RE-STAGING THE LIVE EXPERIENCE
UCLA KOREAN CULTURE NIGHT
INTRO
UCLA Korean Culture Night (KCN) was spending money each year for a website that no one wanted to visit.
It was time for a production that people needed to see. A web redesign was necessary.
RESEARCH
Act 1: Knowing the Audience
KCN's goal is to bring as many college students to its annual theatrical show.
After surveying and interviewing 13 students, a user persona was generated to understand how KCN might fit into their lives.
College students love to have fun.
College students want to figure out what to do with their future.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Act 2: Defining the Goal
A competitive analysis of live event websites was performed to figure out what the new KCN website would need.
Product requirements were outlined after the competitive analysis, and the website's information architecture was redesigned as well.
In this process, new pages (Tickets and Apply) were added to address the user goals found during user research.
The Tickets page was an avenue to access a fun event, and the Apply page provided opportunities that students can pursue in their professional life.
DESIGN SYSTEM
Act 3: Creating a New Identity
From the interviews, users often pointed out that the website looked visually unpleasant.
A new design system was created to bolster KCN's brand and to provide ease and consistency when rebuilding the website.
IMPLEMENTATION
Act 4: Releasing the Features
Wireframes were created with the design system components and were implemented on WordPress with HTML and CSS.
Furthermore, the website was consistently updated to support marketing campaigns, especially recruitment and event publicity.
RESULTS
Act 5: Evaluating Performance
According to Google Analytics, there was a significant increase in site traffic.
Furthermore, subsequent user interviews revealed that users loved the new design and found the website to be more useful than its predecessor.
REFLECTION
Post-Show Debrief
Limited Time
When there is limited time to conduct user research, staying rooted in user empathy is vital.
Balancing User and Business
Designers need to ensure that both users are satisfied and business objectives are met.
Appreciating Development
Learning HTML and CSS helped to understand the technical constraints when implementing designs.