The Gentle Barn | Information Architecture & Interaction Design
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The Gentle Barn is an association based in the US, which takes pride in being a sanctuary for rescued animals. This project covers the story of the redesign of its website, both on mobile devices and its desktop version, and with the main goal of coming up with a new information architecture
Impact:
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Proposal for a new information architecture, achieving a more intuitive experience for its users.
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Complete redesign of its visual identity, both in brand image and interactions throughout the website. Taking into account colors, content, and typography, and giving the page a fresh look.
Designed just for them
The users for whom this site was designed were selected based on their interests and previous experiences. Preferably, individuals with a stable income level, interested in nature and animals, and who have a background in joining non-profit organizations.
Meet the users:
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Design Goals
01.
Make it as visual as possible. Users prefer images/videos over text.
02.
Provide easy access to the main features of the website. (Buy Tickets, Donate, Animals, Store).
03.
Maintain a bright and creative, almost childish yet minimalistic brand design.
05.
Rearrange the information so every piece of content can be found in the least categories possible
Let's get to it
After two research exercises (Card Sorting and Tree Testing), the new sitemap was created, and the first prototypes were tested in prospective users.
Sitemap:
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Paper Prototypes:
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After the first prototype was made, users were asked to complete the following tasks:
01.
Starting from Home, the users must find at least one way to search the list of animals that live on the farm, select Tinsel the pig, and find the page with his description/button to sponsor him.
02.
Starting from Home, find the offer of special events that can be carried out on the farm. After seeing them, find a form (booking) to fill out with their data and reserve one of these events.
03.
Starting from Home, find the page to make donations to the farm, select an amount to donate and make a “pop-up” appear where they can insert their card information to make this donation.
Wireframing
Before applying any type of style, it was necessary to ensure that the main proposed goals were being met. In this case, the space for images and videos, as well as easy access to the main features of the site.
Style Guide
Based on the user interviews, the following colors were selected as the color palette for the site. Green representing grass, Red and Orange representing the colors of a barn, Yellow for the sun and the dry grass, and White based on the purity of a sanctuary.
The inspiration for the logo comes from Pop Art.
The reason behind it is because Pop Art has a lot to do with pop culture, and the users care a lot about celebrities and influencers. (TGB also cares a lot about them in their social media)
However, a “childish” / creative vibe with animal patterns and rounded edges was maintained, because the users also liked that TGB helps children and is “gentle”.
