website design Case study
Warrior Canine Connection
Category
Web Design
UX / UI
My Role
UX Designer
UI Designer
Warrior Canine Connection is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising service dogs for our nation's veterans with disabilities. The main goals for the redesign of their website was to spread the word about their cause, procure donations, and provide information about how community members can help serve their mission.
The Problem
The current WCC website is outdated and overcrowded with web pages that contain an abundance of information. This causes the user to become overwhelmed and frustrated when they can’t find the information they need. This leads to lower community engagement and fewer donations.
User Research
Target Audience: Veterans, families of veterans, community members, dog lovers. Ages 30–70.
Sarah Johnson
The Community-Minded Dog Lover
Age: 32
Occupation: Marketing Coordinator
Background: Emily has always loved dogs and is looking for ways to give back to her community. She recently moved to a new city and is searching for volunteer opportunities that align with her love for animals.
Needs:
- Wants to explore different volunteer roles before committing.
- Interested in flexible opportunities that fit her schedule.
- Wants to understand the impact of her time spent volunteering.
Pain Points:
- Overwhelmed by different ways to get involved and unsure where to start.
- Needs clear information on time commitments for each role.
Goals:
- Find a fulfilling way to give back through dog-related volunteer work.
- Learn about the training and impact of service dogs on veterans.
Emily Thompson
The Engaged Volunteer Looking to Do More
Age: 68
Occupation: Elementary School Teacher
Background: Sarah has been a dedicated puppy watcher for Warrior Canine Connection and loves being part of the program. She is now considering becoming a puppy parent or a puppy sitter, but wants to learn more before committing. She also likes staying updated on events and news.
Needs:
- Easy access to event updates and news about WCC.
- A clear path to transition from a puppy watcher to a puppy parent.
- Information on donation opportunities to further support the cause.
Pain Points:
- Unclear on the next steps for advancing her role in WCC.
- Wants more transparency on how donations are used.
Goals:
- Stay engaged with WCC through events, news, and updates.
- Get involved in a bigger way by becoming a puppy parent.
- Support the program financially if possible
Jose Rodriguez
The Veteran Seeking Support
Age: 39
Occupation: Retired Army Sergeant
Background: Jim was recently referred to WCC by his sister, who believes a service dog could help him cope with PTSD. While he is skeptical, he has read about how service dogs help veterans and is willing to learn more.
Needs:
- Detailed information on the benefits of service dogs for veterans.
- A clear application process, including requirements.
- Stories from veterans who have benefited from the program.
Pain Points:
- Feels unsure about whether a service dog is right for him.
- Needs reassurance that the process is straightforward and accessible.
Goals:
- Find out if he qualifies for the program.
- Understand the commitment involved in training and working with a service dog.
- Learn from real experiences of veterans with PTSD who have benefited.
William Carter
The Mission-Driven Philanthropist
Age: 57
Occupation: Retired Financial Consultant
Background: Bill’s father was a Vietnam War veteran, and he has a deep appreciation for organizations that support the military. He is financially well-off and regularly donates to veteran-focused causes. He recently learned about WCC and is considering making a donation.
Needs:
- Transparency on how donations are used and their impact.
- A seamless donation process, including recurring donation options.
- Opportunities to get more involved beyond donating.
Pain Points:
- Wants to ensure his donation is making a real difference.
- Prefers a hassle-free, secure donation process.
Goals:
- Support WCC financially in a meaningful way.
- Potentially attend fundraising events or meet beneficiaries of the program.
- Share WCC’s mission with his network to encourage more donations.
Fixing Navigational Issues
Old Navigation Map
The old navigation was cluttered with links, leaving the user overwhelmed. Some links had unclear names and not all of them were best served in the main navigation menu. The red boxes below indicate links that could be moved somewhere else, like the footer. The orange boxes indicate links that should be condensed onto a single page rather than broken up into several pages so the user can access similar information all within the same page.
New Navigation Map
Significantly reducing the number of links in the main nav gives the user a clearer path to where they need to go. The most important goal of this site is to procure donations so the donate button is given the most important slot on the right and highlighted in a different color.
Wireframes
After extensive user and competitor research, I started laying out the most important information on the home page in the form of wireframes. This helps me focus just on the functionality of the site without getting caught up in the design details. Using the wireframe prototype that I created in Figma, I would then conduct the first round of user interviews to test whether or not users understand the experience and can get to what they need quickly.
