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Redesigned landing page
An all-in-one digital management platform for Community Managers
CASE STUDY No. 1:
-INTRODUCTION-
Shaker Network (‘Shaker’) is a digital management platform for Community Managers who run professional, alumni and entrepreneur associations. With Shaker, users can manage their members more efficiently with its all-in-one system, and help to foster engagement within their networks.
Worked with Shaker’s founder and staff to redesign their digital management platform empowering Community Managers to run their organizations intuitively and efficiently.
THE CHALLENGE
Shaker takes a simpler approach than other member management platforms but needed a UX redesign to better convert prospects into paying users.
Though Shaker offers useful tools, Community Organizers (the users) struggled to see the value from the homepage and found it difficult to set up their group space with the platform’s limited automation.
Community Managers need streamlined onboarding and clear communication of features to feel confident in its value and quickly master
its functions.
THE STATS
Role: Project Manager, UX/UI Designer (Freelance)
Team size: 4
Duration: 3 weeks; August 2025
Tools used: Figma, Figjam; Figma Slides, Slack, Shaker, Notion, Hotjar, Zoom, Voice Memos app. (*Chat GPT used in certain instances to assist in synthesizing research material.)
Methods used: Heuristic Evaluation, User Research, Affinity Mapping, User Interviews, Competitive + Comparative Analysis, Problem Statement, Feature Prioritization/MoSCoW, User Persona, Prototyping, Usability Testing
Within a team of four, I led a UX redesign of their landing page, onboarding flow, and core platform features to make the experience more intuitive.
The initial result from this sprint is a visually cohesive platform that clearly communicates value, empowering managers to Manage, Connect, Monetize, and Integrate their members efficiently, built to scale with the growth of their community.
THE CLIENT BRIEF
How the brief guided our scope of work
Shaker needed to refine its value proposition and better target the right audience segments. Following the launch of their new platform version, my role focused on three key goals:
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Converting freemium users into paid subscribers
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Exploring the platform without needing a live demo / Streamlining onboarding so new users could sign up
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Building user confidence to ensure they feel secure and supported once they begin using Shaker
As Project Manager, I kept the three-week timeline on track, created task roadmaps, and coordinated team responsibilities across research and design.
As a Researcher and Designer, I conducted interviews, built the new landing and pricing pages, supported other platform elements, and organized and proofread the client presentation and report.
In order to do this, the flow that was worked on comprised four main parts:
1. Redesigning Shaker’s landing page and creating a strategic pricing page
2. Redesigning Shaker’s sign-up/onboarding pages
3. Improving the action of creating a new community within the platform
4. Improving the features of creating and adding contacts within the platform
After synthesizing the research and getting started on the design process,
I came up with four easily digestible pillars of what Shaker does:
Manage your contacts of new and existing communities
Connect, host, and mentor within your community
Monetize with paid events, memberships or sponsorships
Integrate with favorite apps and engage contacts
where they are
THE RESULT
All of the essential implementations were incorporated within the following top-level build-outs prototyped in Figma using Shaker’s existing brand assets:
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Simplified and refined the signup and welcome screens, adding content, tooltips, and onboarding cues to build user confidence.
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Designed demo tutorial screens and a dynamic pricing page to support user buy-in and exploration at their own pace.
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Redesigned multiple Contacts pages to be more intuitive and ensure users feel secure using the features.
Work presented to the client
SCOPE OF WORK:
Research focused on holistically exploring Shaker as a company, as well as testing the existing user flow from the landing page and sign up page, to the onboarding experience and finally to adding contacts in the platform.
