Objective: The objective of designing the Riverside Church website was to create an engaging, user-friendly online presence that communicated the church’s values, provided essential information, and encouraged community involvement.

Context: Riverside Church needed a modernized website to better serve its members and reach new visitors. The website had to be visually welcoming, easy to navigate, and aligned with the church’s mission of inclusivity and spiritual growth. Key goals included highlighting events, sharing sermons, and offering accessible ways for visitors to connect with the church.

Challenges: One of the main challenges was balancing the need for a visually appealing design with a straightforward, functional layout that worked for a wide range of users, including both tech-savvy individuals and those less comfortable with digital interfaces. Additionally, the site needed to house a variety of content, from video sermons to event calendars, without overwhelming visitors.

Process: I started by researching similar community-focused websites and gathering insights from church leadership on their goals for the site. I developed a clean, responsive design that prioritized easy navigation, prominent calls to action, and visually cohesive elements that reflected the church’s welcoming atmosphere. Using a CMS, I implemented dynamic elements such as event calendars and sermon archives, ensuring they were accessible and intuitive. Throughout, I conducted usability testing and gathered feedback from church staff to fine-tune the design and functionality.

Takeaways: This project taught me a lot about designing for inclusivity, focusing on accessibility and simplicity to serve a broad audience. I also gained valuable experience in using CMS tools to create adaptable content layouts that can be easily updated by the church’s team.