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McArthur's
Irish Pub
"Reviving Tradition: A Website Redesign Case Study for McArthur's Irish Pub"

https://www.mcarthursirishpub.com/

About the Project

Overview

McArthur's Irish Pub has been a staple in the community, offering traditional Irish food, drink, and entertainment. However, their current website is outdated and difficult to navigate, providing a poor user experience for potential customers. The website is cluttered, with no clear hierarchy or organization of information, making it challenging to find essential details about the pub, such as their catering services and daily events. Additionally, the menu is only available as a PDF, which is challenging to read and does not allow for easy access to updated information. Overall, the current website is not meeting the needs of McArthur's customers, and the pub recognizes the need for a website redesign to improve their online presence and provide a better user experience.

Need

McArthur's Irish Pub recognizes the need for a new website to better serve its customers. The current website lacks the essential features and functionality necessary to provide a smooth and enjoyable user experience. A new website will address these shortcomings and provide several benefits, including:

  1. Improved user experience: A new website will provide a more intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easier for customers to find the information they need, such as menu items, daily events, catering options, and contact details.

  2. Better organization of information: The new website will feature a clear hierarchy of information, making it easier to navigate and understand. Important information will be prominently displayed, reducing confusion and frustration.

  3. Mobile-friendly design: With more people accessing the internet through mobile devices, a mobile-responsive design is essential for any modern website. The new website will be optimized for mobile devices, allowing customers to access McArthur's information and services from anywhere.

  4. Improved SEO: The new website will be designed with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind, helping McArthur's appear higher in search engine rankings, leading to increased website traffic and potential customers.

  5. Enhanced branding: A new website will allow McArthur's to better showcase their brand identity, providing a professional and attractive online presence that reflects their Irish heritage, culture, and values.

My Roles & Resposibilities

  1. Conducting user research: I conducted user research to understand the needs and preferences of McArthur's target audience. This would involve methods such as surveys, interviews, and usability testing.

  2. Developing a website strategy: Based on the user research findings, I developed a website strategy that outlines the website's objectives, features, and functionality.

  3. Developing website wireframes and designs: Using Adobe XD and Adobe Illustrator I created website wireframes and designs that reflect the website strategy and user research findings.

  4. Developing website content: I worked with owner of McArthur's to develop website content, such as menu descriptions, event listings, and catering information.

  5. Developing and testing the website: Once the website design and content was developed, I tested the website to ensure it is functioning correctly and meeting the website strategy objectives.

  6. Launching and maintaining the website: After the website was developed and tested, I launched the website and monitored its performance. I continuously maintain the website by updating content, fixing any issues, and ensuring it remains up-to-date with the latest web design trends and technologies.

Research & Analysis

To gain insight into the user experience of the current McArthur's Irish Pub website, I conducted user research using both interviews and questionnaires. I recruited 10 participants from diverse backgrounds to interact with the website and provide feedback. After the participants had explored the website, I conducted interviews to gather their thoughts on the experience. From these interviews, I identified common issues and developed a questionnaire to further understand user preferences and behavior.

The questionnaire included several open-ended and closed-ended questions, such as:

  • Are you completing this study on a computer, mobile, or tablet?

  • Before entering the website page, would you want to see a landing page with the pub’s upcoming event information?

  • How did you locate the food, drink and happy hour menus on the website? Are the menus easy to read? What do you like and dislike about the menu appearances?

  • When viewing an online food and drink menu, do you like to see pictures of the menu items?

  • What daily events and specials were you able to find on the website?

  • What steps did you take to find the music calendar?

  • How would you go about catering, renting the pub for an event, or making reservations for a large party?

  • Does the design of the website clearly convey the story of an Irish pub?

  • Is everything on the website clearly visible and easy to read?

Through the questionnaire, I gained valuable insights into user preferences and behavior, which informed the redesign of the website.

Based on the user research conducted, the following key insights and opportunities to improve the McArthur's website were identified:

  1. Landing Page - Users want to see a landing page with the pub's upcoming event information before entering the website. This presents an opportunity to showcase the pub's events and attract potential customers.

  2. Menu - Users had difficulty locating the food, drink, and happy hour menus on the website. The menus were also difficult to read. Improving the menu's appearance and accessibility would enhance the user experience.

  3. Pictures - Users preferred seeing pictures of menu items, especially for specialty and popular items. Adding images to the menus could entice customers to visit the pub.

  4. Daily Events & Specials - Users had difficulty finding information about McArthur's daily events and specials on the website. Improving the visibility and accessibility of this information could attract more customers.

  5. Music - Users had difficulty finding the music calendar on the website. Improving the visibility and accessibility of the music calendar could attract more customers interested in live music.

