Design Showcase
Cambridge 400
Anniversary Website
Team Project
Client
History Cambridge Organization
My Responsibility
User Research
Web Design & Development
Tools
Figma
WordPress
Overview
The Cambridge 400 website aims to inspire critical thinking and encourage people to explore the untold history of the city of Cambridge. The website provides a platform for organizations and individuals to propose events and activities, playing a vital role in promoting community engagement in the celebrations of the 400th anniversary, scheduled for 2030. It also serves as an events calendar, providing visitors to the site with information about upcoming Cambridge 400-related events.
Click the screen or HERE to view the webpage prototype
Problem Statement
In the early stages, as there is no active content to enrich the page, how can we ensure that the textual material attracts the audience?
How to make the structure of the website meet the needs of different users during future activities?
(Image source: City of Cambridge, https://www.cambridgema.gov/iwantto/movingtocambridge)
Goal
Build a website that meets the needs of event organizers.
Design Process
1. Research
Competitor & Inspiration Analysis
Interviews
User analysis
2. Ideate
User Flow
Wireframes
3. Design
Web Design
Prototyping
4. Testing
Test
final playback
Research
By reviewing the websites of other city celebrations and conducting interviews with three Cambridge-based nonprofit organizations, we divided the main users of the website into three categories: event organizers, local organizations and merchants, and residents and visitors.
Different users will have different expectations for the Cambridge 400 website. At the current stage, what we hope to show our customers is a website framework that can function effectively now and offers ample room for updates in the future.
Features of the Cambridge 400 Website
For Campaign Organizers
To encourage people to think critically about Cambridge’s history before the Cambridge 400 anniversary campaign launched, the organizers wanted the website to be engaging. Knowing that a lot of text might not capture attention, I decided to highlight a Cambridge 400 animation created by another team member at the top of the homepage. I also added a cursor hover effect to visually show the campaign's core values: “Challenge, Commemorate, and Create.”
For Local Organizations and Business
During Zoom interviews with four local organizations, we discovered that many already have their own websites. To encourage them to use our site for event listings, I focused on two main goals: making event submission easy and user-friendly, and creating a consistent look and feel with a uniform format. I designed a simple and intuitive process where users can submit events by clicking the “+” button on the calendar page or selecting the “Post Event” button under the expanded 'Get Involved' option in the navigation bar. This directs them to an easy-to-use event form, allowing them to seamlessly post their events on the Cambridge 400 website.
For Residents and Visitors
The “Upcoming Events” section on the homepage is a key feature designed to encourage repeat visits from both residents and visitors. The team’s goal was for users to easily access detailed event pages, where they could find specific event information, share or print the details, and explore similar events. Building on this, I introduced a filter bar to help users refine their search by event type, time, and other criteria. I also added a map search feature, allowing users to find nearby events once the Cambridge 400 campaign officially launches and events begin to increase.
