Pacer Water Polo Website Redesign & Development

🎨 Design Process

1. Research & Discovery

• The process began with in-depth research to understand the needs of the water polo community.
• I reviewed the current website, collected user feedback, and analyzed competitors to identify opportunities for improvement.
• This research phase also involved defining key project goals, the brand’s identity, and user expectations for the site.

2.  Wireframing & Layout

• I created wireframes to outline the structure of the website, focusing on the user flow and prioritizing key information.
• These wireframes served as the blueprint for the design and were tested with real users to ensure clarity and usability before proceeding to the visual design stage.

3. Visual Design & Branding

In this phase, the primary goal was to create a design that both aligns with the brand identity and enhances the user experience. Here’s the reasoning behind the choices made

• User-Centric Design
  • The layout prioritizes the needs of water polo enthusiasts, ensuring quick access to key programs, events, and resources.
  • By focusing on what users need most, the design makes navigation intuitive and seamless.
• Visual Hierarchy
  • A strategic use of headings, subheadings, and content blocks allows users to easily navigate through the website.
  • Important information is clearly identifiable, guiding users to the right sections without confusion.
• Light Mode Aesthetic
  • A light mode design enhances readability, reduces eye strain, and creates a welcoming atmosphere.
  • This is especially important for users engaging with the website over extended periods, ensuring a comfortable browsing experience.
• Color Palette
  • The brand’s yellow and black color scheme was maintained but applied more thoughtfully to achieve visual balance.
  • This vibrant contrast reinforces the energetic nature of water polo while staying true to the brand’s identity.
• Engaging Multimedia
  • To bring the sport of water polo to life, images and videos were strategically placed throughout the site.
  • These dynamic elements create a more engaging user experience, helping visitors form a deeper connection with the sport and the brand.
• Clear Calls to Action (CTAs)
  • CTAs are placed prominently to drive user engagement. Whether users are signing up for programs, joining events, or reaching out for more information, the CTAs are clear, visually appealing, and easy to follow.
• Consistent Branding
  • The visual theme remains consistent throughout the website, reinforcing the brand’s identity and helping build trust among users.
  • Cohesive design elements, such as fonts, colors, and imagery, create a unified and professional appearance.
• Informative Content
  • Well-organized articles and resources educate users on techniques, strategies, and community initiatives.
  • This not only enhances the user experience but also fosters greater involvement in the sport.
• Rectangular Layout
  • The use of a rectangular layout helps structure the website, guiding users through content in a logical, easy-to-follow manner.
  • This approach enhances overall readability and ensures a more organized, user-friendly experience.
• Trendy Aesthetic
  • Ample white space, bold typography, and minimalist design principles help the site appeal to a modern audience.
  • The design feels fresh, engaging, and stylish, keeping users connected with current trends.
• Font Choice
  • For the headers, Epilogue was chosen for its modern, eye-catching style.
  • For the body text, Heebo was selected to enhance readability, making it easy for users to absorb information at a glance.
• Thin Line Icons
  • Minimalistic icons were incorporated into the design, providing additional clarity without adding visual clutter.
  • These icons support usability by delivering information in a clear and concise manner, contributing to a clean, harmonious layout.

4. 💻 Development & CMS Setup

With the design finalized, I transitioned the website to WordPress. I started from scratch with development when moving from Wix to WordPress, as a new structure was needed to enhance functionality and performance. I set up a robust content management system (CMS) that allowed for easy updates and ensured all technical aspects were in place, such as SEO optimization, proper page speed, and scalability.

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5. Testing in Staging Environment

Once development was complete, I deployed the website to a staging environment. This allowed us to conduct thorough testing without affecting the live site. Testing included:

• Usability Testing: Ensuring the site was intuitive and user-friendly across different devices.
• SEO & Performance Testing: Optimizing SEO configurations, checking page load times, and ensuring smooth interactions.
• Multimedia & Content Testing: Making sure images, videos, and interactive elements loaded properly and displayed as intended.
• Bug Identification: Identifying any bugs or issues that could impact functionality or user experience.

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6. Testing in Live Environment

After passing tests in the staging environment, the website was launched in the live environment. I continued to monitor performance, including user engagement and site speed, to ensure everything was running smoothly. Live testing also involved collecting user feedback to identify potential improvements and adjustments. I also made sure that all slugs and pages were set up properly in WordPress, ensuring a smooth process for the SEO expert working on optimizing the site.

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🏆 Project Outcome‍

The newly designed Pacer Water Polo website is a significant improvement over the previous version. It’s built on WordPress, ensuring better SEO performance, scalability, and ease of maintenance. Key features of the project include:

• Improved User Experience: A user-friendly, intuitive layout ensures water polo enthusiasts can quickly access key information, sign up for programs, and engage with the community.
• Enhanced Visual Consistency: The website now features a cohesive design system that reinforces brand identity and delivers a polished user interface across all pages.
• SEO Optimization: The website’s migration to WordPress allowed for better SEO optimization, resulting in improved visibility on search engines and an increase in organic traffic.
• Engaging Multimedia Integration: By including multimedia content such as images and videos, the site became more engaging, helping users connect with the sport and the community.
• Better Performance: The website's speed, responsiveness, and usability were all improved, resulting in a smoother user experience across devices.

The website is now a modern, fully functional platform that enhances the experience for water polo enthusiasts while supporting Pacer Water Polo’s ongoing growth.

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🔗 Link to the Website

‍Visit the revamped website

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This project demonstrates how a thoughtful, user-centered redesign can significantly impact the user experience while also improving key technical aspects like SEO and website performance. Through effective design and development, the new Pacer Water Polo website now serves its audience with greater efficiency and style.