This project included the Live Benefit Concert Motion Graphic, Logo Design, and Website Design. 

The project was to promote an event in which local EDM artists came together to perform a benefit concert that raised proceed to defend elephants from being poached for their ivory. 

Each project centered around the event was evaluated by peers and instructors. 

The final website consisted of target audience research. This was conducted by surveying individuals who would fall into the same category as the intended audience seen below:

Research Paper on Survey Results from Live Benefit Concert Website: 

Live Benefit Concert Website Design Research

Reba Habib

Full Sail University

Abstract

The Live Benefit Concert research was conducted by survey and completed by the target audience in reference to the design of the Live Benefit Concert website. The audience answered questions like: How well did the project solve the original problem?, What do you think the website is promoting?, How engaged are you with the Website Design?, Would you say this design is unique or authentic?, What stands out and grabs your attention?, Is there anything that feels out of place or unfit to be there?, Is the tone of the message relevant and appealing to you?, What is the emotional impact of this design?, Does the work align with the creative brief?, Why or why not? (Does the work align with the creative brief?). These questions are to be utilized in further development of the website design, as well as gauge where the design currently stands within the minds of the target audience. The target audience, and subjects in the research were all between the ages of eighteen and twenty-seven, with a preference in EDM music tastes. After reviewing the data, the results were fairly consistent across the board. The design worked well with the target audience and it clearly spoke to the event and called the viewers to purchase tickets to participate.  

                             Keywords: Website Design Research, Target Audience Survey

Live Benefit Concert Website Design

            The Live Benefit Concert website was designed to promote the event, which was a concert in which money raised would go to organizations that fight against the poaching of elephants for their ivory tusks. This website was sent to a group of individuals who met the same standards and descriptions as the anticipated target audience. It was accompanied with a questionnaire to help gather data about the interaction and interpretation of the project in the eyes of the intended audience. The initial inclination was that there would be limited feedback, and more of a general response to answers on the questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed, however, to generate enough data to conclude whether the website design aligned with the design brief in a way that was unique and engaging to the target audience. The live benefit concert website engages its target audience to participate in the benefit event through the strategic use of design and psychological implications.

            The Live Benefit Concert Website design promoted an all-day event. The event is a concert that contains many local artists, on three separate stages, alternating though out the day. The website contains information about the event, where it is located, who benefits from the event, which artists are preforming and where, a motion graphics video on the home screen, and a place to purchase tickets online. The client needed to promote the event to the intended audience, which are young adults who listen to EDM specifically between the ages of eighteen and twenty-seven. This target audience would be more inclined to attend an all-day, three-stage EDM Concert event that benefits the world in a positive way.

            The design took many months to research, prototype, develop, change, and test. The initial design started out as a mood board, in which various items were gathered to make a collection of elements to possibly utilize in one cohesive design piece. This stage helped solidify or eliminate elements that may or may not aid in reaching the desired result for the client. By doing so, it became clear what worked and what did not, so as to eliminate any unnecessary or misleading information and elements.

            From that stage, the website was brought to fruition in the format of a wire frame. This is when the website moved from a mood board to something that represented the actual website, and not just its elements or parts. It is easier to think of this as a frozen frame of a website, where links, buttons, and videos are not clickable, and the page is a static frame or flat image. This step lead into further development as peers, classmates, and professors engaged in the process and gave examples, suggestions, and critique on the works. These developments helped strengthen the design into a more cohesive, and solidified product that expanded upon basic design elements and how to utilize them in a style that accomplished the goals of the client.

            The final stage was to test the product with the intended audience to better understand what they thought and how it may or may not be relevant to them (O'Grady, 2017). This target audience was selected through forms related to the target audience, personal contacts, and professional groups. The questionnaire was designed to generate feedback about how well the website aligned with the brief, if it was unique in relation to its competition or like-minded industry, and how the view interacted with it.

            By utilizing the questions and responses in the survey, the data would suggest that the website was effective in engaging the target audience, bringing awareness to the event, and urging the viewers to purchase a ticket. The results then align with meeting the clients’ needs.

            When asked if the project solved the original problem, 75% of surveyors thought it did so very well, 12.5% thought it did so well, and 12.5% were unsure. This means that majority felt the project did align with the brief and reached the desired outcome for the client. 0% of the surveyor's thought is did so poorly or thought it did not align with the brief at all. The 12.5% who were unsure may not have understood the brief.  

            When asked how engaged with the website the viewers were, 62.5% said very much so, 25% said they were engaged, and 12.5% said they were unsure. Based on these results there could be an issue visually with the site, or perhaps if the site was live and more interactive, then the engagement factor might have been higher (Beaird, 2014).

            The subjects of this survey thought that the various design elements stood out to them, and called their attention. This included the buttons and links that would eventually lead to the desired conversion of selling tickets.

            When asked if there was anything that felt out of place, however, only 1 user said that they didn’t understand who the woman in the header was. This could be because the artist is unknown to them or it wasn’t as obvious as it was designed to appear. No other surveyors mentioned the woman’s image as an issue.

         There were a few areas where surveyors agreed across the board. When asked what they thought the website was promoting, 100% of surveyors clearly understand what the website was about, what it promoted, and the benefit of the product being sold (tickets) as well as the event (concert).  Also, 100% of surveyors said they thought the design was unique or authentic. This is great when it comes to standing out from the competition. If the design looked like every other site out there, it would not be as engaging and may lose the viewers’ attention. Likewise, 100% of subjects to the survey agreed that the tone and message of the website was relevant and appealing to them. When reaching the intended target audience, this is important. Words are powerful and written words even more so because you can control what people are thinking. This is because as they read, their inner voice is telling them whatever was written, thus controlling what they think (Edwards 2016). This is good news for the research on the website design.

            Another area that all surveyors agreed to was that the overall project aligned with the creative brief. When questioned further they stated that the goals, the client’s desires, and the appeal to the target audience all aligned with the brief.

            Based on the survey, it was evident that having clear instructions, and understanding will allow for better and more accurate results. The results received, however, were sufficient enough to conclude that the website design aligned with the brief, the client’s needs, and resonated with the intended audience. This is why the various stages of the project, from mood board to survey conclusion is important, and should always implement research (Best 2015). In conclusion, the process of research in design throughout the processes and even after is important in executing a work that resonates with the intended audience. Based off of the research executed in the survey, it is safe to claim the project aligned with the brief in a way that appeals to the client and is the result of what they asked for.

References

Beaird, J., & George, J. (2014). The Principles of Beautiful Web Design. O'Reilly Media.

Best, Kathryn. Design management: managing design strategy, process and implementation. New York, Fairchild Books, 2015.

Edwards, Ray. How to write copy that sells: the step-by-Step system for more sales, to more customers, more often. New York, NY, Morgan James Publishing, 2016.

O'Grady, J. V., & O'Grady, K. V. (2009). A designer's research manual: succeed in design by knowing your clients and what they really need. Gloucester, MA: Rockport .

OGrady, Jennifer Visocky, and Kenneth Visocky OGrady. A designers research manual: succeed in design by knowing your clients understanding what they really need. Beverly, MA, Rockport Pub, 2017.

The Implementation Phase of Website Design: Defining the Process With High Grades of Definitions. (2013, March 07). Retrieved March 03, 2017, from http://www.brighthubpm.com/methods-strategies/17672-web-site-design-method-the-implementation-phase/