Bruin Entrepreneurs Relaunch

Overview

I worked to redesign BE’s website to streamline the user experience for potential donors and UCLA students.

Problem

Potential donors and UCLA students have trouble identifying what Bruin Entrepreneurs’ initiatives are when they visit the website.

Bruin Entrepreneurs’ website has not been updated since its creation in 2010. The club has expanded since then, and there is not enough information for potential sponsors and students to know how to get involved with the club’s new initiatives, whether by joining the club or donating.

Initial Designs

Bruin Entrepreneurs’ website lacks immediate information and calls to action.

People who are not in the club have almost no information about current members, successful alumni, or BE’s initiatives to prove to them that BE can be trusted. Additionally, people who are interested in joining or donating have no way of contacting BE through the website. Looking through the club’s social media accounts to look for information can be time consuming.

Research

I worked with the sponsorships team to interview alumni and current students

Findings about current students:

1. Students rarely use the website because they don't find any information about current on campus events

2. Students have a hard time navigating on "get involved" page to find updates about club applications every quarter

3. Students can’t tell that BE is a business club from the website’s visual design; it is too generic

Findings about alumni + donors:

1. Donors want to learn about alumni success stories (such as successful startups), but none are shown on the website and they have to look through social media.

2. Donors can’t find a way to contact BE from the website about making donations

Goals

The main goal was to help potential donors and students immediately understand BE’s vision and make informed decisions when on the site

This could be accomplished by allowing users to feel connected to the club. We considered creating a cohesive design language across all pages, showing that BE is supportive of all of entrepreneurship, and showcasing alumni highlights.

Competitive Analysis

I looked at competitive clubs and VC firm sites to find inspiration. What I took away was that:

1. Putting highlights on the home page is both engaging and creates emotional appeal to the user

2. Having a left menu helps unify club initiatives and makes navigating through information easier

3. Creating individual pages for donors and students separates the two groups and their indivudual goals. Additionally, putting donors first on the navigation bar would put emphasis that BE is a nonprofit.

Prototype