Oasis Center
Housing Stabilization Services
Overview
The Oasis Center MN website redesign aimed to prioritize accessibility by implementing clear navigation and ensuring all elements were easily accessible. This was particularly important given the organization’s mission to serve underrepresented communities. I made sure that even users unfamiliar with technology could easily find resources.
As the sole UI designer, I directly edited the website using Elementor on WordPress, focusing on enhancing the site's aesthetics and usability to better reflect the organization’s mission and values.
Timeline
Four Weeks
Platform
WordPress
Elementor
Role
UI Designer
Challenges & Constraints
Existing Design: The original website had an outdated look that didn't effectively communicate the organization's purpose or engage users
Resources: Limited access to extensive user research and testing meant relying on best practices and immediate feedback to guide the redesign. “We love how the redesign makes everything so much easier to find, especially for our older clients who previously struggled with the site.”
Solution
Modernization: Introduce a modern, clean aesthetic with a cohesive color palette and typography that aligns with Oasis Center’s branding.
Improved Navigation: Redesign the navigation menu to be more intuitive, making it easier for users to find information and resources.
Responsive Design: Ensure the website is fully responsive, providing a seamless experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
Visual Hierarchy: Enhance the visual hierarchy to guide users easily through the content, emphasizing important information and calls to action.
Negative Space: Use negative space effectively to create a more refined, sleeker User Interface by minimizing visual clutter and enhancing focus.
Approach & Process
Direct Editing: Used Elementor on WordPress to make live edits to the website, allowing for immediate visual feedback and rapid iteration.
Stakeholder Collaboration: Held periodic check-ins with stakeholders to gather feedback and ensure the design aligned with their vision and goals. Received detailed feedback through a recorded video, which can be viewed here.
User-Centered Design: Focused on creating a user-friendly interface by improving navigation, visual hierarchy, and responsiveness.
Continue reading to explore some key page redesigns.
Home Page
Changes
Modernized the visual design with a cohesive color palette and typography.
Enhanced navigation with a simplified menu and prominent CTAs.
Ensured responsiveness across all devices.
Services Page
Changes
Redesigned page to include dropdown buttons to efficiently categorize covered and uncovered services for Housing Consultation, Housing Transitioning, and Housing Sustaining, optimizing space and enhancing user differentiation.
Used high-quality images that reflect the organization's purpose and maintain uniformity with the rest of the website's visuals.
Referrals Page
Changes
Redesigned page to include dropdown buttons to optimize space
Included a form that users can fill out and submit directly on the site, eliminating the need to download an external document.
Impact & Reflection
Users: Received positive feedback from users who noted improved usability, easier navigation, and better readability throughout the site.
Client: The client expressed high satisfaction with the redesign, noting that the new website better represents their organization and mission. They especially liked the minimalist and cohesive interface of the design.
“We love how the redesign makes everything so much easier to find, especially for our older clients who previously struggled with the site.”
Takeaways: This project reinforced the importance of flexibility and responsiveness in the design process, particularly when working within tight timelines.
Experience: I gained valuable experience through this project by directly editing and designing a website using WordPress and Elementor, which further developed my skills in rapid design implementation as well as stakeholder collaboration.