Revitalizing the He Rose community with a cost-free website redesign securing $20K in funding
Client: He Rose Community Ministries | Service: Web Design | Timeline: 10 weeks | My Role: Research, UX & UI | Team: 3 Designers, 2 Content Writers, 1 Project Manager
Background
He Rose Community Ministries (our client) is an Ugandan non-governmental organization founded in 2012 that aimed to provide full community support to orphans, children living with HIV/AIDS and other vulnerable youth by providing them opportunities to pursue their education to become agents of social change.
The Problem
The He Rose organization established a junior school to provide free food and education to impoverished, orphaned children, and those affected by HIV/AIDS. This school served as the only source of sustenance for these children within their community. However, the organization's website failed to convey the organizations mission and vision to people and hence struggled to attract donors, which are crucial for the school's operation. Due to insufficient donations, the school faced imminent closure, threatening the children's access to food and education.
Forming our team
To solve this problem the He Rose Community Ministries approached UX Rescue which is an organization that connects UX professionals to non-profits that need design support. An initial group of designers began the redesign, but were unable to complete the project due to unforeseen circumstances. To address this, our team took over the redesign effort to improve the He Rose website.
Empathizing with the people of the He Rose Community and understanding the “WHY”
To truly grasp the pressing challenges faced by the He Rose community and understand the critical need for their website's redesign, we embarked on a comprehensive investigation into their circumstances and needs. This in-depth research illuminated the pivotal role an effective website plays in supporting the community.
Identifying problems with the original version of the website
Tool: Zoom | Type: Moderated Testing | No.of participants: 5
User testing revealed several key issues. Users experienced a lack of clarity and intuitiveness, expressing confusion about interactive elements and questioning their security. They also found the site to be disorganized with irrelevant content, such as a video. Furthermore, there were trust and credibility concerns, as users were hesitant to share personal information due to a lack of familiarity with the organization. Finally, users reported issues with multimedia, citing a specific audio file as "really weird."
The site's dense text overwhelmed users. This discouraged user engagement and raised concerns about the site's credibility and the organization's authenticity.
Problems with the redesigned version
Tool: Zoom | Type: Moderated Testing | No.of participants: 5
To evaluate the previous design team's work and establish a baseline, we also tested their redesigned website before proceeding.
Analysis and Roadblocks
Tools: Miro, Slack & Zoom
Our Next Steps
Improve content & visuals to make the site appear more trustworthy.
Make content quickly scannable.
Improve visual hierarchy and consistency.
Establish design system reflecting community values.
Ensure key information is highlighted.
Our Challenges
Very strict deadline
Coordinating team meetings across different time zones was difficult.
The budget-driven decision to use the free Weebly version restricted our ability to customize the design as desired.
Problem Statement
How might we design a solution that effectively showcases the tangible impact of donor contributions on the community, while rebuilding trust and engagement?
Competitive Analysis
Competitors: Nyaka, Uganda Hands for Hope, Backup Uganda, IYF, Educate!, Unemployed Youth Africa.
Takeaways:
Competitors’ websites were built around a compelling story.
Clear brand identity and appealing visual design were evident.
Strong icons and demographics highlighted key information.
Information was presented in an easily digestible manner.
Design systems ensured visual consistency across the site.
Relevant images connected emotionally with users.
Wireframes
Redefining Our Brand
HeRose needed a brand overhaul and a refreshed voice that conveyed their core values: trustworthiness, helpfulness, a welcoming nature, accountability, and impactful presence. The brand colors were carefully selected to align with the original website's theme, evoking emotions of care, honesty, and trust.
Major Design Changes
The Impact Achived on Relaunch
Client Testimonial
“I take this opportunity to thank you for the priceless efforts you have offered to the He Rose Community Organization. Your reward is with God.”
Project Learnings
This project successfully delivered a redesigned website that better serves the NGO's mission and its users. However, the project was not without its challenges. We were constrained by the need to build the site using the Weebly platform, a free website builder that presented limitations in terms of design flexibility and advanced functionality. Additionally, the strict project deadlines required efficient time management and prioritization of tasks. Furthermore, the global distribution of the team necessitated robust online collaboration and communication strategies to ensure seamless workflow and alignment. Despite these constraints, the project yielded significant learning outcomes. I gained valuable experience in: Designing within the constraints of a specific platform, learning to maximize its capabilities while mitigating its limitations. Managing a project under a tight deadline, which improved my time management and prioritization skills. Collaborating effectively with a global, remote team, enhancing my communication and cross-cultural collaboration abilities. Ultimately, this project reinforced the importance of user-centered design, even within significant constraints. It also demonstrated the power of effective communication, collaboration, and adaptability in overcoming challenges and delivering a successful outcome. The lessons learned will be invaluable in my future UX endeavors, particularly when working with non-profits or in similarly constrained environments.