We delve into the transformative redesign of People First's website, a beacon of advocacy in the North of England. This project highlights our user-centered design approach, focusing on research, persona building, and creating an accessible digital experience that champions the voices of the community.
UX Research & Discovery: Unveiling Insights for Inclusion
In embarking on the journey to redesign People First's website, our primary aim was to encapsulate the ethos of an organization deeply rooted in advocacy and inclusivity. Our approach was twofold: deeply analytic and profoundly empathetic. By conducting comprehensive UX research, we delved into the analytics of the existing website, identifying strengths and pinpointing areas for improvement. This quantitative analysis was complemented by qualitative insights gathered through candid conversations with the People First team. Understanding their aspirations and the challenges faced by their users allowed us to frame our design strategy within the real-world context of those who would interact with the site. This foundational phase ensured that our design decisions were data-informed and aligned with the mission to create an accessible and empowering online environment.
Persona Building & Journey Mapping: Charting the Path Forward
With the insights gathered from our research and focus groups, we embarked on persona building and journey mapping to humanize the data and align our design strategy with the diverse needs of People First's audience.
By creating detailed user personas, we distilled the essence of the organization's varied user demographics, each with unique challenges and goals. These personas then guided the development of journey maps, which illustrated the paths users might take through the website. This process was instrumental in identifying critical touchpoints where users interact with the site, highlighting opportunities to enhance usability and ensure that every interaction was intuitive and empowering. Through these tools, we tailored the design to foster an inclusive digital space that resonates with and supports the individual journeys of those seeking advocacy and assistance.
Wireframing to High-Fidelity Design: Crafting an Accessible Digital Experience
Transitioning from research and planning to execution, we focused on wireframing as the skeletal framework for People First's website.
This stage was crucial in visualizing the site's structure and layout, ensuring that the foundation was laid for an accessible and user-friendly interface. As we progressed to high-fidelity designs, our commitment to accessibility and usability remained paramount. By integrating People First's bold brand identity with functional design elements, we created a vibrant yet navigable online experience. The site's development on Craft CMS further reinforced our goal, providing the flexibility needed for the team to manage content dynamically. Our iterative design process, from wireframes to prototypes, ensured that every aspect of the site was scrutinized and refined to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, thus guaranteeing an inclusive and engaging platform for all users.
