The Scar Free Foundation is a UK-based medical research charity committed to achieving scar-free healing within a generation. Their mission is to improve the lives of those affected by scarring through research, innovation, and advocacy, with a focus on advancing wound healing, burn care, and cleft lip/palate repair.
Project Brief
The Scar Free Foundation approached United by Design with the goal of creating a modern, engaging, and scalable website that could effectively communicate their mission, showcase research, and enhance stakeholder engagement. The existing website needed a fresh approach to improve user experience (UX), streamline content management, and ensure accessibility for diverse audiences, including patients, donors, and researchers.
Key Challenges
Complex Content Needs: The Scar Free Foundation needed a site capable of presenting complex medical research in an accessible and engaging way for a variety of stakeholders, from patients to professionals.
Scalability: As a growing organization, the Foundation needed a website that could easily scale with their evolving needs.
Brand Identity and User Engagement: The design needed to reflect the Foundation’s brand while increasing user engagement through intuitive navigation and clear calls to action, specifcially with donations in mind.
Our Approach
Discovery and Strategy
United by Design began with an in-depth discovery phase, working closely with the Scar Free Foundation team to understand their goals, audience, and technical requirements. This allowed us to create a digital strategy that aligned with their mission and user needs.
Component-Led WordPress Development
To ensure the website would be easy to manage and update internally, we adopted a component-led approach to WordPress development. This modular system allows the Foundation team to build and customize pages quickly without the need for technical expertise, ensuring the website remains flexible as new campaigns and initiatives arise.
The components we developed included
– Customizable Content Blocks: Enabling the team to easily modify and add content while maintaining a consistent design.
– Dynamic Research Pages: Featuring multimedia content, publications, and project updates to keep users informed.
– Donor and Fundraising Integration: A seamless donation system integrated with clear calls to action.
User-Centric Design
The design team focused on creating an engaging, user-friendly experience that catered to the Foundation’s diverse audience.
Key elements of the design included:
Simplified Navigation: With user journey mapping, we streamlined the site structure, ensuring information was easily accessible to both the general public and professionals.
Visual Storytelling: We incorporated strong visual elements, including patient stories, videos, and infographics, to humanize the research and drive engagement.
Responsive and Accessible Design: The website was built with accessibility in mind, providing a seamless experience across devices and for all users.
Performance Optimization: We prioritized website performance, ensuring fast load times and smooth interactions through optimized coding practices, image compression, and the use of efficient plugins. The site is now provides a strong foundation for increasing organic traffic.
Results
Improved User Engagement: The new website has seen a significant increase in user engagement, with visitors spending more time on key pages, such as research updates and patient stories.
Streamlined Content Management: The component-led approach has empowered the Scar Free Foundation’s internal team to update and manage content easily, ensuring they can stay responsive to ongoing developments.
Enhanced Donor Experience: The new design and navigation have led to a smoother donation process, helping the Foundation grow its supporter base.
Scalability for Future Growth: The modular framework allows the website to evolve with the organization’s future needs, providing flexibility for new content types and campaigns.
Conclusion
United by Design’s collaboration with The Scar Free Foundation resulted in a dynamic, user-friendly, and scalable website that reflects the organization’s mission and serves its diverse audience. The component-led approach to WordPress development ensures that the site is both easy to manage and adaptable, allowing the Scar Free Foundation to continue their important work with the digital tools they need.
By delivering a solution that aligns with both their current needs and future growth, United by Design has helped The Scar Free Foundation strengthen their online presence and broaden their impact in the field of medical research, highlight ambassador stories and increased ways to give through donations.
To view The Scar Free Foundation’s website click here
It was an absolute pleasure to work with the team… especially with Jenni Herd throughout the project
