Browns Bay Preschool

Redefining the Digital Experience for Browns Bay Preschool.

Screenshot of the revamped Browns Bay Preschool homepage – January 2025.

Introduction

Browns Bay Preschool’s website was outdated, difficult to navigate, and lacked a clear user experience. The site was originally built by the preschool’s principal director, who had no prior knowledge of website design. As a result, the website failed to attract inquiries or calls from prospective parents, despite the preschool’s strong name recognition and top placement in Google search results.

The Context

Browns Bay Preschool is a well-known early childhood center in Auckland. However, their online presence did not reflect their reputation. With no inquiries coming through the website, it was evident that a redesign was necessary. My goal was to create a modern, user-friendly site that would convert visitors into prospective parents.

Key Results

125% increase in site sessions within the first 30 days.
92 unique visitors in the same period.
4 inquiries through the contact form within the first month.
34 site sessions in the last 7 days alone.

My Role

UX/UI Designer
Developer
Researcher
Strategist

Why This Matters

A well-designed website is crucial for any preschool, as it serves as the first impression for parents looking for early childhood education options. The outdated and overwhelming design made it difficult for parents to find essential information and contact the preschool. By modernizing the site, we aimed to:

Improve user experience and navigation.
Increase inquiries and engagement.
Create a visually appealing and professional online presence.

Here’s the FigmaJam persona map for Browns Bay Preschool. Feel free to zoom in and take a closer look

Problem Statement

Clearly Defining the Pain Points

The website was outdated and difficult to navigate.
No inquiries were being received through the website.
The principal director lacked experience in web design, making updates and improvements difficult.
Despite high search rankings, the site failed to convert visitors into inquiries.

The Problem

Browns Bay Preschool had a website that did not serve its intended purpose. Parents struggled to find information, leading to lost opportunities for enrollment. The preschool needed a website that not only looked modern but also functioned effectively to guide parents toward making inquiries.

The Objective

To research, strategize, design, and develop a new website that enhances user experience, improves navigation, and increases inquiries. The goal was to create an intuitive and visually appealing platform that answered parents’ questions quickly and encouraged them to reach out.

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Screenshot of the homepage and About Us page before any updates, taken in November 2024.

User Research

Persona Map

Who Are the Users?

I created a persona map for the Browns Bay Preschool website to highlight the key characteristics, needs, and goals of parents and staff. This helps guide the website design by addressing the challenges parents face in choosing a preschool and understanding the motivations of staff, ensuring the site meets both emotional and practical needs.

Parents looking for a preschool for their children.
Individuals unfamiliar with web navigation or digital interfaces.
Parents seeking quick answers to their most common questions.

Empathy Mapping

I created an empathy map to understand the emotions and needs of prospective parents. This helps me better grasp their concerns, desires, and motivations, allowing the website to address their feelings and provide the right information at each stage of their decision-making process.

Here’s the FigmaJam Empathy Map for Browns Bay Preschool. Feel free to zoom in and take a closer look

User Journey Mapping

I mapped out the key actions parents take when researching preschools to better understand their journey. This helps ensure the website aligns with their needs, from initial research to making a decision, and provides a smoother experience for them.

This is the Journe map for Browns Bay Preschool. Feel free to zoom in and take a closer look

User Interviews

I chose 10 parents from the current preschool and conducted user interviews to understand their frustrations with the old site. This gave valuable insights into their pain points, helping me improve the user experience and address their concerns in the new design.

What I highlight as key takeaways for improving the preschool website is making teacher qualifications and testimonials easily accessible, showcasing the environment with a photo gallery, and providing clear information about routines and the curriculum. The website should be mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, and have a simple contact form. Lastly, simplifying the enrollment process will help parents feel more confident and make things easier for them.

I conducted 10 user interviews with current parents who are either looking for or have been searching for a preschool. These interviews provided valuable insights that significantly influenced the design.

Competitive Analysis

Existing Solutions

Other preschool websites provided clearer navigation and better structure.
Some preschools had inquiry forms prominently displayed.
Many used warm, inviting branding to build trust with parents.

Opportunity

The opportunity is to redesign the website with a modern, welcoming look, making it more visually appealing and user-friendly. The navigation should be simple and intuitive, ensuring visitors can easily find what they need. Additionally, the contact and inquiry process should be seamless, providing a smooth experience for parents looking to get in touch or inquire about the preschool.

Competitive analysis Figma Jam file to capture the differences, key learnings, opportunities, and similarities with direct competitors.

Wireframes & Prototypes

The wireframes and prototypes include a homepage that features an overview of the preschool, testimonials, and clear call-to-actions (CTAs). The information pages provide detailed insights into the curriculum, staff, and enrollment process. Additionally, the contact form has been simplified to encourage more inquiries from potential parents.

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Wireframes created by hand, from low to high prototypes. I started with wireframes to work on the layout, followed by a few navigation tests, which were iterated upon to eventually become a high-quality prototype to present to the client.

The Result

The result of the Browns Bay Preschool website redesign is a user-friendly, modern platform that effectively serves both parents and the preschool community. Parents now have easy access to key information, such as curriculum details, staff profiles, and enrolment contact information, all presented in a welcoming and intuitive layout.

The simplified contact form encourages more inquiries, helping the preschool connect with prospective families. The website is not only attracting new parents but also making it easier for current ones to stay informed and engaged. This design works well because it focuses on meeting the needs of parents, making their journey smoother and more positive.

Here’s the Figma Jam empathy map. Feel free to zoom in and explore it further.

Final Thoughts & Next Steps

The revamped website has already shown positive engagement metrics, (In the first 30 days, site sessions increased by 125%, with 92 unique visitors, 4 inquiries, and 34 sessions in the last week.) proving that the redesign has made a difference. Parents can now easily navigate the site, find the information they need, and reach out with inquiries.

Future Possibilities

Continued monitoring of user behavior and analytics.
Potential expansion to include a blog or resources for parents.
Regular updates to keep the site fresh and engaging.

The new Browns Bay Preschool website is not just a redesign—it’s a transformation that enhances accessibility, improves communication, and supports the preschool in attracting new families.

Solution

A Modern, User-Friendly Website

Clear Call-to-Actions (CTAs) to encourage inquiries.
Optimized content structure to guide parents through the decision-making process.
Mobile-responsive design to ensure usability on all devices.
SEO enhancements to maintain high Google rankings.

Branding & Design Approach

The website will feature friendly and modern branding to reflect the warmth of the preschool, creating an inviting and approachable feel. A clean and structured layout will ensure navigation is effortless, allowing parents to easily find the information they need. Engaging imagery and colors will be used throughout to enhance the atmosphere, making the site visually appealing and welcoming.