Discovery & Strategy
Conceptual Case Study.
Project overview
A school is starting up in Ireland and needs to have a school website so they can reach the community they serve through more than just a phone number and paper newsletters.
Framework:
The Goal:
create a one-stop-shop location for communication with the community and families who attend the school.
The website should be easy to navigate and use as a school resource.
Critical Pain Points
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Hidden or Inaccessible Information:
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Users are overwhelmed by having to dig through cumbersome PDF downloads and 20-page formal booklets just to find basic answers to their questions.
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Lack of Daily Logistics & Alerts:
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There is no easy way to check practical day-to-day information, such as drop-off/pick-up procedures, bell schedules, or even sudden rain delays.
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Missing Parent-to-Parent Connectivity:
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Parents lack a centralized forum to coordinate practical, everyday needs like carpooling or finding after-school care.
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Exclusion of the Broader Community:
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The current system feels closed off to non-parents. Local community members don't have a clear way to discover volunteer opportunities or anticipate school-related traffic gridlock in their neighborhoods.
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Frustrations
The school website does not help Sean with any practical needs on a regular basis.
“Logistics is a daily puzzle. If Connor misses the bus, my whole work day is thrown off.”
Sean Burke
Goals
Wants to stay in loop with the school and connect with other parents for carpooling options.
Sarah O’Connor
“The school is constantly on my mind…it looks great from the outside, but it feels like a bit of a mystery box.”
Goals
Sarah doesn’t want to miss any upcoming deadlines for getting her oldest child registered for school.
Frustrations
The school website does not help Sean with any practical needs on a regular basis.
Maura Lynch
“I care so deeply…the kids are lovely, but when school lets out, the gridlock on our narrow road is dangerous.”
Goals
Stay informed about local school traffic, green space usage and upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Frustrations
The school website does not help Sean with any practical needs on a regular basis.
User Personas
Wireframes
Skeletal framework of the digital experience. This will be the 'Home Base' for users on the mobile app. My wireframes are a paper draft, focusing on functionality, information hierarchy, and user flow alignment before visual styling.
Digital Wireframes
Bridging the gap between sketches and prototypes.
Low-Fidelity
Prototype
The low-fidelity stage was critical for validating user flows without the distraction of visual aesthetics.
Using the Digital Wireframes above I created an interactive Lo-Fi prototype. This allowed me to test core navigation paths and gather early feedback on the information architecture, ensuring the foundation was intuitive before moving into high-fidelity design.
Mockups
Visual Identity
The final mockups transition from wireframes to a polished digital environment. I applied a systematic color palette and typography scale that balances accessibility with a contemporary aesthetic.
High Fidelity
Prototype
Each component was tested for various screen sizes, ensuring the design remains beautiful without sacrificing functional clarity or user efficiency.