30 Minute Redesign: Cathiegraphy

Week 64: Cathiegraphy

This week I will be redesigning: Cathiegraphy.

In the space of 5 minutes I can identify some of the key strengths and weaknesses of this design, and sketch out a mockup.

STRENGTHS:

• Definitely one of the better designed websites I’ve had to redesign. It’s creative, eye catching and generally well designed.
• The welcome video is a cool way to showcase Cathie’s work and is framed in a creative photo montage area.
• The logo typography is elegant and attractive, and the logo icon is unique, well designed and helps further Cathie’s personal brand.
• There’s good social media integration, with the use of a bird to evoke ‘Twitter’.

WEAKNESSES:

• I didn’t realize there was a menu at all for the first 5 minutes I spent on this site. It’s simply not prominent enough.
• The welcome video seems like too much effort. Rather than being immediately presented with examples of Cathie’s work, users must hit play, wait for the video to load, and then wait for each image to play within the video.
• There is nothing really drawing the user further into the website, a definitely lack of calls to action!
• There is no clear welcome area to explain the site or what sets Cathie apart.

My Redesign

As always, I was limited by the 30 minute time-frame, but I tried to improve upon several of Cathiegraphy’s features, adding a few design flourishes and a clearer layout that promoted content over wasted space:

MY AIMS FOR THE REDESIGN:

• I designed a bolder, more prominent menu area to help capture user’s attention and make the site easier to navigate.
• I added a textual welcome area to the site, which better explains Cathie and what she does.
• I integrated a call to action button, drawing users further into the site.
• I added an immersive panoramic photography website background, which has the option for a jquery rotating image effect or similar. This instantly displays Cathie’s talents to new visitors.

Before/After:

Here is a quick comparison between the original design and my 30 minute redesign. Sure, my design could be more polished, but I believe that a lot of the basic elements have been improved upon, creating a more pleasant browsing experience.

How and Why To Enter 30 Minute Redesigns

You can have the chance to have your website redesigned in next weeks post. All you need to do is leave a comment to this post with your website address and why you think it needs a redesign.