The Encino Velodrome Association is a non-profit organization in Los Angeles, CA. The mission of the Encino Velodrome Association is to provide instructional, training and racing opportunities for track cyclists at the Encino Velodrome.
As an avid cyclist and certified rider at the Encino Velodrome, I was excited to help redesign the organization's website to help new and experienced cyclists learn more about riding at the track.
Define scope ➡️ Research ➡️ Ideate ➡️ Test ➡️ Refine ➡️ Test ➡️ Prototype ➡️ Implement
To kick off the project, I met with a Board member from the velodrome to discuss their goals for the site redesign and to determine the project’s objectives and key requirements.
•Increase traffic to the website and in turn increase ridership at the track
•Provide members of the velodrome with accurate, up-to-date event information
•Updated site structure and navigation
•All website content is up-to-date and accurate
•Unnecessary and outdated information is removed (ie. ‘Links,’ ‘Results’)
•Visual design is updated and refreshed
•Website is fully responsive without issues at smaller breakpoints
Following the client kickoff meeting, I started by researching other velodrome websites to identify design patterns and best practices, and then conducted usability testing to see how users interacted with the site and to identify potential usability issues with the existing design.
I also checked out the existing site’s analytics data to see which pages were most visited and where visitors were dropping off the site. This information helped me better understand which pages to prioritize for the redesign.
Using info and insights gained from my research, I restructured the sitemap, conducted a content audit, and worked with the client to refine the website’s written content.
With a new sitemap and content in hand, I began sketching potential page layouts by hand, then moved to Figma to build digital wireframes. Using an expanded color palette based on the organization’s existing logo, I created an initial round of high-fidelity mockups. After a round of iterations based on usability testing results and client feedback, I worked with the project’s developer to implement the new design.
This was my first client project, and I'm happy that I was able to work with multiple stakeholders at the organization to design a responsive website that they are pleased with. The old site was not mobile-friendly, so now visitors to the site can expect a readable, easily navigable experience across devices.
This project spanned several months and taught me a lot about managing my time effectively. I feel like I now have a better understanding of the importance of not underestimating proposed project timelines! This project helped me work smarter, design more efficiently, and really embrace the old "done is better than perfect" maxim.
