Advantage Tennis lacks an online presence, limiting its reach and growth potential. The store's reliance on traditional word-of-mouth marketing fails to attract the broader, digitally-savvy customer base that prefers online shopping and information access.
Develop a comprehensive website that combines e-commerce functionality with informational content about tennis gear and technologies. The website will reflect the personal touch of the store’s owner, Adam, showcasing his expertise and involvement in the tennis community.
Establish a strong online presence to expand Advantage Tennis's customer base and increase sales. The website aims to transition the store from local word-of-mouth publicity to a broader, more sustainable online platform that enhances customer interaction and retention.
I wanted to gain perspective from both the customer and the business owner, so I decided to make 2 sets of questions based on the background of the interview participant. Below are the questions that made the biggest impact to the final design of Advantage Tennis.
This analysis highlighted the store's strong community engagement and excellent customer service as key strengths, but also identified significant gaps in online and global presence. The insights gained from this analysis are guiding our design strategy to enhance Advantage Tennis's digital footprint while maintaining its unique personal touch, ensuring it remains competitive and broadens its market reach.
Advantage Tennis, known for strong community ties and transparency, mainly draws customers through Yelp and word-of-mouth. With the physical store hard to access, insights point to enhancing the online presence to simplify user interactions and maintain its community-focused ethos.
I created 3 personas based on my interviews and research. We have the beginner, tennis parent, and seasoned player. These three personas are the main users that Advantage Tennis will be designed for.
Key questions focus on enhancing the online shopping experience while preserving the store's charm. The goal is to create a user-friendly platform that showcases the store’s honesty, customer service, and expertise.
I designed the site map for Advantage Tennis by identifying key pages: Shop, Home, About, and Contact Us. These were structured to optimize navigation and enhance user experience, with each page serving specific functions to improve usability and engagement.
I focused on the tasks of purchasing a product and finding stringing services. I outlined each step from initial discovery to final action, ensuring a seamless process for product selection, checkout, and direct communication with the owner, aiming to enhance user satisfaction.
During usability testing for the Advantage Tennis website, users were confused by the services page and pricing options. We clarified the services were in-store and added labels to pricing choices to improve understanding.
For the brand colors of Advantage Tennis, I chose bold yet reliable shades reminiscent of a tennis court. The primary colors are neon green from tennis balls and black for contrast, with subtle uses of “red clay” and “dark green” in photo hues and banners to avoid an overly busy palette.
Designing the logo presented a challenge, as the client had no consistent logo previously due to frequent changes. Inspired by the "heartbeat" logo the client favored, I developed a new logo symbolizing that "Advantage" Tennis is the heartbeat of tennis players, emphasizing the idea that tennis is life.
Using images and design principles like balance and contrast improves web design clarity and engagement, while revisiting research and applying the "law of less is more" ensures designs are effective and user-focused.
Using images to show functionality often leads to better user understanding and engagement than merely describing actions with words.
Using design laws like balance, contrast, and hierarchy improves usability and visual appeal in web design, enhancing user experience.
Revisiting research during the design process ensures it stays aligned with user needs, enhancing the design's effectiveness.
The "law of less is more" in design advocates for simplicity by minimizing elements to enhance clarity and user experience.
I developed responsive high-fidelity prototypes for the Advantage Tennis website: the Home page features services and products; the About page highlights community; the Shop page offers detailed filtering; and the Product page presents specs and reviews, all to optimize user experience.
The homepage showcases the business’s services, customer testimonials, product highlights, and contact information for the owner.
The About page of Advantage Tennis highlights the business's community involvement, dedicated staff, and rich heritage.
The contact page details location, hours, contact information, and offers more insights into their in-store services.
The Shop page on the Advantage Tennis website allows users to filter items by category and other criteria for streamlined product searches.
The product page displays item specifications, customer reviews, and suggestions for related items, enriching the user's shopping journey.
Designing a website for a local business I'm closely connected with was incredibly rewarding. The project allowed me to contribute meaningfully to my community, and I'm excited for the site's launch. Initially inclined to use advanced interface interactions, I chose a simpler design to accommodate both young and older users, focusing on static layouts with effective use of fonts, colors, and shapes for visual appeal. A major challenge was the client's undefined brand identity and logo, despite having core values like quality customer service and honesty. This required developing the brand voice, logo, and website priorities from scratch to enhance sales.
