Project Overview

The goal of this redesign was to transform the Lebanese American Women Association (LAWA) website into a clear, trustworthy, and informative resource. The previous site lacked essential information about the organization, making it difficult for visitors to understand LAWA’s mission or engage with its programs.

In one month — through five structured meetings — I led a full redesign focused on readability, visual clarity, and strategic storytelling.

Problem:
The site’s content structure didn’t communicate who LAWA was, what they did, or why their work mattered. Users lacked context and confidence.

---

Research Phase

Before designing, I explored websites from other nonprofit and community-focused organizations to understand what builds trust and supports user needs.

Key insights

• Essential information should appear on the homepage, not hidden in subpages.
• Subpages should provide clear, detailed explanations of programs and impact.
• Many successful nonprofits use timelines or milestone overviews to show progress.
• Donation pages often feature calls to action, employer match details, and clear value statements.

This research shaped the foundation of the content hierarchy and visual direction.

---

Ideation Phase

After determining what users needed (and what the organization wanted to highlight), I shifted to designing the content structure.

Because this project was built in WordPress, I streamlined the design process by selecting and evaluating templates rather than creating multiple wireframes.

Homepage goals

• Highlight core services and offerings
• Introduce the team and organization identity
• Include testimonials from partners and collaborators

Additional improvements

• Build an Impact page with a clear narrative
• Create an Education page describing programs and resources
• Redesign the Donation page for clarity and engagement

---

UI Design Phase

For typography, I chose Roboto for its legibility and accessibility.
Visually, I incorporated deep greens inspired by the cedar tree on the Lebanese flag, rooting the brand in cultural identity.

I also used imagery from Lebanese landmarks to create a sense of familiarity and connection — especially for diaspora communities.

The final interface balances warmth, clarity, and trust-building cues.

---

Conclusion

Throughout this project, I gained hands-on experience in:

• Working directly with nonprofit leadership
• Implementing and customizing WordPress themes
• Making design decisions under platform constraints
• Structuring content for clarity and storytelling
• Managing feedback cycles in fast-paced redesigns

The free version of WordPress presented limitations, but by customizing theme code, I was able to deliver the functionality LAWA needed.

---

Key Takeaways

• Pre-planning matters. Outlining content sections early dramatically speeds up development.
• Moodboards and early visual direction help avoid costly revisions later.
• Templates aren’t shortcuts — they require thoughtful evaluation and customization.

---

Testimonials

“Super! Professional and engaging!! 👏👏👏”
“Website looks great 👍👏👏👏”
“The website looks very nice!”
“Thank you Ghada and Samar for all your time and hard work. Greatly appreciated 🙏”

---

Before & After (Figma Prototype)