Website Design
I love to help clients tell their story. From organizing content and copy editing, to designing how the website looks and how users experience it, creating a website is one of my favourite projects. Working in a user-friendly platform (mostly Squarespace) allows me to create a website that can be passed off to a client for upkeep after a project's completion. But don't worry–if upkeep isn't your thing, I'm always happy to help there too. I’ve also designed in Figma, ready for developer handoff.
Frazey Ford
About the client: Frazey Ford is a Vancouver-based singer-songwriter whose three studio albums and international touring (not to mention her 13 years as a member of folk act The Be Good Tanyas) have garnered her much critical acclaim. frazeyford.com
Overview:
I worked directly with the client and her team to compile website content and design a website that reflects her most recent album art.
Process:
Design: After an in-person meeting to discuss the project scope, I collected sample images from other band websites that had strong information architecture and/or graphic design. From these, I generated moodboards that demonstrated different directions, both in terms of information architecture and graphic design, to share with the client for her feedback. Once a direction was approved, we moved into a content audit. The final design uses the client’s existing logo, new typography to compliment it, and a soft colour palette that gives a nod to the new release’s album art. I chose hero images for each webpage with input and feedback from the client.
Content audit: At the outset of every website design project, I create a content / scope of work document that asks clients for all of their written content (bio, press, releases, tour dates, contacts, CTAs, blog content), video content, images, social links, store items, newsletter plugins, and more. I’m also happy suggesting bio writers, photographers, and videographers if the client is looking for any. For this project, I kept the website content organized as the new release’s content became available.
Website setup: The client had an existing website hosted on another web builder. I worked with the client’s manager, record label, and former website designer to get the new website up and running, including engaging a developer to ensure the domain transfer process went smoothly.
Upkeep: I continue to provide website upkeep: updating tour dates, press clippings, sharing new CTAs, etc.
Theatre Replacement
About the client: Theatre Replacement supports the creation of experimental and intercultural works of performance and public art. Based in Vancouver, Canada, they build and tour work, and have been presented at internationally recognized festivals and venues. theatrereplacement.org
Overview:
The TR (Theatre Replacement) team saw some organization changes and after coming back to in-person presenting sought a website refresh to signal the beginning of their new era.
Process:
Design: Having just rebranded TR immediately before the website project, the brand’s new logo and typography was ready to be applied to a new website.
Content collection, audit, and consulting: I worked with the TR team to organize all content and suggest edits both in the sense of marketing and some nitty gritty copy editing for consistency. (I love the details)
Information architecture: I presented a recommended IA map to the team for their review and approval. With a large amount of content (various projects, programs, and more), having the client’s confidence in understanding the site organization visually ahead of design was paramount.
Accessibility: Accessibility is very important to the client and their community, so ensuring this was built into the design was essential. Measures taken to add value to the site’s accessibility include clear site organization via intuitive information architecture, typography with strong legibility, and the (larger) sizing of text content.
Iterations: After completing a first version of the website, I walk clients through how to review the website. As dialled in as approved information architecture and copy might be, there is always a benefit to reviewing a first version, conducting some amount of user testing (even if it’s only within a small team) to get fresh eyes with different perspectives trying out various user flows. While most edits to the website’s first version were focussed on content updates rather than organizational ones, we did add some CTAs for better site navigation and event promotion before the launch.
Nancy Baron
Nancy Baron is an American photographer whose fine art photography has been shown in group and one-person exhibitions internationally and are held in public and private collections. Her photography has been published in notable magazines and newspapers worldwide and her two monographs are featured in museum libraries, including MOMA, LACMA, the Getty, and more. nancybaron.com
Continental Coffee House
Continental Coffee House has been roasting coffee for six generations: first in Italy and now in Vancouver, Canada. They've been an East Van staple since 1979. continentalcoffee.ca
