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Redesigning New Zealand's First Memorial Website
Client Name
HonourThem
Role
Webite Designer, Project Manager, Visual Designer
Link
HonourThem's website lacked consistency and usability, potentially hindering user experience and engagement for those seeking to create or view obituaries and memorials.
HonourThem, New Zealand's first obituary and memorials website, approached me to redesign key pages. While the website offered a valuable service, user experience (UX) issues hampered its effectiveness.
Empathise
Client Needs:
HonourThem, New Zealand's first obituary and memorial website, sought a redesign of key pages in January 2021. Their primary focus was enhancing website consistency and usability.
User Research:
A heuristic evaluation identified usability issues like unclear navigation and inconsistent design elements.
Stakeholder and user interviews further revealed potential user frustrations in finding information and completing tasks.
Competitor research provided insights into best practices in the obituary and memorial website space.
Solution
DEFINE AND IDEATE
User Needs for the Website:
Users require a website that is easy to navigate, ensuring they can quickly find the desired information. Consistent design elements contribute to a smooth user journey, enhancing overall usability. Additionally, the website should be user-friendly for creating and viewing obituaries and memorials.
Ideate:
During the ideation phase, our team engaged in dynamic brainstorming sessions. Drawing insights from our research findings, we explored innovative solutions to address user needs and rectify website inconsistencies. Simultaneously, we meticulously crafted multiple wireframes, emphasizing clear information architecture, intuitive navigation, and a cohesive design language. This collaborative effort laid the foundation for an exceptional user experience.
Prototype
After collaborating with the client, I selected wireframes that best addressed user needs and ensured design consistency for further development.
Using Adobe XD, I created high-fidelity mockups to provide a realistic representation of the redesigned website's visual elements and layout.
Additionally, interactive prototypes were built in Adobe XD to simulate website functionality and user interactions across key pages.
Test
High-fidelity mockups and prototypes were presented to the client for feedback and approval.
Implement
Style Guide Development:
A pixel-perfect style guide was created to ensure developers maintain design consistency across the website.
Handoff to Development:
The approved design assets (mockups, style guide) were delivered to the developer for website implementation.
Results and Reflection
A collaborative design process involving stakeholders and potential users fosters a successful redesign outcome.
High-fidelity mockups and prototypes significantly enhance communication and client buy-in.
A clear style guide ensures consistent implementation by developers.