Van Buren Youth Camp (VBYC) hadn’t had a website redesign since 2000. I worked with a small team to restructure, redesign, and deliver a new website that VBYC could manage on their own for years to come.
Process
We interviewed members of the Board and established goals of increasing camper signup, the amount of returning campers, and to drive engagement with the dedicated alumni network. They talked a lot about the “spirit of camp” and recommended I visit while camp was in session… so I did! It was an amazing experience and I learned a lot about this truly special place.
With discovery tasks in my pocket, I returned to Chicago to conduct a full site audit which helped me established a new information architecture complete with page-level content recommendations. This process also led to a system of five Page Types (templates) that could be used as the site needs changed over time.
With the UX phase complete, I stayed on as consultant for design and development as new questions were uncovered through the final stages of the project.
Results and Outcome
An alum from camp, upon seeing the site for the first time, cried tears of joy.
Major wins
- Sign Up and Donate have been given consistent, prominent locations.
- Hero imagery shows the story and culture of VBYC.
- Sessions are easy to find, learn about, and sign up for.
- A brand new Typical Day page sets meaningful expectations for the wary camper and curious parent.
- Alumni have a more prominent section where they can sign up for updates or donate to their beloved camp