Website refresh City of Raleigh Dix Park
Situated less than two miles from downtown Raleigh, Dix Park isn't just any green space. This 308-acre park serves as the cultural heart of the city. However, the park's website wasn't keeping pace with its evolving role in the community. Not only did visitors struggle to quickly access essential information about park offerings and events, but the site's design also didn't capture the park's vibrant community life.
Rather than completely rebuilding the site, we took a measured approach to implement an updated design system featuring rounded elements and bold aesthetics, while maintaining brand consistency across platforms. This refresh approach allowed for significant improvements without the complexity, timeline, and cost of a complete restructuring.
Reimagined User Journey
Prior to the refresh, the users struggled to efficiently plan their visits, locate specific attractions, and find upcoming activities.
We implemented a streamlined information architecture that prioritized key user pathways. The refreshed site features prominent placement of essential elements like an interactive map and event calendar. Enhanced event-search functionality and intuitive menu structures help users efficiently locate specific attractions and upcoming activities. The new design serves diverse audiences—from first-time visitors to regular park-goers—by creating clear, logical paths to the most sought-after information.
Minimal Visual Storytelling
The design challenge was to create a refreshed visual experience that would not only attract visitors but also accurately represent the park's role as a cultural hub. Leveraging the park's extensive image library more effectively, the refresh incorporates a modern, playful design system featuring rounded elements and bold aesthetics that align perfectly with existing visual guidelines. Large, impactful imagery showcases the park's vibrant community life, while thoughtfully designed layouts highlight everything from sunflower fields to community events.
Accessibility, Mobile Optimization, and Authoring
The website also faced significant technical challenges that went beyond visual design and navigation. Enhanced accessibility features—including improved keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and careful attention to color-contrast ratios—ensure compliance with current standards. And thanks to mobile optimization, Aten created a seamless experience across all devices. Finally, flexible templates and an enhanced authoring experience offer Raleigh’s content creators the control and efficiency to keep the site fresh and engaging long term.
Content Strategy & Management
A comprehensive content cleanup effort helped streamline the site's information architecture. The team updated taxonomies and content types to improve site organization and search-ability. New accordion functionality made complex content more digestible, while flexible templates gave content creators more options for presenting information. These enhancements made the site easier to maintain while improving the overall user experience.