Launching a Digital-First Church Experience

Project Overview

All Peoples Church of Arizona (APCOFAZ) is a brand-new, online-only church seeking to provide a meaningful worship experience for a digital congregation. The project aimed to design a user-friendly website that highlights key features, including a podcast library and a dedicated giving page.

Goals:

• Create a seamless navigation experience for users.

• Highlight the podcast as a central engagement tool.

• Simplify the donation process to encourage giving.

• Maintain a clean, inviting design that fosters community and faith.

User Research & Insights

To understand user needs, research focused on online worship trends and website user flows from similar church platforms. Key insights included:

• Convenience Matters: Users value quick access to podcasts and giving features.

• Mobile-First Access: A majority of the audience accesses content on mobile devices.

• Community Engagement: Church members seek opportunities to stay connected between services.

Design Solutions

A. Branding: Logo & Color Palette

Objective: Establish a visual identity that connects APCOFAZ with its northern Arizona roots and modern church community.

Solutions:

• Logo: Designed a logo featuring stylized mountains and a church silhouette to reflect the northern Arizona landscape and the spiritual mission of the church. The mountains symbolize stability, faith, and community, while the church represents the church's focus on spiritual growth and gathering.

• Color Palette: Chose a simple, clean color scheme using beige, green, grey, white, and black. The muted tones create a calm, peaceful atmosphere, while the green adds a sense of life and connection to nature, further linking the design to the church’s Arizona base.

B. Information Architecture & Navigation

• Clear Navigation Structure: The website features a simple top navigation with key sections—Home, About, Podcasts, Events, Giving, and Contact—enabling easy access to all essential content.

• Intuitive Content Organization: Each section is organized for quick discovery, with dedicated landing pages for Podcasts and Events, helping users find what they’re looking for without unnecessary clicks.

• Footer Consistency: A consistent footer across all pages provides easy access to contact details, social media links, and essential church information, streamlining navigation.

Development Process

1. Wireframing & Prototyping: Developed low and high-fidelity wireframes to map user flows and content organization.

2. Usability Testing: Tested the design with users to refine navigation and ensure ease of use.

3. Implementation: Developed the website using a CMS to allow for ongoing content updates and easy management.

4. Quality Assurance: Conducted cross-device testing to ensure consistency and functionality across different platforms.