CONTEXT

Timeline

8 Weeks (January 2023 - March 2023)

Scope

This case study represents a hypothetical project for my own educational purposes, envisioning a rebuild of the website for a company like Pete's 881 Club that could potentially benefit from an improved online presence and user experience. As a freelance UX designer, I took the opportunity to revamp their physical menu and explored the possibilities of enhancing the overall user experience by redesigning the website.

PROBLEM

Lost in Translation: Website Fails to Convey the Full Experience and Offerings of Pete's 881 Club to Potential Visitors

After attending Pete’s as a customer, I saw a happy and bustling community that knew exactly what they were getting out of the venue. Yet, the business was failing to attract many new patrons. That sparked the question - where was the disconnect between Pete’s online presence and the value it brought in-person?

SOLUTION

Revamp website to bridge online-offline experience.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Successful competitors consistently deliver a seamless user experience, enticing visuals, comprehensive information, and intuitive navigation to engage and satisfy their customers.

Analyzing successful competitors both local and nation-wide highlights the importance of a user-centered website that effectively communicates Pete's 881 Club's unique offerings, fosters a sense of community, and provides an intuitive and engaging online experience. The opportunity for a solution lies in leveraging UX design principles to create a visually compelling and informative website that seamlessly connects with potential customers, enhances their understanding of the business, and drives increased engagement and patronage.

USER INTERVIEWS

Interviewees value a combination of good food, drinks, social atmosphere, and engaging activities when choosing a venue like Pete's 881 Club.

I created an affinity map from all the takeaways from my user interviews, and there were some clear points that stuck out to me. The underlying message was that people going to Pete’s were looking for some or all of the elements that made Pete’s unique. Highlighting those aspects of the business was going to be key to increase engagement with the website and the physical place.

INSIGHTS

Patrons seek an online experience that effectively communicates and aligns with their expectations of the in-person experience.

There were many important insights, as the bulk of my research was conducted via these user interviews and competitive analysis. I broke the insights down by theme to get a clear idea of my key takeaways after affinity mapping.

DESIGN

Pushback led to an educative approach.

While my initial design plans included more interactivity, such as online ordering and booking, after speaking with specific stakeholders I learned that they weren’t interested in adding these features to the user experience. After brainstorming different ideas, I decided to focus on enhancing Pete’s educational content, and making sure the site was clearly the strengths of the business through pictures and words. This would be a compromise between stakeholders, customers, and my own vision of the website redesign.

TESTING + REFINEMENTS

2 major refinements in my design

I believe a good UX process consists of constant iteration and testing, and this project was no different in that regard. Here are a couple of the biggest changes that were made in the process of testing the product with a variety of users.

RESULTS

My Final Product

The final outcome was a fully responsive site that looked just as good on desktop as it did on mobile. I included introductions to each aspect of the business (restaurant, sports bar, cardroom), as well as event details, contact info and hours. This way the site was equally valuable to frequent visitors and newcomers alike.

CONCLUSION + LOOKING BACK

What I learned and what I’d do differently next time.

In my young career as a UX designer, every project has been a huge learning experience and growth opportunity, and this one was no different. Here are a few of my greatest takeaways from the process.

  1. Embrace Imperfection and Learn as You Go. Throughout the project, I learned the valuable lesson of embracing imperfection and continuously iterating. At first, I believed that the simplest design elements required no further refinement, but I soon discovered that even the smallest details could greatly impact the user experience. So, I took the time to go back and review everything, ensuring that each element was designed with the user in mind. By simplifying the early stages and staying open to change, I found that the project flowed more smoothly and with less friction. It taught me that perfection is not the ultimate goal, but rather the process of learning and improving along the way.

  2. Foster Collaboration and Seek Valuable Feedback. I quickly realized that involving everyone right from the start and listening to their ideas had a huge impact on the final outcome. I sought out different perspectives because I knew that their insights would guide me in the right direction. Feedback became my best friend. It helped me make necessary revisions and create a user experience that really hit the mark. I learned that teamwork and collaboration truly make the design process shine.

  3. Continuous Learning and Personal Growth. This project made me come to appreciate the significance of continuous learning and personal growth. I realized that staying updated with industry trends and best practices was vital to delivering exceptional UX design. I actively sought opportunities to expand my knowledge and skills, learning from each experience. It became clear that in the ever-evolving field of UX design, embracing the idea of lifelong learning was essential. By continually improving and growing, I could deliver better results and provide users with the best possible experience.

OUTCOME

Results and measuring success.

As of my completion of this case study, Pete’s 881 Club has yet to implement the new website I designed. However, I am confident that by implementing these changes and analyzing key metrics we can expect positive outcomes in terms of increased conversion rates, longer time spent on the site, decreased bounce rates, improved user satisfaction, increased online visibility, enhanced brand reputation, and valuable insights from analytics.

Thanks for checking out my work!

For questions, collaborative ideas, or to grab a coffee and chat the breeze, reach out to me at connorhaightdesigns@gmail.com