The Brief
Design and prototype a website for your hometown, village, city, etc. Utilize basic design principles to create a modern, unique web-based design and UI. While considering basic UX principles, you should pay particular attention to typography and implementing basic design principles within a concept.
The Goal
I chose to redesign a website from my hometown made for "Blue Back Square" a nearby shopping and entertainment center. The goal was to discard the old version's outdated visuals and text-heavy content in favor of an engaging UI that appealed to frequent visitors. I wanted to showcase how integral Blue Back Square is to the local community.
Visual Research
I started my design process by crafting a very simple moodboard. I mostly focused on analyzing preexisting web pages from the original website while also studying the scenery and feel of Blue Back Square. I conducted a mini-survey that asked locals questions about what colors, objects, events, etc. they associated with Blue Back Square and why it appealed to them. Using the moldboard and feedback I received, I decided on a typeface and color palette to use moving forward.
User Personas
Using the information I gained from my mini-survey. I created two user personas based on the main groups that emerged from my data. Creating these stand-ins gave me further insight into the types of people who frequented Blue Back Square. This helped guide me when deciding what features and functions the website needed to appeal to such demographics.
Site Maps & Wireframes
I started with site mapping, initially taking all the webpages from the preexisting Blue Back Square site and editing and adjusting them based on what I felt was needed. Certain pages from the original were cut because they were unnecessary, and certain pages were added because it seemed people would benefit from them. From there I created many different wireframe iterations. I experimented with all types of layouts before committing to a final version.
Final Screens & Mockups
I am very proud of the final redesign and worked hard to create mockups that enhanced my final screen designs. I have also attached an accompanying walkthrough video so you can see the website in action.
