Unabridged Books
Branding | Information Architecture | Mobile-First Web Design
The Problem
Unabridged Books is a local gem in Chicago's Northalsted neighborhood that has been the community's go-to bookstore for LGBTQ+ literature since 1980. However, this well-loved bookstore lacks consistent branding and has failed to maintain a user-friendly website.
Our Solution
My team and I set out to rebrand Unabridged Books and redesign their website to better reflect what makes them so unique, so they can continue to be a treasured fixture of the Northalsted neighborhood for another 40 years.
My Role: UX/UI Designer
Before
After
Website Audit
What's working?
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The menu bar has good visibility on the top of the site
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Opportunity to share timely information is front and center
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Photographs of the building suggest history and legacy
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The name suggests equal rights/inclusivity/comprehensiveness, as does the pride flag in the background
What's not working?
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The Art Nouveau theme of the logo is not integrated with the rest of the website. The website design feels disconnected or “off the shelf” compared to logo.
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The homepage feels like a Facebook feed because it requires lots of scrolling ‘below the fold’
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The shopping cart is a prominent feature, but how to shop on the page is not
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Not all the options on the menu bar have drop-down menus, making the homepage hard to navigate
Redesign Goals
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Design an accessible search function to facilitate site navigation
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Create defined content blocks utilizing grids and white space for a clean design
06
Incorporate prominent calls-to-action to reduce clutter and avoid the long scrolling nature of the current site
Brand Treatment
Information Architecture
Mobile-First Design
Calls To Action
Instead of overwhelming a user with an endless stream of content, we redesigned the homepage to include three key areas with calls-to-action that reflect the primary actions a user may want to take by visiting the site: find books, view events, or visit the store.
BROWSE BOOKS
We invite users to explore Unabridged Books' latest arrivals with an interactive gallery and prompt them to "browse all books."
VIEW EVENTS
In addition to its stellar inventory of books, Unabridged Books creates community around reading with themed book clubs and visits from local authors. We wanted to ensure users were aware of this fantastic opportunity to connect with other local bookworms and find event information.
VISIT US
Finally, the ultimate goal is to have users visit this charming local store in person. We featured store details and directions prominently on the home page and provided links to connect on social media.