Parent Noodle: Resource Site
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Problem
In today’s digital age, parents often turn to the internet for guidance on raising their children—yet many online resources are filled with misinformation. Our client, the Director of Human Development and Family Science at CSUMB, recognized the urgent need for a trustworthy platform to combat the spread of inaccurate child development advice.
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Target Audience
We designed Parent Noodle, a web platform curated by university professors, to provide science-backed resources for parents. The site features expert-approved articles, a “Mythbusting” section to debunk common parenting misconceptions, and an “Ask an Expert” page where parents can directly consult with child development professionals.
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Solution
Parent Noodle is designed for parents and caregivers seeking reliable, research-based information on child development. Whether new to parenting or looking to deepen their understanding, users can trust the site to offer clarity, credibility, and access to academic expertise.
Abstract
Parent Noodle is a web-based platform created to combat the spread of misinformation surrounding child development. Designed in collaboration with a team of UX designers and the Director of Human Development and Family Science at CSUMB, the project focuses on providing parents with access to credible, research-backed resources.
The platform features curated articles approved by university professors, a mythbusting section that addresses common parenting misconceptions with scientific evidence, and an “Ask an Expert” feature for direct communication with child development professionals. Parent Noodle empowers parents with accurate knowledge in an approachable, user-friendly format—bridging the gap between academic research and everyday parenting decisions.
Client Goals & Design Direction
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Client
During our initial interview with the client—the Director of Human Development and Family Science at CSUMB—it became clear that the primary goal of Parent Noodle was to serve as a trustworthy, educational resource for parents. The client emphasized the importance of a user-friendly interface that would make navigating content intuitive and accessible for all types of families.
To meet these goals, we focused on creating a design that was both scientific and professional, while remaining warm and welcoming. The site prioritizes clarity and readability, ensuring that articles and resources are easy to digest. He wanted us to mainly prioritize how the website would appear on a mobile device which would then be later adapted to a computer device.
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Features
Key features requested by the client included:
A Mythbusting section to address common parenting misconceptions with evidence-based insights
A curated Articles section focused on child development topics
An interactive Ask an Expert page where users can submit questions to a panel of professors
A clear and concise FAQ section
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Visual Design
Key visual design decisions included:
Contrasting, vibrant colors to draw attention to key actions and sections while maintaining readability.
A clean, professional layout that avoids overly playful or childlike elements—keeping the focus on parents as the primary users.
A balanced use of images and text, supporting visual interest without overwhelming users with too much information at once.
Thoughtful iconography used to guide navigation and enhance understanding, chosen over heavy reliance on large images to reduce clutter and improve clarity.
An intuitive navigation system that supports easy movement through articles, FAQ, and expert resources—helping users find what they need quickly.
Empathy Map
Scenarios
Logo & Branding
The client also needed a logo to reflect the website with the slogan of “Just Noodle It!”. He wanted the logo to be quirky with a play on the name of the website and to also be visually appealing on clothing.
I created this logo and mascot to be playful. The lightbulb plays on the slogan, similar to how an idea goes off in one’s brain. The mascot is a little noodle with glasses expressing a friendly, fun, but professional feel. The warm colors are meant to be eye-catching and the rounded, sans serif font also makes the branding approachable and friendly.
Visual Design & Prototype
The current prototype is in the client’s hand to be developed. The client really enjoyed the simplicity of the landing page. He didn’t want a busy navigation bar on mobile, but buttons that user’s can use to simply navigate straight from the homepage to the other pages in the website. We included an “Ask Our Experts” form that user’s can quickly access from the homepage as well. We kept all the buttons consistent on other pages and used fun iconography; keeping the use of stock images minimal. On a desktop device, a search bar can be accessed from the navigation bar, but on mobile it can be accessed from the hamburger menu. User’s can search up keywords for articles or resources that would then pop up when they search.
We tested the color contrast to keep it accessible and readable for users. We also added image descriptors for user’s who have vision impairments and use page readers. Our web developer on the project built out the basic template for this website with the main pages that the client has now, but has yet to go live until 2026.