- THE RESEARCH -
Three research methodologies were used for this design sprint:
Competitive + Comparative
Analysis
Heuristic
Evaluation
Interviews + Testing Results
The insights and design features lie in
the convergence of these methodologies
HEURISTIC EVALUATION
Where Shaker meets best UI practices
10 different categories from the ABBY Method were used for understanding the following sections of Shaker:
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Landing Page (Existing live version)
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Signing Up for the platform: (Beta version)
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Creating Community on the platform (Beta version)
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Adding Contacts on the platform (Beta version)
Landing Page (Old version)
Score: 22/30
COMPETITIVE & COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
Where Shaker lies within the industry landscape
We conducted a competitive analysis of Shaker against Circle, Campus Groups and Hivebrite (as well as Slack and Discord) using feature inventories, SWOT, and Plus/Delta charts. While Shaker excels in contact management, polished design, and live demos, its homepage and onboarding needed improvements, and offering on-demand demos could enhance accessibility and user engagement.
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Navigational and organizational challenges
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Website doesn't clearly express differentiators from competitors enough to entice people to switch.
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Does not express the diverse utilities of the platform well enough to give people confidence in signing up.
STRENGHTS
WEAKNESSES
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Effectively communicates key offerings
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Valuable features
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Leads in contacting
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Leads in help functions
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Visually very professional
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Obvious call to actions
OPPORTUNITIES
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Overall website copy and word choice to be evaluated.
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Extract information out into
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Restructure pages for a more intuitive flow and clearer emphasis on key information.
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Competitors with more multi-page layouts could make their information easier to digest.
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Competitors give more accessibility which may create a smoother user experience.
THREATS
Pain points were identified that can be improved upon, such as:
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Clearer messaging on who the platform is meant for and how to use it would be helpful
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Highlighting best use cases and its unique value
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Expressing the diverse utilities of the platform to give users confidence in signing up
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Improving navigational challenges so users don’t struggle with existing features within the platform
SWOT Analysis
Plus/Delta chart
USER INTERVIEWS + USABILITY TESTING
Understanding the existing site + platform
We conducted eight virtual user interviews with a written interview script that confirmed insights from the competitive analysis. The research revealed that Shaker’s value and purpose weren’t fully clear to users, emphasizing the need to redefine its offering in a more direct and understandable way.
Users expressed needing:
For the landing page:
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Clearer organization of who its for and how to use it
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Clearer communication of best use cases so they can quickly understand the platform’s unique value
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A demo to understand the advantages with the platform
“I want the landing page to clearly explain who the platform
is meant for, best use cases, and what ‘Powered by AI’ means.”
For onboarding to the platform:
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More guidance and during onboarding
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Stronger password protection
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Reassurance that they signed up correctly
“I need clearer onboarding prompts, loading feedback,
and secure login confirmation.”
For the platform:
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More intuitive locations and clearer labeling of buttons
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More visual cues/feedback when making an input or change
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More flexibility and malleability of creating members
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Accurate descriptions of ‘Roles’
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Clearer terminology and functionality of ‘Properties’
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Clearer functionality of creating ‘Views’
“I was confused about ‘Views’ at first.”
“I didn’t clearly understand the function and labeling of buttons”
“I want to see hierarchy and relationships between roles.”
“I was frustrated when I couldn’t invite members in bulk.”
Existing landing page
Existing onboarding
Existing platform
TARGET AUDIENCE
Understanding the user
Shaker’s initial persona was a generic “Community Manager.” Our research and interviews refined this into a more specific archetype, guiding the rest of the design process:
In essence, how might we help a Community Manager like Maureen feel confident understanding the value of Shaker’s offerings and have her sign up?
Once onboarded, how might we help Maureen intuitively master its management functions,
and foster engagement with her members?
Maureen M.
“The Captain of Many Ships”
42; Houston, TX
Team Manager at public health
non-profit “Guiding Hands”
Maureen is the “The Captain of Many Ships” in charge of managing several teams with many different needs. While she is an expert in her field with a constantly growing company and ever changing team goals, she is not the most tech-savvy and sometimes struggles to keep track of the needs of every single person she is responsible for.
- Startup/Accelerator Program Managers
- Nonprofit Membership Coordinators
- Professional Association Managers
- Alumni Relations Managers
- Faith-Based Community Coordinators
- Co-working Space Community Managers
- Sports Club and Recreational League Organizers
-Cultural and Social Club Organizers
USERS MAY INCLUDE:
Guiding Hands
Est. 2015
Where design efforts were focused
Features were organized into what we deemed/voted on amongst us to be essential but mostly low-effort to build out in Figma. Other non-essential and higher-effort features were saved for later if time allowed within the design sprint.
