Role: UX Designer
Project Duration: 4 weeks
Tools: Figma, Adobe Suite


About Sea Save
Ocean Conservation Organization
Since 1994, the Sea Save Foundation (SSF) has championed ocean conservancy and played a crucial role in implementing essential legislation in the US and internationally.
SSF’s website is a pivotal hub for engaging new audiences, disseminating research and values, and facilitating donations.
The Seasave Web Redesign aims to enhance the foundation's ability to reach a broader audience, deliver user-friendly information, and foster engagement among individuals eager to contribute to ocean conservation. This redesign will significantly impact the current state of our oceans by making it easier for people to find reliable resources and take actionable steps toward preservation.

Design Process
Sea Save Website design
The Sea Save design process began with targeted research on current volunteers and potential supporters and stakeholder interviews to determine core needs. User testing identified barriers to donations. The team engaged in ideation sessions, generating ideas and creating initial wireframes for a user-friendly website to enhance navigation and experience. Prototypes were developed, tested, and refined through iterative design based on target market feedback. The final design was selected because it is engaging for current and future users, making it easier to support ocean conservation efforts. This process ensures the website meets organizational goals, increases engagement, and facilitates meaningful contributions to marine preservation.

Design Timeline
Sea Save Website design

User research, survey, interviews, competitor analysis & testing.
User persona, empathy map, user journey & prioritization matrix.
Information architecture, storyboard & Value proposition.
Wireframe, Hi-fy prototype, userflow & sitemap.
Feedback, data organization, testing results & Future concepts.

We thoroughly analyzed the current website interface and its functionalities to develop a research plan and conduct usability testing with target market users.
User research, survey, interviews, competitor analysis & testing.
As a team, we analyzed user data to understand their needs, helping the Sea Save Foundation attract more support.
User persona, empathy map, user journey & prioritization matrix.
Through storyboarding, we identify user problems and visualize their experiences with the Sea Save Foundation. This approach lets us pinpoint their needs and ensuring our solutions are user-centric.
Information architecture, storyboard & Value proposition.
We developed initial wireframes and conducted early testing to refine the final app. The prototype's interface design provided a clear structure for the site map, guiding the final test phase.
Wireframe, Hi-fy prototype, userflow & sitemap.
Final testing was conducted to identify necessary design changes and solidify the team's vision for future concepts. This process ensured the final design was user-centric and provided a clear direction for ongoing improvements.
Feedback, data organization, testing results & Future concepts.

Target Audience
Sea Save
Mid-30s adults are driven to significantly impact ocean conservation by actively participating in and supporting initiatives to reduce ocean trash.
User Research
Our user research, which was instrumental in shaping our design decisions, focused on adults from their early 30s to mid-40s. The data from surveys and questionnaires indicated this group as our primary target market. The insights from this research and the stakeholder interviews were pivotal in identifying adults in their mid-30s, primarily women, as the primary target market. Understanding our users is crucial in guiding our future design decisions and providing the design team with a rock-solid foundation for their work.
Competitor Analysis
Conducted a competitor analysis focusing on four main areas: visual assets, look and feel, information, and content organization. It was found that oceanconservancy.org's visual assets make stories more compelling, while Padi's clean underwater interface, featuring diving expeditions in a business-like manner, guided SSF's redesign approach. Nature.org's clean and effective navigation bar was adopted in the SSF redesign. Oceana, a leader in ocean conservancy efforts, disseminates information effectively.


Quantitative Research
Survey insights reveal that most respondents are keen on receiving a weekly newsletter about ocean issues, validating the SeaSave Foundation’s strategy of using newsletters for user engagement. Additionally, there is overwhelming support for ocean conservation policies, indicating solid public backing for the foundation's mission. These findings suggest that newsletters are an effective tool for education and engagement, motivating users to take action. The robust support for conservation policies provides a solid foundation for advocacy campaigns, guiding the foundation to refine its communication strategies and advocacy efforts to maximize impact and engagement.
Observations:
​
Newsletters
SeaSave Foundation’s strategy of utilizing newsletters to engage and motivate users.
​
96%
Users support domestic and international policies and initiatives to protect and preserve the oceans and marine life.
61%
Users willing to sign up to learn about ocean issues through a weekly.
Empathy Map

Says
Tries not to use single-use plastics like straws
Thinks
I want to volunteer and start making more effort in sea conservation, but I don’t have much time.
Everyone could be doing more to help.
Once debris and trash enter the ocean, it's tough to clean. We need to decrease this.
I don't know any local organizations.
I want to preserve our oceans for future generations.
Both government authorities and individuals have a responsibility to preserve our oceans.
Big corporations must start taking responsibility and stop blaming individuals for ocean pollution.
It's frustrating to encourage others when they don’t have a receptive attitude about it.
The sea has always been a significant part of my life.
Everyone could benefit from more education about what problems exist and how to combat them.
Overwhelmed with how much effort is needed for ocean conservancy
Distraught by witnessing the destruction of our oceans.
Supports sustainable food options.
Follows the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
I am mindful of recycling and wish the compose bin were larger to do more.
Does
Feels
Pain Points

