Website Re-Design for a Local Small Business
About:
Craft Cabinetry Installation (CCI) is a local general contractor business located in San Diego CA that specializes in IKEA cabinetry installation.
I originally met the owners of this company when my partner and I were remodeling our kitchen. CCI were so lovely to work with and after getting to know each other a bit I learned they were looking to get their website re-designed.
The Problem:
The overall look and feel of the website is outdated.
Usability
Different buttons link to the same place
Hamburger menu use on desktop pages
Visuals
Button colors are not consistent
Low resolution photos in their gallery
The Before:
The Solution:
My Design Process:
Research
Competitive Analysis
I researched one direct competitor, MEC, and two indirect competitors, IKEA and The Home Depot
I discovered that all three possess more contemporary, responsive websites compared to CCI's website.
MEC stands out as their most significant competition because they also specialize in installing IKEA cabinets and have a very modern website.
User Interviews
During my user interviews I had people compare CCI’s website to their competitors.
60% of users wanted to know about what the overall process would be like working for each company.
80% of users had trouble locating the contract’s license number on both websites.
60% of users were confused about CCI’s hamburger navigation in their desktop screens.
2. Concept Layout
These basic designs helped me figure out how I wanted the overall layout of the pages to be structured. During this phase I ask clients for feedback on design layout.
2. Branding
I wanted to make sure their new website felt modern and professional, but not over the top or too fancy. I decided on a deep teal as the CTA color and removed the jarring orange color to emote sophistication and trustworthiness.
Key Pages:
Our Process Page
Addition of this page explains to users what to expect their renovation process to be like
Call to action buttons direct users to contact CCI
Transparent Information
I included their contractors license number is on the footer of every page
Users can view Yelp and Google external reviews from their landing page
Gallery Organization by Job
Allows users to easily see example projects of similar jobs they are interested in
Users can see more photos and details about a job once a project is clicked on
Conclusion
This project significantly boosted my growth as a UX designer by teaching me how to deconstruct and reassess websites thoroughly. I identified what Craft Cabinetry Installations’ website felt outdated, leading users to favor a more modern competitor. To address this, I focused on enhancing CCI’s site to evoke trust and professionalism. aligning with user’s needs.
