Download - Guidestar Website Redesign Proposa

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Website Redesign Proposal for:

www.guidestar.org

Recommended by:

mediaworkman

Executive Summary www.guidestar.org

Guidestar.org is a website that provides data for those researching non-profit organizations. It offers tips for choosing a charity, as well as categorizes charities by issues. Three users were assigned three tasks which required them to go two levels deep within the site to find the appropriate information. All the users struggled to navigate the site and only one of the three was able to complete a task successfully, and he was only able to complete that one.

My findings conclude that the site is poorly designed with an emphasis on cramming information onto it to the dismay of the user. Perhaps other sites that offer abundant research like Guidestar’s are set up similarly, but for the uninitiated, it resulted in three frustrated users. Even after trying to complete the three tasks and surfing the site for awhile, the purpose of Guidestar remained vague.

My recommendation is for a redesign that cuts out the site’s fat, moreover, moves it within clearer categories and a clearer, more simple layout.

Site Analysis www.guidestar.org

1. The image is eye-catching but unnecessary. A slideshow of multiple images would give the site movement as well as provide more information as to the services Guidestar offers. The verbage on this image meant nothing to the users I observed.

2. This row of menus is not clearly defined. Its location is prominent but not enough for the users I tested to click them and find information there.

3. This information should be eliminated from the homepage and moved within proper headings.

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Mobile View www.guidestar.org

1. The mobile site mirrors the full site. While this has the advantage of enabling the mobile user to have the intended experience, it will be difficult on a smaller screen as the site’s vast content will require excessive pinching, zooming and moving of the magnified content.

2. My redesign recommendations simplify the site’s layout by placing greater emphasis on information hierarchy. A mobile site employing this architecure would benefit the mobile user. Example; the header that begins with Donate and ends with My Account could be the mobile view., each tab (8 total) having its own button to ease thumb scrolling.

Summary of Usability Test www.guidestar.org

The website provided much difficulty for the users to navigate and complete the

assigned tasks. The organization of Guidestar’s homepage proved to be unfocused with no clear hierarchy. Users had no clear idea as to what Guidestar’s purpose is and why they would ever need to access it.

The site also was missing a clearly labelled HOME button. Employing the Guidestar logo fooled two of my three subjects who are not accustomed to that technique.

The SEARCH box did not offer a full-site search. It has a drop-down menu but only one option to choose. This frustrated all users.

The information sections below the image beginning with “Put Your Time to Good Use in 2013,” confused users and all but one of the titles were clickable. One of my subjects was angered by this and gave up completing the assigned task.

All the users expressed the need for simplification of the site, better explanation as to its purpose and more direction or emphasis on the site’s important features.

Redesign Strategy www.guidestar.org

An effective redesign would not be difficult to implement. I simply cut out the clutter of information at the lower half of the page, moved up the footer to streamline the site above. The search bar must be retained but greater functionality should be added. The header on the top that begins with Donate would be better served by having a clearly defined tab design with the same blue from the footer. Usability of the site would be greatly enhanced by implementing these recommendations as it would lessen the overwhelming busyness of the existing site, with a greater emphasis on its important content and easier access to it.

References