Brand Identity · Web Design · Case Study
VJC Redesign
The Valley Justice Coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating and raising public awareness for criminal justice reform in Harrisonburg and the surrounding area. When VJC's previous website, set up by a former member, began to fall short of their evolving needs, they recognized the necessity for a new design and reached out for help.
Project Overview
I was hired with the initial intention of refreshing VJC’s existing site. However, it quickly became evident that a complete rebuild was necessary to effectively cater to the organization's requirements. I took the opportunity over the course of the project to develop not only a new website design, but also a fresh brand identity and clearer coalition mission to ensure VJC could reach and create impact with the right audience.
The Problems
Complex navigation: The existing website had an abundance of information, but it was difficult to navigate and comprehend, even for those familiar with the content.
Unclear website purpose: VJC lacked a clear understanding of their website's intended purpose and how it aligned with their overall mission, leading to confusion and a lack of direction in the design and functionality.
Neglected branding: The organization had not given proper attention to branding, resulting in an inconsistent visual identity and missed opportunities to effectively communicate their message through design.
My Contribution
To begin, I built a site map to help us analyze where the coalition had been focusing its efforts. We found much of the site fell under the “Learn” tab, and decided to change goals going forward.
New Navigation
I discovered that a significant amount of the information on the old site was either outdated, overly complex, or aspirational.
We streamlined the new pages by removing unnecessary information and organizing the remaining content into three main categories: “Who We Are,” “Get Involved,” and “Contact Us.” These revamped pages provided users with a comprehensive overview of VJC, guided them through various projects, and offered a platform to submit information to the organization.
My Contribution
After using the new site map to create a functional prototype of the revamped site, we performed tests with three potential users and found they were able to complete every navigation task quickly and without confusion.
6.6s
searching for info on the news
9.1s
spent figuring out how to join a project
Brand Updates
As we nailed down the final details on the site, we came to the unsurprising conclusion that VJC had never had much of an opportunity to consider brand details such as consistent colors or type. While they did have a logo, created by a former member, it became clear that if we wanted their new website to truly shine we would need to update their brand image.
My Contribution
I took the chance to work alongside our other tasks to find a combination of mostly blue hues to convey the authority of the organization, and a serif/sans serif font combination for a grounded, modern look. This new identity formed the backbone of the website and gave them the tools they needed to build more going forward.
Logo Updates
The old VJC logo wasn’t vectorized, didn’t play well off of its typeface, and, I believe, gave the wrong impression of the organization. I brought up concerns that an icon of hands behind bars potentially implied that the group wanted to lock people up, rather than bring reform to jails and incarceration. VJC heard my plea and gave me the go-ahead to design a new logo.
My Contribution
With minimal time before the end of the project, I created a fairly simple logo using the Novecento slab font. I wanted this logo to speak to the organization’s roots in the law world, not just its focus on jails, so I used the bold type and imagery of a courthouse to create a straightforward and clear design.
The Final Product
After months of work we finally launched the new VJC website in June 2022. The site’s final design revolves around VJC’s mission to make information about the justice system easily available to the public, and links up with the organization’s new Facebook page. The new site acts as a platform for VJC to endorse community activists and other organizations to help people find ways to act and make a difference.
