Designing a website for a Parisian-style creperie and espresso bar
ROLE
Lead Designer
TIMELINE
5 Weeks
TOOLS
Figma, Wix
SECTOR
Speciality Eatery
PROJECT OVERVIEW
In today's digital age, a dedicated website is essential for business success. Alex Villa and Danae Alexander, owners of a local coffee and creperie shop in Capitol Hill, Seattle, are missing out on reaching a wider audience and informing customers due to the absence of a website. Without it, they risk losing potential customers who seek information online.
EMPATHIZE
Aside from social media, customers need a convenient platform to learn more about the business and its offerings.
What’s the background?
As a coffee shop for on-the-go customers, La Rue's lack of an online presence makes it difficult for potential customers to find them unless they pass by the street.
What’s the problem?
How can La Rue establish a stronger online presence and give customers real-time access to their menu, availability, announcements, and store hours?
The question is…
What’s the solution?
Create an online presence and enhance customer experience. Their website will showcase an up-to-date menu, real-time availability, announcements, and clear store hours.
What are the goals?
Develop an informational website for La Rue
Display the menu for customers to view
Allow the shop to post announcements such as pop-ups
Provide store hours for easy access
DEFINE
RESEARCH
Competitive Audit benchmarking competitor websites provided insights into industry standards and best practices
The owners want a platform to display their menu, store hours, and stock status. Customers also stressed the need for up-to-date online information. The following insights are based on this feedback.
Survey Insights
01
Customer Demographic and Behavior
La Rue appeals to locals, residents, tourists, and crepe lovers as its customer base
Customers prefer in-person visits to browse the menu rather than pre-ordering online or by phone
Unique Health Goth crepes and colorful beverages differentiate La Rue from competitors
Limited resources and a small setup at La Rue result in longer wait times during peak periods
02
Marketing and Promotion
La Rue owners acknowledge the website's value for older customers
They envision a straightforward site with a menu, location, and product pictures
03
Website Development
Survey were conducted with both the owners and about 10 customers to gather specific information about what they wanted to see on the website
Are the store hours clearly communicated?
How customers discovering La Rue?
Affinity Diagram from customer survey
PERSONA
This persona values convenience and quick information about La Rue while on the go.
IDEATION and PROTOTYPING
WIREFRAMES
Reflecting on Research
How to use owner and customer feedback for website success?
How can competitor websites inspire our design?
How to display requested features from owners and customers?
With the above questions in consideration, the next phase concentrated on exploring different layout options for displaying the header, homepage, menu options, and additional features.
UI IDEATION
Iteration 1
Iteration 2
Iteration 3
Exploring Header Options
DESIGN CONCEPT
Guidelines ensure consistent design by aligning with La Rue’s logo colors and font preferences, maintaining brand identity and consistency.
Style Guide
EXECUTION
FINAL DESIGN
Home Page
Serves as an introduction to the coffee and creperie shop and its owners. From there, the user can preview the menu and check out any current announcements or customer reviews. The footer includes important information such as the shop's location.
Menu Page
The menu can be found in the navigation bar or on the home page. It is divided into three tabs: coffee beverages, non-coffee beverages, and crepes. Each tab contains three sections: classic, signature, and seasonal. The page also includes add-ons for drinks and crepes at the bottom.
As my first time designing a website, I was fortunate to receive helpful guidance from La Rue's owners on their desired website features and design styles. Despite the project's tight deadline of just five weeks, I was able to produce a satisfying result given my limited experience. This project was a monumental learning experience that taught me about the website design process, collaboration, and working with small businesses. Overall, I'm proud of the amount of work I was able to complete and the knowledge I gained from the project.
TAKEAWAYS