Research phase
To deeply understand the project’s atmosphere, I started by listening to two and a half hours of music, allowing myself to fully immerse in the world of ecstatic dance. Simultaneously, I explored font and color combinations that resonated with the theme and curated a selection of images for a future mood board.
This phase was crucial in aligning with the client’s vision and tuning into the emotions of the target audience.
One of the main design challenges will be finding a cohesive way to integrate three seemingly unrelated elements—the eagle (symbolizing the Orlické Mountains), the monstera plant, and Czech culture. Since neither the monstera nor the eagle are inherently Czech symbols, the goal is to create a visual language that connects them meaningfully while staying true to the essence of the brand.
Persona development
In this project, I wasn't able to gain experience with what I consider to be some of the most critical elements of UX—conducting user interviews and direct user research. As a result, I developed the persona based on insights gathered from existing customers and feedback from the stakeholder.
Although this approach provided a foundation, I would have preferred to engage more directly with the target audience to gain deeper insights into their needs and behaviors. Still, working with available data allowed me to create a persona that reflects both the client's vision and the profile of the existing customer base.
Prototype & Moodboard
From the very start, I treated the prototype more as a way to replicate a design that the clients were already fond of. Their vision was clear and quite specific— they knew exactly what they wanted and how they wanted it to look. However, as I progressed, I made a few changes based on my professional judgment, adding subtle design adjustments. These changes were presented to the stakeholders, who responded positively, often showing understanding and appreciation for the improvements I suggested.
As for the moodboard, I focused on selecting colors, typography, and imagery that captured the essence of the project while staying true to the client’s vision. The moodboard became a key reference point in aligning the design with the desired atmosphere.
From Figma to Wix.com
When I found out we would be building the website on Wix, I had to rethink several design elements. At that point, I didn’t have enough experience with writing custom code for automations, so I had to rely on Wix's built-in apps. As a result, I ended up essentially recreating the entire design directly in Wix.
Key Challenges Faced:
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Wix apps limitations:
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One of the biggest challenges was working with Wix's apps, which had several restrictions that affected the design. For example, I couldn’t apply rounded corners to the blog section, which was an important design element.
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The payment pages were difficult to design as the options provided by Wix didn’t fully fit with the desired user experience.
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The calendar functionality had to be completely removed, as it couldn’t be set up the right way.
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Another issue was with image styling in reviews – Wix didn’t allow rounded corners for images, which didn’t match the design style.
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Communication with Stakeholder:
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Throughout the process, I communicated with the stakeholder to make sure that the changes made sense and to discuss any limitations, such as default settings that couldn’t be adjusted.
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Finalizing the Design:
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Despite the technical and design limitations, we eventually finished the website. However, even after launch, we added missing pages like the 404 error page, terms and conditions, and the newsletter subscription page.
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Refining the Design:
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There were several times during the design process when my vision didn’t match what I was creating, and I was unhappy with the results. I felt that something wasn’t working visually and functionally. However, after careful review, I was able to find and fix these issues, so that the user experience and design made sense.
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Post-Launch Improvements:
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I am confident that the website still has areas for improvement. I plan to address these issues after launch based on user feedback, focusing on improving the user experience and design even further.
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During the development of the website, the stakeholder also introduced a new idea: adding a separate page dedicated to the DJ, specifically for them. After discussing it, we agreed that it would be better to host the page under the domain "orlickyecstatic" to make it more cohesive and personalized. This new page was created specifically for the DJ, further expanding the website’s offerings.
Testing phase
Before launching the website, I reached out to some acquaintances who regularly visit the stakeholders and invited them to participate in a small user testing session. The focus of this session was to get feedback on the overall impression of the website, ensuring it felt intuitive, visually appealing, and user-friendly.
I received valuable feedback, including discovering broken links that had been overlooked and identifying text errors that needed corrections. This testing phase helped me ensure that the website was functioning properly and provided a positive user experience before the final launch.
Conclusion
During the creation of this website, I had my first experience working with a completely new stakeholder, and I got to understand what it's like to create a website with an e-commerce component, user registrations, and email marketing. I absolutely love it.
I learned even more about Wix and AI, and I gained a renewed sense of energy and confidence for future projects.
I still feel that I lack more direct interaction with users (such as interviews), and I really hope that in my next project, I will have the opportunity to gain more of that valuable insight.
