BROOKLYN
BOTANIC GARDEN
HOW MIGHT WE REDESIGN THE BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN WEBSITE TO IMPROVE THE USER EXPERIENCE WHILE BETTER SERVING BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND VISITORS?
OVERVIEW
In this project, I focused on redesigning the Brooklyn Botanic Garden website to create a user-friendly, accessible, and engaging experience for all visitors. The goal was to enhance the site's functionality to make navigation fun, responsive, and engaging.
DESIGN THINKING
I approached the redesign to make it easier for visitors to navigate, improve accessibility, and give the site a fresh, modern look. All while staying true to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden brand. The result is a website that's intuitive, clean, modern, easy to use, and packed with useful information.
CHALLENGE
The primary challenge was to redesign the website to better serve a diverse audience by making it easier to use and more engaging.
MY ROLE
Strategy / Research / UX/UI
PROJECT GOAL
OBJECTIVE
Redesign the Brooklyn Botanic Garden website (Original website design shown here) to make it easier to use, improve navigation, and better serve a diverse audience of visitors.
KEY ISSUES
Clunky Navigation: The original site is hard to navigate, making it tough to find important info
Low Engagement: The site lacks interactive features that draw users in
Dated Design: The look and feel needs a clean, modern refresh to update the look and feel of the visitor experience
RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
HEURISTIC ANALYSIS
Before diving into the redesign, I conducted a heuristic evaluation to spot usability issues on the original site. I applied Jakob Nielsen’s 10 heuristics to assess how effective, efficient, and satisfying the site was for users.
KEY FINDINGS
Inconsistent Navigation: The drop-down header was confusing and led to user frustration
Cluttered Layout: The layout was overcrowded, making it hard for users to focus on key information
Lack of Accessibility: The site wasn’t user-friendly for people with disabilities, missing key accessibility features
IMPACT ON DESIGN
These insights directly influenced the redesign, leading to a streamlined navigation structure, a cleaner layout with better white space, and enhanced accessibility features.
DESIGN DECISIONS
NAVIGATION OVERHAUL
The original drop-down header was cluttered and confusing, causing cognitive overload. I switched to a sleek sidebar in the redesign. Now, navigation is intuitive, always visible, and easier for users to find information quickly.
LAYOUT SIMPLIFICATION
The original layout was crowded and hard to navigate. The new grid-based layout is clean, organized, and easy on the eyes, making information quick to find and fun to explore.
CAROUSEL UPGRADE
The old carousel was clunky and tough to navigate, with tiny arrows and a hidden call-to-action. The new design offers sleek, modern navigation and a clear call-to-action. Now, users can quickly engage with featured events and immediately understand what’s being promoted.
ACCESSIBILITY ENHANCEMENTS
The old site lacked accessible features. The redesign fixes that with better contrast, alt text for images, and standout call-to-actions making the site friendly for everyone.
MODERNIZED LAYOUT
The old site was cluttered and confusing. The new grid-based layout is clean, modern, and easy to scan. Key info is front and center, so users find what they need fast.
ENHANCED HERO SECTION
The hero section now pops with bold text and clear call-to-actions. To make key details instantly visible, making navigation a breeze.
CONTENT PRIORITIZATION
Vital info like visiting hours, prices, and a map of the gardens are at the top of the page so visitors see what matters most as soon as they land.
IMPROVED BLOG PRESENTATION
The “Plants & Gardens Blog” section now has larger images and a cleaner layout. It’s more inviting and encourages users to explore articles easily.
STREAMLINED FOOTER
The footer is now simplified and organized into clear sections, making it easy to find extra resources and links without the clutter.
VISUAL DESIGN
ORIGINAL
REDESIGN
FINAL DESIGN
OVERVIEW
After all the planning, designing, and refining, the final homepage is here! It’s clean, user-friendly, and makes navigating the Brooklyn Botanic Garden website a breeze.
HOMEPAGE REDESIGN
The new homepage showcases a modern layout with intuitive navigation, prominent call-to-actions, and a modern, clean design. Key information like visiting hours, events, and ticket prices are front and center, making it easy for visitors to find what they need fast.
KEY IMPROVEMENTS
Enhanced Navigation: The sidebar navigation replaced the cluttered dropdown menu, streamlining access to important sections
Clean Layout: The grid-based design uses white space effectively, making content easier to read and explore
Clear Call-to-Actions: Important actions are now immediately visible, guiding users to engage with the site easily
Improved Visual Aesthetics: The updated layout brings the site into the modern era while keeping the garden’s brand identity intact
RESULTS
The redesigned website delivers a vastly improved user experience. The new navigation, layout, and content prioritization make it easier for visitors to find essential information quickly. The updated hero section and blog layout boosts engagement, while the streamlined footer and enhanced accessibility features ensure the site is user-friendly for everyone.
REFLECTION
This project reinforced the importance of user-centered design, even in the absence of formal user testing. By focusing on heuristic analysis and best practices, the redesign successfully addressed the key pain points of the original site, creating a modern, clean, accessible, and engaging platform. If given more time, conducting usability tests would be the next step to gather feedback and further refine the design, ensuring it meets the needs of all visitors.