Hypothesis

As part of the website redesign, I aim to improve navigation to make it more intuitive, simple, and functional, helping users complete tasks quickly and easily. Additionally, I plan to add relevant content, create a consistent and attractive design that aligns with the brand, and enhance the church's overall visual appeal to welcome users. 

Stakeholders

This includes, but is not limited to, church members, staff, volunteers, their families, and the community.

Users

Current church members, parents, individuals who do not regularly attend church and wish to learn more, new visitors, people who may have recently moved near the church and are seeking a community, or donors wanting to share resources may all require information about the church.

Current screens

User Task

The user checked the Home page and was excited that the church was close to her home. However, when she looked at the About page, everything seemed outdated, leading her to wonder if the church still existed. Her frustration grew as she browsed the Ministries and Media pages; everything felt static. She hoped to find more information about the children’s program, including what they learn and whether she could preregister them and check them into the classes before heading to the worship service. She is a new user searching for a safe and kid-friendly church environment.

Current User Journey

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

• Welcomes visitors.

• Simple navigation.

• It has a wide range of ministry opportunities

• Users can quickly and safely donate online. 

Weakness

• Missing information

• Does not communicate well about who they are

• Outdated information can deter users because it suggests a lack of concern for providing reliable information. 

Opportunities

• Maintain and expand the online presence to reach more people.

• Improve the menu bar by making it descriptive yet concise

• Tell stories of their members / using high-quality imagery and videos 

Threats

• Lack of a solid call to action

• Demographic changes

• Lack of compelling content compared to competitors 

Competitive Analysis

A few prominent nearby churches could be seen as competition for Happy Church. They have better-developed websites with compelling visuals and diverse ministry programs presented in a welcoming design. Indirect competition might come from demanding work and school schedules, extracurricular activities, social media, and sports. 

Positioning Statement:

Our church is for people of all cultures looking for a welcoming place of worship with fun and engaging ministry programs for all ages. 

Empathy Research

Methodology

Participants will receive a survey questionnaire and tasks through email. Their responses will be gathered, analyzed, and summarized to create a comprehensive data set.

Research Participants – Demographics and Psychographics

Participant 1:

Name: Grace Waiyaki

Age: 40-year-old Female (African)

Marital status: Married.

Occupation: Manager

Participant 2:

Name: Victoria Wright

Age: 54-year-old Female (African American)

Marital status: Married

Occupation: Church Worker

Participant 3:

Name: Jonathan White

Age: 25-year-old Male (Caucasian)

Marital status: Married

Occupation: Shipping Assistant

Participant 4:

Name: Kate Yoder

Age: 17-year-old Female (Caucasian)

Marital status: Single

Occupation: High School Student

Data Synthesis - Affinity mapping

1. All participants agreed that the website design was clean and minimalist but needed a modern design. 

2. In terms of usability, most participants completed their 

   tasks to some extent, but found errors.

3. Aesthetically the rating was a 3. 

4. The website is not optimized for mobile, some information is cut off, forcing users to scroll or miss it altogether. 

5. Some recommendations included 

   a. Designing a mobile version

   b. Embedding their services and sermons

   d. Add a visual representation of the church staff, members, and activities

   e. Ministry contacts and church history

Insights

The participants expressed a shared concern regarding the potential drawbacks of not updating the church's website. They emphasized that without a modern, up-to-date website, the church may not fully leverage its ability to influence the community. A consensus emerged that an updated website is crucial for engaging and attracting potential churchgoers, current church members, and the community. 

How Might We...

How might we reach the unchurched and meet the needs of our community? 

User Personas

UI Style Guide

Moodboard

Information Architecture

Wireframes

Screen Shots (sample)

Prototype

Revisions

• Linking logo to the home page

• Live Chat Feature was added

• Revised the Podcast thumbnail

• Add the platforms to listen to the Podcast.

Goals achieved by the redesign

• The website's overall aesthetics and functionality have improved, making it more inviting and welcoming.

• Replace irreverent content with engaging content to capture visitors' attention. 

• The redesign also addresses the need to include essential details, eliminates spelling errors, and summarizes the information for easier browsing. Additionally, including photos of staff and church members adds a personal touch, making the church more relatable.

• Included shareable video archives and podcasts to drive traffic.

• Users can now view upcoming events and plan appropriately.

• Contact information is available under each ministry page to help users quickly reach the right

  person with questions. Additionally, a live chat is available if users prefer to use it.

Skills Learned

• Designing with Figma

• Develop research questions for the user survey

• Synthesizing Data gathered from participants

• Wireframes, mockups, prototyping

• Peer review and revision.

What Happens Next

Complete the interactivity for each page and button. The header image on the Home page will be replaced with a video of church activities and members interacting with each other. A church history video will replace the image under “our history” on the About page. Additional pages for more ministries, such as the young adults or general contact page, may be added. The new website URL (wofhappychurch.org) will reflect the church name and differentiate it from their evangelistic ministry. 

Video Presentation