Summary

The Council of United Filipino Organizations of Tidewater (CUFOT) has been preserving Filipino cultural traditions since 1976. They created the Philippine Cultural Center (PCC) in Virginia Beach as a space for the community to connect, celebrate Filipino heritage, and foster pride in their culture. However, their website was outdated, difficult to navigate, and didn’t reflect the vibrant, welcoming atmosphere of the center. This case study outlines how I redesigned the PCC’s website to enhance user engagement, improve accessibility, and better communicate their mission to the community.

Approach

The main challenge was to create a website that was not only functional but also reflected the cultural richness and community spirit of PCC. The old site was hard to navigate, lacked clear information about events and membership, and didn’t showcase the Filipino heritage in a visually engaging way. To solve this, our objectives were clear: improve navigation, reflect Filipino culture through design, increase community engagement, and provide educational content.

I began by researching similar cultural center websites, identifying best practices like clear mission statements, easy-to-find event information, and strong visual elements that showcased cultural activities. Based on these insights, I worked on a design that included bold imagery, a more intuitive layout, and interactive features that encouraged user participation, such as donation buttons and event sharing options.

Outcomes

The redesign resulted in a much more user-friendly and engaging website. Key outcomes included:

• Improved navigation: Visitors could easily find information about events, programs, and donations.

• Cultural authenticity: The site now authentically reflects Filipino culture through imagery, colors, and design elements.

• Increased engagement: Interactive features like a clear events calendar and donation calls-to-action made it easier for the community to get involved.

• Better accessibility: The redesign addressed accessibility issues, such as missing alt text for images, and made the site more inclusive for users with different needs.

Process

The process started with research and a competitive analysis of similar cultural center websites to understand what worked well and where PCC’s site could improve. I also conducted user interviews to gather feedback on the existing site’s pain points, including confusing navigation and outdated design.

After gathering insights, I moved into ideation. I held brainstorming sessions with stakeholders, using affinity diagrams to prioritize ideas. From there, I created wireframes and a mood board to guide the design direction. The mood board included culturally relevant colors, typography, and imagery to set the tone for the visual style.

I then created low-fidelity wireframes, which evolved into high-fidelity mockups using Figma. These mockups were interactive, allowing users to experience the new navigation and flow. To ensure the design met the needs of the community, I conducted usability testing, observing users as they navigated the homepage, found event information, and made donations. Based on their feedback, I made refinements to improve the overall experience.