a non-profit corporation based in Texas, USA, dedicated to promoting unity and cooperation among African states and people of African descent around the world.
Lead Product Designer designing the website and Dashboard CMS
TEAM
3 Product Designers, 2 Full stack Developers, 1 Project Manager,
Duration
6 Months
Project Brief
United States of Africa" is a non-profit corporation headquartered in Texas, USA. The organization is committed to fostering unity and cooperation among African states and individuals of African descent globally. By promoting collaboration and solidarity, the NGO aims to address common challenges, celebrate African heritage, and empower communities to thrive collectively.
Background
I joined USAF as the Lead Product Designer, as well as other designers, in a company of over 7 engineers and 3 project manager. I support design across every aspect of our business and am responsible for leading UX and UI across key parts of the application side of the platform. Below are my listed key achievements:
Implemented a Design System:
This has helped the Engineering and Product teams to understand how and why we choose to implement certain components over others.
Streamlined Management:
Develop a scalable and easy-to-manage website platform that empowers the NGO's team to update content, track performance metrics, and adapt to evolving needs and opportunities efficiently.
Establishing a Design Kit:
This has helped to maintain consistency in the look and feel across different parts of the platform. .
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Prototyping & Usability Testing:
I created interactive prototypes using tools like Figma, which were then used in usability testing sessions. Feedback from these sessions was crucial, leading to iterative designs that refined the user experience.
Effective Communication:
Revise content strategy and design to effectively communicate the organization's mission, values, impact, and ongoing initiatives to various stakeholders.
Design Process
Statement of the Problem
The current website of the NGO lacks modern design aesthetics, user-friendly navigation, and engaging content presentation. It fails to effectively communicate the organization's mission, impact, and initiatives to its target audience. The website's outdated design and cumbersome user experience hinder user engagement, limit outreach efforts, and may deter potential donors, volunteers, and partners from getting involved with the organization.
Identifying the Need for a Website Redesign
Outdated Design:
The website's design does not reflect the organization's dynamic mission and values, making it appear stagnant and unappealing to users..
Poor User Experience:
Navigation is complex, content is difficult to find, and the overall user journey is not intuitive, resulting in frustration and disengagement among visitors.
Missed Opportunities:
The website does not leverage modern web technologies and interactive elements to engage and inspire visitors, missing opportunities to drive action and support for the NGO's cause.
Gathering Insights (Affinity Mapping)
After collecting the recordings from the user interviews, I conducted affinity mapping with my teammate to synthesise the pains identified. We grouped these problems under common themes and features in the platform.
Majority User Feedback after Affinity Mapping
The majority of users expressed frustration with the website's navigation and information structure. They found it challenging to locate relevant content and navigate between different sections. Additionally, users highlighted the need for a more modern and visually appealing design, as well as improved mobile responsiveness. Many users also emphasized the importance of clear calls to action and opportunities for engagement, such as volunteering and event participation. Overall, users indicated a strong desire for a website that is user-friendly, informative, and inspiring, aligning with the organization's mission of promoting unity and cooperation among African states and people of African descent.
Wireframing
For the wireframing phase, I created low-fidelity prototypes to outline the layout and functionality of key website pages. These wireframes focused on improving navigation, simplifying content presentation, and integrating interactive features.
Testing
During usability testing, I invited representative users to interact with the wireframes and provide feedback on their experience. Through iterative testing and refinement, I ensured that the final website design addressed user needs and preferences effectively.
Hi-Fidelity Prototype
In the final result, the wireframes evolved into high-fidelity prototypes that showcased a modern design aesthetic, streamlined navigation, and engaging multimedia content. Usability testing confirmed the success of these improvements, with users reporting increased satisfaction and ease of use when navigating the redesigned website.
Designing the CMS Dashboard
To design the CMS (Content Management System) dashboard, I prioritized user-friendly functionality and efficient content management tools. The dashboard features intuitive controls for updating content, managing multimedia assets, and analyzing website performance metrics. It includes customizable modules for posting news updates, promoting events, and engaging with community members. Additionally, the dashboard incorporates feedback mechanisms and analytics tools to facilitate continuous improvement and data-driven decision-making.
Design System
Takeaways
The redesign of the "United States of Africa" website resulted in significant improvements in user engagement, accessibility, and overall user experience. The modernized design, streamlined navigation, and clear call-to-actions have contributed to increased user interaction and conversion rates. The CMS dashboard empowers administrators to effectively manage content and track website performance, leading to better decision-making and continuous improvement. Moving forward, regular updates and optimization based on user feedback and analytics will be key to maintaining the website's effectiveness in achieving the NGO's mission of promoting unity and cooperation among African states and people of African descent worldwide
