Jaica Creative
Web Redesign
October 2021 - December 2021
Amplifying a Studio
Jaica Creative is a rapidly growing, 24-hour recording studio based in Central Florida. They have upcoming plans to expand into Atlanta and Miami, so the owner needs a way to manage the increasing employees and rooms, while retaining the same 'friendly vibes' their members have come to expect.
My Contributions
This website redesign is a part of a larger reconstruction of Jaica's web presence to prepare for Web 3.0 upgrades. I scoped the project, created data structures, made wireframes and mockups, and developed a working prototype using GatsbyJS.
The User Interface
From Wireframes to Prototypes
By studying the old design and keeping the best parts, I created a set of mockups that the client easily approved. While I mostly stayed true to the wireframes, I broke the 'logo on top left' rule for a more practical header. I wanted to make sure that it would be easy to reach Jaica Creative, so I placed an eye-catching Contact Header before the NavBar. Unlike previous iterative work, I only revealed one design for approval, as I had a pretty clear understanding of what Jaica wanted.
Conclusion
Design Hand-Off
Now that the Figma mockups were complete, I had to create a working prototype for handoff to a backend developer. I chose GatsbyJS as my front-end framework due to my comfortability with the tool the developers used and the near-ubiquitous compatibility of ReactJS.
Below a working prototype can be explored. The experience is fully responsive, targeting mobile and desktop users, as well as being compatible with tablets. The next steps for this design are to add a backend, such as AirTable, to track the bookings and purchases. Since the front-end is built with HTML forms, it is universally compatible with any REST API. The complete site is slated to go live in early 2022.
Reflection
Final Thoughts
Due to a restriction in the client's budget, the project has been placed on-hold temporarily. This has taught me to consider novel approaches to client billing, as well as how to navigate uncomfortable situations. To archive the current work, I placed the site in a private GitHub repository, where I can easily retrieve it to finish the booking system.
