COUNCIL OF SPANISH RESIDENTS IN MONTPELLIER
Project Type
Web – Creation
Year
2023
OVERVIEW
The Council of Spanish Residents in Montpellier has revamped its website to improve accessibility and user experience. The updated site features a modern, user-friendly design that enhances communication between representatives and the local Spanish community. It aims to inform, mobilize, and encourage citizen participation in political decision-making.
Key steps in the redesign process included user research and developing user-friendly interfaces to ensure that information is easily accessible. The goal was to create a website that is clear, useful, and usable, providing Spaniards in the Hérault, Aveyron, Lozère, and Gard departments with a comprehensive online experience.
Initially based on the outdated WordPress.com platform, the website had been neglected for years. Given the president’s personal connection to the designer, a thorough overhaul was proposed. This involved empathizing with the Spanish residents and newcomers to understand their needs and incorporate necessary improvements and new features into the website.
discover & empathize
You arrive in Montpellier…what would you want to have quickly in your hands?
This project is inspired by my personal experience of moving to Montpellier in 2007 and settling down in 2009. With the help of Jose Manuel Sanchez and others, we have assisted many newcomers in adapting to this multicultural city. The research, supported by Jose Manuel’s networking, connected us with both new and long-term Spanish residents. Feedback from various users guided the content and information architecture. The website aims to meet the needs of both newcomers and long-time residents of Montpellier.
Key Takeaways
Problem Statement
Need for a new digital image and a more detailed explanation of the CRE, its functions and its involvement with Spanish residents and newcomers to Montpellier.
Challenge
Publicize the CRE, create a new digital image and show the advantages of this organization for Spanish residents and newcomers.
Solution
Design an interactive webpage that show what the CRE can do including all primary information and accessible from the most popular platforms for all people.
One point of information:
The need for a site that recapitulates the most needed information points
Up-to-date information:
up-to-date contact information, fully accessible from any digital platform
For all audiences:
Newcomers, long-established Spaniards, young people, adults, retired people… a website for everyone.
User’s Interviews
“In my time we didn’t have these things, we came here on an adventure, fleeing the terror of the civil war”
“We have just arrived in Montpellier and thanks to the CRE website we have a fundamental point of information to help us start from scratch”.
“The people at the CRE have helped me a lot with the administrative procedures and have made it easier for me to contact the Spanish associations in the area to meet new people and do social activities”.
define
What I would have liked to have had at the time…
IDEATE
New Website
We recapitulated the responses to the surveys launched. We found that quite a lot of the public knew about the existence of the CRE, but lacked more information.
We grouped them into different categories, according to needs, we stablished 4 pillars: The CRE, consular procedures, links of interest, and activities with other organisations.
PROTOTYPE
Simple solution
Taking into account the needs of the Spanish Residents Council plus the results of the analysis of the data obtained from the interviews, the experiences with newcomers, observations with people who are not used to technology, it was decided to create from scratch a new website that would recapitulate everything that people needed and that at the same time would be the new digital window of the CRE.
FIRST ROUND SOLUTION
Combining inspirations
We looked for other sources of inspiration that would allow us to offer an enjoyable experience to the person on the other side of the screen. We took into account interactivity between the different platforms and that the main data should be accessible at any time and from any point. And we create the CRE’s website.
Key Takeaways
More satisfied users
The security of having an up-to-date information point and a new digital image.
Clear information about CRE
Show the spanish population in the area what are the CRE’s implications and what the CRE can do for them
Less Stress:
When you know where and who can help you, you feel safe.
See more images of the project on Behance
