audit / SEO
Stakeholder Interviews
User Interviews
Competitive Analysis
Affinity Mapping
The Process
A high-level look at the process. Want the full breakdown? Keep scrolling.
User Personas
User Flows & Stories
Card Sorting Exercises
Content Strategy + Content Matrix
Content Mapping
Information Architecture
Wireframes & Protoypes
Stakeholder Meetings
UX/UI Design
Visual Design
Content Writing
Collaboration with Developers
Usability Testing
Transparent Setback Analysis
UX/UI Improvements
CMS Training
Research & Discovery
Industry Analysis
Understanding the Disability Support Sector and How Services are Provided
Before diving into specific solutions, I spent time learning about the broader landscape of disability support services to better understand the context Manos operates in.
Industry Landscape: Researched in-home and community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities, including best practices, challenges, and trends.
Organizational Structure: Studied how service providers work with regional centers, case managers, and direct support professionals to deliver care.
Terminology and Services: Familiarized myself with common abbreviations (like DDS, RC, ISP) and the different types of services available to clients, ensuring that the website’s messaging would feel natural, accurate, and accessible to all users.
This stat below caught my attention right away—it helped frame the scale of the challenge:
“Over 250,000 adults in the Bay Area have intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), with approximately 80% living in family homes and facing challenges in accessing essential services due to systemic barriers.”
Key Insight: Navigating in-home and community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities is already complex—and inconsistent language, outdated resources, and fragmented systems only make it harder. Providing clear messaging and proper service support is essential for this community.
Current Content Audit
Content & Context: Auditing the Site and Gathering Client Input
I conducted a comprehensive audit of the existing Manos website to identify gaps, redundancies, and opportunities for improvement. Key findings included:
Over 50% of existing pages contained outdated or irrelevant information.
Critical service information was buried under vague or generic headings.
Navigation was inconsistent, making it difficult for users to find what they needed.
There was no clear content strategy for different audiences (case managers, providers, clients).
Visual hierarchy and messaging lacked clarity and professionalism, reducing user trust.
Screenshots of the old site!
Key Insight: A complete content overhaul is necessary — one that prioritized clear user pathways, multilingual accessibility, and messaging that aligned with Manos’s values of empowerment, independence, and community care.
Stakeholder Interviews
Listening to Manos Leadership: Clarifying Organizational Goals
I began by conducting interviews with the Manos CEO and leadership team to understand their business goals, operational challenges, and vision for the future.
A major theme quickly emerged: Manos needed a digital presence that truly reflected who they are — a trusted, community-driven provider with decades of experience. The Manos team emphasized 3 core needs:
Lacking Clarity
The existing site was cluttered and hard to navigate, especially for time-strapped caregivers and case managers.
Notably, the internal team didn’t even use the website for its intended purpose — a clear signal that the site wasn’t meeting anyone’s needs. This revealed a major gap in both functionality and usability.
Need to Show Credibility
As they expand into new regions, Manos needed their website to convey the professionalism and warmth they’re known for in person.
Looking for Efficiency
With a new client management system (AlayaCare) being adopted, they needed the site to support smoother access and reduce back-and-forth communication.
“I don’t even send new clients to the website; there’s nothing there that’s helpful... it’s a mess of information.”
Key Insight: Despite their long-standing reputation in the community, Manos’ digital presence didn’t reflect the quality or compassion of their in-person care. As they prepare to scale, their website must clearly communicate who they are, streamline access for different audiences, and reinforce trust at every touchpoint.
User Interviews
Hearing from the Community: Real Pain Points, Real Opportunities
Talking directly with case managers, service providers, and clients gave me a clear picture of where the current site was falling short. Their feedback revealed key frustrations, uncovered unmet needs, and inspired ideas for features that could truly make a difference. These conversations directly informed the content strategy and helped shape a more thoughtful, user-centered experience.
“We waste so much time hunting down the right forms or contact info — it should all be in one place.I want to be able to refer Manos to my clients and ease of use for the website would really make them stand out as a service provider”
"I didn’t even know the website had a job application form — I found the job through word of mouth. I also wish the site explained the different types of services more clearly — I had to ask my supervisor to help me understand exactly what to expect from Manos.”
"It was hard to tell if Manos was even the right fit for my child — the site didn’t really explain how they help. We didn’t understand the steps to get started — we were overwhelmed."
Key Insight: Case managers, service providers, and families all struggled to find basic information, complete essential tasks, or even understand what Manos offered. This disconnect highlighted a critical need for clearer messaging, streamlined content, and a user-first structure that supports both care coordination and community connection.
Notably, One of the most impactful conversations I had was with a Direct Service Provider, who shared deeply personal stories about the heart behind Manos’ work.
Hearing firsthand why they’re so passionate about providing care reminded me that this isn’t just a service — it’s a lifeline for many. Their stories brought to light the humanity behind the mission and sparked an idea: the website needed to better reflect these voices. Instead of feeling clinical or stale, it should celebrate the people who make Manos special — and give the brand the warmth and personality it deserves.
Affinity Mapping + Content Opportunities
Mapping Content Opportunities: Turning Research into Action
After gathering insights from stakeholders, internal teams, and community members, we synthesized the findings into actionable opportunities. Through a content-focused affinity mapping exercise, we identified recurring themes, unmet needs, and emotional drivers. This helped us prioritize what information mattered most to users — and how it should be structured and communicated.
We mapped key takeaways to potential features, content blocks, and messaging areas, laying the groundwork for a content strategy that not only informs, but builds trust and reflects the heart of Manos’ mission.
Main Insight Leading into the Content & UX Process: Users didn’t just need information — they needed reassurance. Across every audience group, people were seeking clarity, trust, and a human touch in the language and structure of the site.
