After 55 Site Redesign
Background: A55 is a site that allows seniors and active adults to find the right housing type that best fits their needs. After 55 also supports apartments and houses that have accommodations for renters 55 and older. The purpose of this project was to completely redesign and refresh the appearance of the After 55 site. I worked closely with product managers, analysts, content, and developers to ensure I was making the appropriate decisions in my redesign. I will be showing the site before and after my redesign throughout this page.
Homepage
Here is the Homepage for After 55. The primary function of the home page is to allow the user to use the search tool to find the property they are looking for based upon location. The home page also provides general information about the side, and basically acts as a navigation hub for other areas of the site. Below you can see the original and the redesign.
Original
Redesign
As you can see from both of these examples, the redesign was a massive overhaul of the original homepage. Everything from the color scheme, typography, and content orientation was improved. The original site was difficult to parse and had little to no visual hierarchy. In my redesign, I aimed to improve the site in every facet.
I started with changing the color and typography. The original colors did not pass accessibility standards and were much too bright. The typography was changed simply to include a more web-friendly font. The new colors are darker and provide more contrast, while the new font was larger, darker, and more appropriate for a modern webpage.
Perhaps the biggest change of the homepage was the shift from stock photography to animated landscapes and characters. This was done in an effort to make the site appear more friendly and personable without cliche stock photography.
Search Results Page
Here is the search results page for After 55. The search results page is the one in which most users will find themselves. Arguably the most important page on the site, the search results page or “SRP” for short is where users will land when they search for senior living in their web browser. The SRP houses all prospective properties the user may be looking for based upon their search. This includes names and images of the properties, property information, and even a map in which the user may choose their property using geographical information. Like the home page, the SRP also includes a search bar. However, the SRP has the benefit of multiple filter options that allow the user to refine their search. Below you can see the original and the redesign.
Original
Redesign
As you can see in the comparison, the SRP went through a major facelift in the design. The map is completely revamped and restyled. The map includes better styling, better UI, and more map tools that can be utilized. The navigation and search filters also changed. The filters are now at the top in the form of drop-downs and the categories are more descriptive. Lastly, and perhaps the biggest change is the placards. “Placards” are what we call the property cards that list the property name, image, and description. These placards were built from the ground up to accommodate the new styling of the site.
Listing Details Page
This is the listing details page for After 55. The listing details page, or “LDP”, goes into detail about all the information that pertains to a listing. From here, the user can view floor plans, pricing, view all the available property details, and even contact the property or request a tour. This page is very valuable to prospective customers, so it’s important that its information is easy for the user to understand. The LDP ensures the user has everything they need before they contact the property or request a tour. Below you can see the original and the redesign.
Original
Redesign
Like the SRP, The LDP also underwent extensive changes to both its UI and functionality. In the comparison, you can see that the page was reorganized entirely for the sake of accessibility, but also to add some visual flare. The property gallery and header at the top look much cleaner in the redesign, and the lead form was upgraded to look more modern. The table showing individual units was also greatly improved with buttons and larger tests so it is easier for the user to scan. The changes to the bottom of the page were primarily visual except for some changes to content.
Assisted Living Blog
This is the assisted living blog for After 55. The assisted living blog exists as one of the ‘living guides’ that are accessible from the homepage and the navigation menu. This blog goes into detail about all the user needs to know about assisted living. The blog gives an overview of what assisted living means, as well as other details such as its benefits and associated costs. I created the layout for the blog, which is meant to act as a template for blogs moving forward. I worked closely with the content team when working on this project. Below you can see examples of both the mobile and desktop versions of the blog post.
Desktop
.jpg)
Mobile
.jpg)
The blog carries on the same illustrated theme of the homepages. The idea is that each blog post will have a custom illustration pertaining to the topic of each article. The blog isn’t very flashy, but it presents the information the user is looking for in a cohesive way.