1. Lack of impact
Often, it doesn’t feel like their efforts make an impact.
2. Lack of Activist
Doesn’t see enough activism from their community.
3. Lack of Government support
Preservation requires more than micro-actions; the government should be aligned with people’s and nature’s needs.
Story board
It delves into how users initially discover the Sea Save Foundation and their journey through the experience, fostering an organic research process, meaningful engagement, and continuous involvement in future sea conservation efforts.

A beach day with son.
The user, who has not revisited Dry Tortugas Beach Park for the first time since childhood and is now an experienced diver, takes her son to dive together.

Dives with son.
They are shocked to find the reefs degraded by climate events and pollution.Spends the rest of the day at the beach.After spending the rest of the day at the beach, she grows concerned about the reef's future for her son.

Rest of the day at the beach.
After spending the rest of the day at the beach, she grows concerned about the reef's future for her son.

Look for ways to make a change.
Back home, she searches online for organizations that preserve marine ecosystems and discovers the Sea Save Foundation.

Finds sea save.
Comes across the Sea Save Foundation site and subscribes to their newsletters. Explore the website for ways to help.

Starts to volunteer.
She subscribes to their newsletters, explores ways to help, and begins volunteering, donating monthly, and signing petitions for ocean protection.
User Persona

Bio​
A Southern California woman who grew up diving and spending days at the beach with her family loves taking her son on beach vacations. However, she's disheartened to find her favorite beach polluted with trash and is eager to find ways to help.
Personality​
An eco-conscious, tech-savvy woman with an upbeat, active personality embodies a forward-thinking approach to life. She seamlessly integrates sustainable practices with modern technology, radiating positivity and energy in everything she does.
Name: Karly Martinez
Married [10 year old son].
Age: 36
Career: Nurse
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Hobbies: Vacations near a beach with family. She enjoys being around nature.​
Pain Points
-
Government officials need to prioritize ocean conservation.
-
Need to know where to start with activism efforts.
-
It's frustrating to go out of the way when people around don't care.
Goals
-
Environmental protection
-
Community engagement
-
Make an impact on Ocean conservation.
#savetheturtles
Brands she supports:​

Information Architecture/User Flow

After reviewing the current website navigation data, our team decided to simplify it. We changed "About Us" to "Who We Are," removed "Contact Us" from the main navigation bar, and included it under "Who We Are" while also adding it to the footer. We combined all blog content under "It’s Your Ocean" in the drop-down menu.
Testing/Review
​During our lo-fi prototype testing, we found that 40% of users could locate the Ocean Week In Review Newsletter sign-up, and 100% of users found the test article [October 13 OWIR Newsletter article]. To improve this, we adjusted the newsletter sign-up to pop up 10 seconds after the page loads in the bottom right corner. This lets users quickly sign up or dismiss it without interrupting their experience while maximizing the opportunity for the organization to grow its following and support sea cleaning efforts.

Clearly, we needed to balance user experience with a strategic approach and adapt stakeholder feedback. Although we initially considered removing the pop-up from the homepage, stakeholders emphasized its importance for attracting newsletter subscribers and donations. While the first iteration was to place it in the bottom right corner, it was best and most effective in the center of the screen, with an easy exit option for returning users.


Current SS Website
1st Prototype
Final Prototype
During the design process, it was clear that giving users room to breathe between sections was essential. Our initial concept involved using different colors to separate each section. However, after conducting initial user testing, we discovered that incorporating negative space instead would create a more fluid and comfortable experience for users.


The Sea Save Foundation site’s navigation is not legible and needs simplification. User testing shows that up to 30% of users can not find the "Ocean Week In Review" newsletter or donation options, which was part of the user testing phase. The site's information architecture needs restructuring, which led to this new design and structure.
Project Overview
With the Sea Save Foundation website redesign and rebranding project, I gained invaluable insights into creating an effective platform for the foundation. By going the extra mile with in-depth interviews with the organization's CEO and engaging with current website users, we could clearly understand the critical elements required for a successful design. This principle will ensure user-friendly designs align with the foundation’s mission to protect our oceans. Moving forward, two principles will guide future projects: first, always strive to exceed expectations in understanding user needs, and second, maintain a strong awareness of the impact that plastic and human waste have on ocean ecosystems.
