VicWISE website redesign
VicWISE is a non-profit organisation supporting international students and graduates. Founded in 2016, VicWISE is emerging as a leading NGO, known for its advocacy in the international student sector in Victoria.
Feb - October 2023
Volunteer work
Responsive web design
UX design
UI design
Figma
Miro
Trello
VicWISE is a non-profit organisation supporting international students and graduates in Victoria. Although it was founded in 2016, VicWISE has been slowed down in the number of student member signup, especially after the COVID pandemic.
After receiving feedback from stakeholders, VicWISE leadership team knew the current website:
Doesn't convey VicWISE sense of community and the positive impacts it has had on the international student sector.
Fails to position VicWISE as a comprehensive support hub for international students and grads.
Can't connect with the target audience base and create a smooth digital experience.
Problem.
We started with the Empathise and Define stages. To gather insights, I conducted a thorough competitive analysis, 3 user interviews and received feedback from 10 surveys completed by international students and graduates in Victoria. This shed light on 3 main insights:
The website doesn't showcase a sense of community
70% of students explained that because the visuals used on the website are stock photos and generic illustrations.
There’s also a lack of user-generated content and social media integration
Membership benefits aren't worthwhile
More than 60% of research participants pointed out that it's because similar support could be obtained for free from other organisations instead of paying $11 for six months.
Information on the website is misleading
90% of participants were confused because offerings in "Programs for Students" and "Resources" were exclusively for student members, but the "Student Membership" page did not include these benefits.
Photos of the website before the redesign.
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Approach.
Solution.
SIMPLIFYING THE INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
Previously, member-exclusive offerings from the "Resources" and "Programs for Students" pages were scattered leading students to misunderstood that these were free. By consolidating this information into a dedicated "Student Membership" page, I ensured that all student-exclusive offerings are easily accessible in one central location.
IMPROVING READABILITY
Considering that a majority of users access the website via mobile, I ensured the text size and colour adhered to WCAG standards. Additionally, I redesigned the layout, providing each offering with its dedicated space, with a brief description and a photo. This improved visual hierarchy and information density, making the content easier to digest on smaller screens.
BUILDING TRUST WITH THE AUDIENCE
I understood the need to build trust and credibility with potential student members. So, I replaced the generic stock photos with images from VicWISE's events, featuring real student members. I also added sections for frequently asked questions and testimonials to foster a sense of trust which is essential for increasing membership conversions and user experience.
Test & Iterate.
Participant A
"Yeah I think the new website shows the sense of community, and you should have more events, photos and something more interactive.
As a student who has been in here (Melbourne) for nearly a year, I would become a member, 200% but I don't think the very new students would."
Participant C
"The (old) website feels somewhat suspicious like, doesn't seem to be active... I feel the new design shows that sense of community better. You need more photos though because I can see that many photos (on the new design) are from the same event."
Participant E
"I prefer a yearly membership. 6 months don't seem to be enough... and $25 is just a meal at a restaurant so I would be happy to become a (student) member."
I facilitated 5 usability tests to evaluate the effectiveness of the new design's information architecture and whether it reflects VicWISE's sense of community. Here's what we have found:
80% of students are willing to become student members when testing the new website. This is a significant increase compare to only less than 10% for the old website.
All participant agreed that the new website better reflect the community spirit, while only less than 30% of participant agree with this claim when using the old website.
3 out of 5 participants pointed out that there should be more photos from more events since they can quickly tell the photos are from 2-3 events.
Outcome.
Won a $100,000 grant from Crown Resorts
The website redesign contributed to the successful acquisition of a $100,000 grant from Crown Melbourne. This fund allows VicWISE to provide more support to more international students & grads.
95% increase in website traffic
The user-friendly and engaging new website resulted in a 95% increase in site views. This strengthens VicWISE position as a valuable resource hub for international students and grads in Victoria.
Increase student membership fee by 14%
By extending the subscription period from $11 for 6 months to $25 for a year, VicWISE not only secured the financial sustainability but also ensured that their members enjoy uninterrupted access to VicWISE's valuable offerings.
10 new student members within 3 weeks
Within 3 weeks of launching the new website, VicWISE acquired 10 new student members. Mano - VicWISE President reported, “Our organisation is growing!"
Joanne is a proactive and skilful individual - who has a well rounded approach to turning briefs into digital designs.
She's easy to communicate with and is intuitive when it comes to suggesting edits and themes for her clients, allowing my team and I to be more experimental and think outside of the box to deliver great results.
Manorani
VicWISE Founder & President
Working with Joanne on a recent project was an absolute pleasure. An exceptional designer who has a profound expertise in human-centred design. Joanne's unique approach and dedication to putting people at the forefront of her designs have truly impressed me.
Kaushal
Operations Director at VicWISE
Joanne mentored me on the basics of Figma from scratch, and UX/UI design which sparked an interest in me on pursuing this field in the future!
She has been an amazing individual to work with who has great attention to detail and good communication skills!
Shi Wen
Design Executive at VicWISE
Her approach was consultative, asking the right questions and providing clarity on concerns. Her exceptional skills, attention to detail, and dedication to delivering a remarkable user experience have undoubtedly made a lasting impact on the VicWISE website.
Joanne really showcased her ability to create designs that not only align with brand identity but also deliver outstanding user experiences.
Erica
Project Executive at VicWISE
Testimonials.
Reflection.
I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have led this website redesign project. Collaborating closely with key stakeholders, including the president, operations director, and industry partners like Good Shepherd, was a valuable learning experience. The challenges I faced throughout the project helped me develop my stakeholder management and leadership skills tremendously.
Keeping stakeholders engaged throughout the design process was crucial for securing buy-in and consistent support. However, due to the tight deadline to complete the prototypes within 4-5 weeks, I wasn't able to keep the client involved as much as I would want to. So when the website development was delayed due to the lack of resources, it took me some time to convince the client to consider different avenues.
During the development phase, I co-managed the project along with a web developer, leading a group of 10 volunteers to build the website on Editor X (Wix). Quickly realising the importance of team culture for volunteer commitment, we made sure to build a strong team relationship by:
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Organising in-person team-building events every 2 months;
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Maintaining an open and transparent communicating process; and
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Encouraging collaboration among team members.
