Problem
How might we create a system that effectively manages diverse types of content in a user-centric way?
Discovery
Who is this for?
1. Content Managers: Promote their departments and provide community information to citizens.
2. Citizens: To offer accessible resources and information to the residents of Mountain Home. Citizens needed easy access to permits, applications, emergency alerts, community resources, and event details.
2. Citizens: To offer accessible resources and information to the residents of Mountain Home. Citizens needed easy access to permits, applications, emergency alerts, community resources, and event details.
3. City Officials: To promote city initiatives and facilitate economic development by attracting new businesses and investors to the city.
User Insights
After engaging with stakeholders, I identified three key considerations that guided my design decisions:
After engaging with stakeholders, I identified three key considerations that guided my design decisions:
1. Structured Content: Users needed a user-friendly content management system that would enable content managers, even with limited CMS knowledge, to add content to the website confidently while ensuring the overall integrity of the site.
2. Searchable and Accessible: Users required easy and convenient access to municipal information online.
3. Guides: Government officials needed a dedicated platform to promote the city, attract tourism, and stimulate economic growth. Creating a section called "Guides" offered an organized space on the site for these initiatives, appealing to both officials and users.
Solutions
Process
User Survey: Considering time and budget constraints, I conducted a survey on the existing website to gather user pain points and insights.
Card Sorting: To determine the optimal website structure and content organization, I conducted multiple card sorting exercises.
Information Architecture: I developed a user-centric information architecture for the city's website, ensuring intuitive navigation and logical content organization. The structure had to reflect the organization of the city government while being easily understandable to citizens.
Content Management: I identified and categorized various types of content, specifying access privileges for each. I provided a content structure and suggestions to future-proof the site. Additionally, I devised a system for stakeholders to gather and organize existing content from the old website to be populated into the new site—an extensive undertaking in itself.
Content Management: I identified and categorized various types of content, specifying access privileges for each. I provided a content structure and suggestions to future-proof the site. Additionally, I devised a system for stakeholders to gather and organize existing content from the old website to be populated into the new site—an extensive undertaking in itself.
Design
Templates & Components
I defined the usage guidelines for each template and identified the components that could be incorporated within them. To strike a balance between consistency and flexibility, I limited the use of WYSIWYG editors on the site while allowing clients enough freedom to create their own content.
I defined the usage guidelines for each template and identified the components that could be incorporated within them. To strike a balance between consistency and flexibility, I limited the use of WYSIWYG editors on the site while allowing clients enough freedom to create their own content.
Pay & Apply
Considering the users' struggle to locate and complete forms on the old site, I designed multiple access points to permits and applications, ensuring a more seamless experience.
Considering the users' struggle to locate and complete forms on the old site, I designed multiple access points to permits and applications, ensuring a more seamless experience.
City Guides
To enable the creation of curated content while maintaining the overall site structure, I introduced City Guides. These guides offered citizens specific information on various topics, extending beyond the main navigation.
To enable the creation of curated content while maintaining the overall site structure, I introduced City Guides. These guides offered citizens specific information on various topics, extending beyond the main navigation.
The System
Creating a design system that maintained its structure while accommodating an unlimited amount of content posed a challenge. I worked closely with the development team to build a comprehensive style guide and template system
Creating a design system that maintained its structure while accommodating an unlimited amount of content posed a challenge. I worked closely with the development team to build a comprehensive style guide and template system
Conclusion
The redesign of the City of Mountain Home website, accomplished on a limited budget for a population of around 16,000, successfully addressed the complexities of a municipality. Our solution offered structured content management, improved finda-bility, and integrated city guides to promote tourism and economic development. With a user-centric information architecture, intuitive templates, and a flexible design system, we delivered a sustainable solution that continues to serve the community effectively. This project showcases the transformative impact of UX/UI design, even with resource constraints.