PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Product
A website for Nicole DeFino, an educational consultant. The site features her services and projects.​
The Problem
Potential new business partners seek access to example projects and to explore services offered. The client needed a website to provide this to business leads.
Project Duration
3 Months: March through May 2024
The Goal
To offer users (as potential new business) an accessible and clear platform where they can browse and explore moving forward with Nicole as their consultant.
My Role
This was a freelance project where I was the only UX designer. I worked directly with the client. It was an opportunity to collaborate on each step of the design thinking process.
Responsibilities
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​Define the problem and provide insights to inform the ideation phase
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Conduct a competitive audit
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Define personas and user flows
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Visual design of low-fi and high-fi wireframes, prototypes, and user testing
PAIN POINTS
Time
1
Principals are busy, and want someone they can partner with who can help them run the things they don't have time for
2
Skill
School leadership seeks consultants with skills to build systems and templates (ex; rubrics, or co-teaching protocols)
3
Ease
Principals want a website that is easy to navigate, and don't want to feel lost in a matrix style flow
SITEMAP
I kept the sitemap simple, as both the client and users preferred a clean, hierarchical model.
PAPER WIREFRAMES
Focusing on the core features identified during the user research, with an emphasis on simplicity and design, I sketched the initial wireframes using pencil on graph paper.
MOCKUPS
The client requested the tone of the website be driven by the words: warm, connect, and held. The color scheme included a deep cinnamon color, with lighter, neutral tints of tan.
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS
1
I implemented a text hierarchy throughout the website.
2
I am using only two typefaces: Italiana for headlines and Josefin Sans for body copy.
3
Foreground and background colors have sufficient contrast.
TAKEAWAYS
Impact
The purpose of this website is to provide a place for referrals to land where the client can showcase who she is and the depth of her experience to users.
What I learned
The primary opportunity from this project was the value of having collaborative experience with a client, in understanding her goals and desires for the product. I saw the need for a work flow system in the exchange of ideas and iterations. Lastly, I learned how exciting the UX process is, in bringing a vision to reality!
NEXT
STEPS
1
Maintain contact with client as website evolves with her business. Client expressed interest in making a few changes to site, for example, her profile image.
2
Seek further user testing and research to understand functionality and usability of site.
3
Further expand the responsiveness of the site to make it more accessible.