CISA Rebrand

Reinvigorating Caledonian Islamic Student Association's values and image through a new website landing page concept and logo refresh

Project Overview

Background

This was a passion project used for my Portfolio university module. CISA (Caledonian Islamic student association) is Glasgow Caledonian University's Islamic society, supporting Muslim students through organizing social events, prayer spaces, and charity opportunities. I have 2 years experience as CISA secretary, creating a personal connection with project

This project undertook revitalizing the CISA brand with a new logo and creating a 'proof of concept' website landing page for a refreshed image for the society

Role

Graphic Design - Using Canva to design mood boards and new logo
UX research - understanding users frustrations with other Islamic society sites to inform design decisions
UI design - creating wireframes sketches, translating to hi fidelity screen for a new CISA web landing page
UX copywriting - designing the language that fits with CISA's identity and guides users through the landing page

Results

A refreshed image with a stylized logo and landing page, designed using modern website layout trends and enhancing the user experience by presenting CISA as a forward facing university society

View the page

The Process

Old logo

Logo refresh 2022

Discover

CISA has been round since 1992 serving Muslim students in various ways as well contributing to common good activities and projects that help local and global efforts.

The logo was refreshed in 2022 to simplify the design to match modern trends and add a golden arch creating a two-tone effect. For this project, I sought to revitalize the style to be more impressionable

Empathy mapping

Empathy maps were used to highlight perceptions of a similar Islamic student association at Glasgow University. These analyzed the logo and landing page, which helped define pain points for users:

People wouldn’t feel enticed to join GUMSA based on first impressions
The logo does a good job to recognize Muslim Identity, but focusses in on a certain aspect of Muslim worship rather than a universal symbol
The website is dated with its layout and visual design presence

Vision statement

CISA needs to highlight its identity in an appealing way and showcase what it stands for to differentiate itself.

The landing page should highlight our mission, values and work, whilst the logo should create a sense of uniqueness but stay somewhat familiar

Logo Redesign

Moodboards were made to ideate different styles and theming for the new logo. The aim was to achieve a new bold look, but still retaining some similarity either through color or design aesthetic.

5 new concepts were created with inspiration was drawn from several elements of Islamic, eastern and western styles.

Preference testing

Logo chosen with different styles

The logos were tested with 10 users to see which one was preferred and why. Insights showed the logo that resembled old Arabic writing styles was bold and unique whilst retaining similar colors to the old

Website redesign

CISA activities

Information was dissected from looking at what CISA does, to help define the principles that encompass and drive these efforts:

Connection - finding a value in faith and offering opportunities to stay connected at university

Community - supporting each other with the challenges we face individually as well as globally

Cultivation - giving pathways to self develop and grow so that your university experience is whole

This helped draw essential content to be included in the website too

Wireframe

Wireframe sketch containing 4 content blocks was created - this helped visualize how to lay the website out and contained essential information.

However it had to create a lasting impression and have a greater structure so the user experience felt like there was a flow and that we took users on a journey.

Finalised designs

Hero section

Values section

Our activities section

CISA developments currently section

Testimonials section

Final section