  6. Catering - Users found it difficult to locate information on catering and pub rental for special events on the website. Improving the visibility and accessibility of this information could attract more customers interested in hosting events at the pub.

  7. Aesthetic - The website's design did not clearly tell the story of an Irish pub, which could impact users' desire to visit McArthur's. Enhancing the website's design to reflect the pub's Irish heritage could improve the user experience.

  8. Readability/Accessibility - Users had difficulty reading some of the text on the website. Improving the website's readability and accessibility would enhance the user experience.

Strategy & Planning

In the strategy and planning phase, the goal was to create a website that better represented McArthur's Irish Pub and provided an enjoyable and informative user experience. This involved conducting user research to identify common pain points and areas for improvement, as well as analyzing the competitive landscape to see what other similar businesses were doing with their websites.

Based on the research and analysis, I developed a set of goals and objectives for the website redesign, including improving navigation and menu accessibility, highlighting daily events and specials, and showcasing the pub's unique Irish culture and atmosphere. I also created a content strategy to ensure the website would provide value to users and reinforce the brand identity of McArthur's Irish Pub.

To ensure the project stayed on track, a timeline was developed with specific milestones and deadlines for each phase of the project. This included designing wireframes and mockups, developing the website architecture, and creating content. 

Overall, the strategy and planning phase set the foundation for a successful website redesign that would meet the needs of both the business and its customers.

Design & Development

  1. Wireframing and Prototyping: The first step was to create wireframes and prototypes based on the research insights and opportunities identified in the previous phase. This helped to create a basic structure for the website and provided a visual representation of the layout.

  2. Design Concept and Iteration: Once the wireframes were completed, the next step was to create a design concept that would reflect the Irish pub theme of McArthur's. This involved selecting colors, fonts, and imagery that would create an engaging and authentic experience for the user. The design was iterated multiple times based on feedback from the client and the user research.

  3. Content Development: The content for the website was developed in parallel with the design process. This included updating the menu section, adding information about events, catering, and specials, and creating new copy that aligned with the overall messaging and tone of the website.

  4. Development and Testing: With the design and content in place, the website was developed using Wix. During this phase, the website was tested for functionality, compatibility, and responsiveness across different devices and browsers.

  5. Launch and Optimization: The final step was to launch the website and optimize it based on user feedback and performance data. This involved monitoring the website's analytics, identifying areas for improvement, and making necessary changes to enhance the user experience.

Overall, the design and development phase was critical to creating a website that aligned with the client's vision and met the needs of their target audience. By following a structured process and involving the client in every step, we were able to create a website that was both visually appealing and highly functional.

Results & Impact

The new McArthur's Irish Pub website has been a resounding success, exceeding expectations and delivering significant results and impacts for the business. The updated design, improved navigation, and enhanced functionality have all contributed to a more engaging and user-friendly experience for visitors to the site.

One of the most notable impacts of the new website has been the increased visibility and awareness of events at McArthur's. With a prominent landing page showcasing upcoming events, more people are learning about and attending events at the pub. This has resulted in larger crowds for live music acts and other events, creating a more vibrant and lively atmosphere and driving increased sales for food, drinks, and merchandise.

Online ordering has also seen a significant boost thanks to the new website. The improved menu displays and online ordering system have made it easier and more convenient for customers to place orders online, leading to an increase in online sales and a more streamlined ordering process for both customers and staff.

Overall, the new website has had a positive impact on the business and has helped to strengthen McArthur's position as a popular and thriving Irish pub. The increased visibility, improved functionality, and enhanced user experience have all contributed to higher customer satisfaction and increased sales, creating a bright future for McArthur's Irish Pub.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the redesign of McArthur's website has been a significant success for the business. The new website has made it easier for customers to find information about events, daily specials, menus, and catering options, resulting in higher customer engagement, attendance at events, and online orders. The new website has also significantly improved the overall user experience, making it easier for customers to find what they are looking for and creating a more cohesive and visually appealing brand identity for McArthur's.

One of the key takeaways from this project is the importance of conducting user research and testing to gain insights into the customer experience and preferences. This allowed for a more user-centric approach to the design and development of the new website, resulting in a more effective and engaging user experience.

Another lesson learned from this project is the importance of ongoing maintenance and updates to ensure that the website continues to meet the needs of customers and the business. Future opportunities for improvement could include adding more interactive features and functionality, such as online reservations, as well as ongoing tracking of website analytics to identify areas for further optimization.

Overall, the website redesign has been a significant success for McArthur's, resulting in increased customer engagement and business success. By taking a user-centric approach and investing in ongoing maintenance and updates, McArthur's can continue to improve the website and meet the evolving needs of its customers.

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