Redefining our brand to our customers, one webpage at a time.
Par 5 Resort Website Revamp
User Research • Visual Design • User Interface • Wireframes • Information Architecture • Mobile Optimization
Problem Statement
Problem: Par 5 Resort's website currently misses several key user-friendly features common in modern hospitality sites, such as a responsive design, a straightforward booking process directly on our site, and clear, detailed descriptions. This shortfall makes it difficult for customers to navigate our website and manage bookings through third-party sites, negatively impacting our sales and customer engagement.
Goal: Our goal is to revamp Par 5 Resort's website by integrating essential user-friendly features, including a responsive design that adjusts seamlessly across devices, a simplified booking process accessible directly on our platform, and comprehensive, clear descriptions of our offerings. By enhancing the website's usability and accessibility, we aim to provide a more intuitive and satisfying experience for our customers, thereby increasing direct bookings and improving engagement. This upgrade is crucial for boosting our sales and building a stronger connection with our guests.
Role
Solo UX Researcher & UX Designer - user research, visual design, animation, prototyping
Company
Par 5 Resort
Date
December 2023 - Present
Objectives
While redesigning Par 5 Resort's website, I noticed it lacked many features common to contemporary luxury resorts. Instead of facilitating direct bookings and event promotions on our site, transactions and ticket purchases were routed through phone calls and third-party platforms. This setup hampered our ability to swiftly engage with customers and accurately measure key conversions. Recognizing these challenges, I set out to enhance the website with several critical integrations.
Firstly, I introduced a payment system enabling customers to conduct transactions directly with us, streamlining the booking process. Secondly, I implemented an event management system, allowing guests to RSVP or purchase event tickets directly on our site, bypassing the need for external services. Lastly, the redesign included a shop system for merchandise, fostering more direct sales and simplifying operations by eliminating unnecessary intermediaries.
These upgrades, paired with the website's redesign, aimed to modernize our online presence. The goal was to spark greater brand interest, improve user retention, and capture more accurate conversion data, ultimately elevating the overall customer experience and bolstering our business metrics.
UX Design
Methods
User Feedback Analysis and Interviews: We engaged with past guests and potential visitors through surveys and one-on-one interviews to delve into their experiences, expectations, and frustrations. This direct dialogue helped us gather invaluable insights into the user journey, highlighting areas for enhancement and innovation.
Analytics Review: By meticulously analyzing website traffic and user behavior data, we pinpointed critical drop-off points and underperforming pages. This data-driven approach enabled us to understand where users faced obstacles or lost interest, guiding our redesign efforts to address these issues directly.
Competitive Analysis: We conducted a thorough examination of competitor websites to benchmark essential features and identify best practices in the industry. This analysis not only revealed gaps in our own website's offerings but also uncovered opportunities for differentiation and innovation, setting the stage for a strategic overhaul.
Findings
Visual Design Disconnect: The existing website's aesthetic did not reflect the luxury and sophistication of the resort, appearing dated with early 2000s design elements. This mismatch failed to capture the essence of the high-end experience we offer, underscoring the need for a more contemporary, elegant visual direction.
Booking Process Complexity: Our analysis revealed that the booking journey was overly complicated and intimidating for users, marked by numerous steps and unclear navigation. This complexity created a barrier to conversion, emphasizing the need for a streamlined, user-friendly booking experience.
Insufficient Content on Amenities and Golf Courses: The website's content regarding the resort's amenities and golf courses was found to be lacking in depth and engagement. The initial approach provided minimal information, missing a crucial opportunity to showcase the resort's offerings compellingly and to promote direct bookings and inquiries.
In summary, our comprehensive analysis highlighted key areas for improvement: modernizing the visual design to align with our brand's luxury positioning, simplifying the booking process to enhance usability, and enriching the content to fully convey the unique experiences our resort offers. Addressing these findings will be instrumental in transforming our website into a more inviting, informative, and user-centric platform.
Visual Design
Taking inspiration from upscale golf resorts' websites, I created an initial design and prototype using Figma. My focus was on usability and conversion optimization, ensuring customers could easily explore the resort's offerings. The design features a clean layout with high-contrast colors, prioritizing brand awareness and guiding users through clear pathways. By incorporating these elements, the goal was to establish an inviting online presence that showcases the resort's amenities and encourages visitors to explore and make bookings. This design approach aimed to enhance the user experience and support the resort's business goals effectively.
Initial Wireframe
Final Design
Redesigning the Par 5 Resort's website was like starting with a blank canvas; much of the existing content, design direction, and imagery had to be set aside to embrace a fresher, more contemporary vision. This meant reconstructing many of the website's elements from the ground up, while also weaving in new features and ideas into the redesign. As the sole designer on this ongoing project, I'm committed to continuously updating the site, ensuring that the information remains relevant and engaging for our visitors. It's a dynamic process, but one that keeps me connected to the evolving needs of our users and the brand's journey into the future.
What I Learned
Leveraging user and market research to directly translate into innovative features that resonate deeply with users' needs and desires.
Working within resource limits, I tapped into existing user reviews and enriched them with detailed competitive analysis to adhere to industry best practices. Through interviews with customers and staff, I created specific UX personas for Par 5 Resort's varied services. This mix of UX insights and marketing strategies offered a comprehensive view, shaping the direction of our website redesign. This method ensured our design decisions were both informed and closely aligned with our users' needs.
Starting from scratch pushed my creativity to new heights and showed me just how much platforms like Wix can do to turn our ideas into engaging websites.
Taking on the project with a blank slate and full freedom was both daunting and exhilarating. It pushed me to think outside the box, testing the boundaries of my creativity. Along the way, I discovered the robust capabilities of Wix, a platform that enabled me to seamlessly bring our innovative ideas to life, resulting in a website that not only meets our needs but also captivates our audience.