This insight became the foundation for our content strategy: making sure every page spoke with warmth, avoided jargon, and guided users confidently through next steps — whether they were seeking care, offering it, or supporting someone who needed it.
UX Process
User Personas
Building User Personas to Better Understand the User and How They Will Interact with the System.
We identified 6 users for the Manos Home Care site including: Case Managers, Direct Service Provider (DSPs) (Current Employees), Potential Employees, Clients/Client’s Parent(s) (Current and Potential), Coordinators/Manos Management Team. For case study purposes, I will include on the Primary Users.
User Journeys
Mapping the Journey: Understanding the Paths to Care
To translate research into actionable strategy, I created journey maps for our core user groups: case managers, direct service providers, potential employees, and clients/parents,. These maps helped visualize how each group discovers, engages with, and relies on the Manos website at different stages—from initial awareness to service coordination.
By identifying key moments of frustration, confusion, and opportunity, we were able to:
Clarify critical content gaps (like how to get started or who to contact)
Highlight emotional moments—especially around trust, clarity, and support
Inform how and where to surface the right content for the right user at the right time
This process laid the groundwork for a more intentional site structure and user flows that feel intuitive, human, and aligned with each audience’s needs.
Information Architecture
Rebuilding the Foundation: Information Architecture
Once the key user journeys were mapped, I shifted focus to restructuring the site in a way that felt intuitive, purposeful, and human-centered.
Using insights from journey mapping and stakeholder interviews, I created a new site map to better reflect how users think and what they need most. The previous site was cluttered, buried essential info, and lacked a clear hierarchy. I also started to identify possible content that could go on each page. The new IA focused on:
Separating content for different audiences (Clients, Case Managers, DSPs, etc.)
Prioritizing “Contact us” and service overview pages
Introducing new sections for storytelling, resources, and career opportunities
We facilitated card sorting workshops with the client, giving them the opportunity to reorganize content and actively shape the site structure. This ensured they were fully engaged and empowered throughout the information architecture phase.
Content Strategy
The content strategy wasn't just about rewriting—it was about reshaping the voice of Manos.
I developed a strategy rooted in compassion, clarity, and credibility. It guided everything from headlines and microcopy to CTAs and storytelling modules.
Key focus areas included:
Making services easy to understand, even for someone unfamiliar with disability support
Humanizing the brand through team spotlights, DSP stories, and testimonials
Giving parents and case managers confidence in Manos’ values and expertise
Aligning content with SEO goals to support outreach and recruitment
A glimpse at a piece of the content strategy we put together for client presentation.
Content Matrix
The content matrix exercise helped us identify gaps, streamline messaging, and prioritize content that would resonate with the right people at the right time.
Through this structured approach, we not only elevated the overall user experience but also ensured that all content across platforms was consistent, relevant, and impactful.
Content Mapping
From there, we moved into a content mapping phase, where we outlined what content would appear on each page, how it would be structured, and how it would support user goals.
This was an essential bridge between strategy and execution — giving us a clear plan for how content would live within the new site architecture. Through this structured approach, we not only elevated the overall user experience but also ensured that all content across platforms was consistent, relevant, and impactful.
Snapshot of the content planning document that served as a foundation for collaboration with the UX writer, helping us begin shaping the Manos website’s messaging and structure.
As we transitioned into wireframing, this content map became the blueprint. It allowed us to design each layout with purpose — ensuring the structure supported both the message and the user's task.
High Fidelity Wireframe & Prototypes
We created wireframes for key pages—such as the site navigation, homepage, service overview, careers, and contact—based on insights from stakeholder interviews and user goals.
We tested the structure and navigation logic internally and iterated quickly based on feedback, ensuring that the design remained accessible, intuitive, and aligned with the needs of clients, caregivers, and internal staff alike.
This collaborative process gave the Manos team a clear view of how the site would function and made space for strategic conversations around content and calls to action early on.
Design & Build
UX/UI Design
Bringing the Brand to Life with a Flexible, Easy-to-Follow Style Guide
We developed a cohesive visual system and provided the client with a style guide that not only captured the refreshed brand identity but was also easy to maintain, adapt, and apply consistently across platforms.
The Final Product
The redesigned Manos site delivers a streamlined, accessible experience that reflects the organization’s values and supports both clients and staff.
From updated navigation to a more intuitive content structure, every detail was designed to feel helpful, human, and easy to use.
Test & Iterate
Transparent Setbacks
Designing Smarter Navigation for Forms
After finalizing the site’s primary navigation, we realized the number of forms required was significantly higher than expected. Including all of them in the main menu would have overwhelmed users and cluttered the interface — especially for those accessing the site frequently for different needs.
To address this, we researched best practices for complex menu structures in Drupal and collaborated with the development team to create a custom nested dropdown. This allowed us to neatly tuck away the extensive list of forms under a single expandable item, keeping the navigation clean while ensuring easy access when needed.
The solution preserved usability, reduced visual overload, and aligned with the platform’s technical capabilities..
Reflection
Working on the Manos Home Care project gave me a meaningful opportunity to dive deep into the world of disability services and support systems.
To design a site that truly served its users, I had to first understand them — their needs, the resources they rely on, and how they access critical information. That meant going beyond surface-level assumptions and doing the research to grasp the intricacies of disability support, care coordination, and how different audiences — from caregivers to clients to prospective employees — interact with the organization.
Clarity and simplicity were essential. Every design decision was rooted in the goal of making information easy to find, digest, and act on. This required not only thoughtful architecture and content strategy, but also a commitment to accessibility and inclusivity from the very beginning. I loved the challenge of designing with empathy — ensuring that every user, regardless of ability, could navigate the site with confidence and ease.