INSIGHTS > FEATURES
The core pillars of Shaker established at the overview section (Managing, Connecting, Monetizing and Integrating) were gleaned from these insights, + a full re-haul of the web copy.
This gave way for a clear roadmap to design the landing page in the design phase of the sprint, before conducting a second round of usability testing.
- THE DESIGN -
Due to time constraints, we moved directly into high-fidelity design using Shaker’s existing brand assets and style guidelines. The prototype focused on four key sections (aligned with the earlier overview above), with user tasks designed to mirror those from initial usability testing—allowing us to assess qualitative factors like clarity and accessibility and quantitative metrics such as time on task.
DESIGN IDEATION:
Figma board of completed scope of work (Homepage/Onboarding)
Figma board of completed scope of work
(Platform)
REDESIGNING SHAKER’S LANDING PAGE
AND CREATING A STRATEGIC PRICING PAGE:
New version
Quick, 5-10 teaser videos on loop are housed on the landing page itself reflecting each of the four pillars introduced above.
Users were sometimes not sure what tools they would benefit from when joining the platform, so giving an immediate understanding of these key points was a top priority for our redesign.
Old version
The pricing section was separated out from the landing page into its own page where users can focus on what makes the most sense to them. The self-guided demo can also be accessed here.
Homepage quick videos
In-depth demo
:REDESIGNING SHAKER’S SIGN-UP/ONBOARDING PAGES
Testing showed that signup was smooth overall, with only minor areas for improvement. We refined it by reducing clutter, adding email double-authentication, and introducing a loading screen for a more responsive experience.
IMPROVING THE ACTION OF CREATING A NEW COMMUNITY WITHIN THE PLATFORM:
We redesigned the community creation page as an overlay instead of a separate page, reducing whitespace, streamlining the flow, and getting users to the homepage faster while sparking curiosity.
IMPROVING THE FEATURES OF CREATING AND
:ADDING CONTACTS WITHIN THE PLATFORM
Navigation:
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Navigation on the ‘Contacts’ page was unclear, preventing users from engaging with key features, so we refined feature placement for better flow.
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Users had trouble identifying button functions, so we rearranged and emphasized key elements—changes Shaker has already begun implementing.
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We recommended adding subtle, opt-in tooltips to guide users and make building their communities easier.
Views and Roles:
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Users struggled to find the Roles feature, so we moved it to a more prominent spot on the Contacts page for easier access.
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We added responsive popups in the Roles section to clearly confirm when changes are made.
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Key actions like changing roles and sending invites were integrated directly into the Contacts page for quicker use.
Still from Figma prototyping
Updated version
Previous version
USABILITY TESTING (ROUND 2)
Testing the new prototype with potential Shaker members
We tested the new designs with five users, a mix of previous and new testers. Users quickly grasped Shaker’s purpose, found the landing page clear and confidence-building, and navigated onboarding smoothly. Feedback led us to clarify optional fields, plan for scalable contact views, and add more data and case studies to strengthen trust.
- IMPLEMENTATION -
METRICS:
Once the beta version goes live, implementing the metrics that matter most to Shaker's business goals will help further best UX practices:
Engagement Metrics:
These tools track how often and deeply users engage with Shaker—for example, average events attended per member per month. Hotjar reveals user behavior through bounce rates, session durations, and top clicks, while Optimizely enables A/B testing and integrates with Google Analytics.
Adoption Metrics:
Key metrics include conversion rates from video demos to sign-ups and user retention over time. Heap is recommended to track clicks and page views for new features, with easy Google Analytics integration—ideal for Shaker’s lean setup.
UNTESTED FEATURES
Our main user flow covered the journey from exploring the homepage to signing up and adding contacts.
With extra time, I also designed a new pricing page—previously missing despite being referenced in the FAQ—and linked it through the homepage menu.
A future usability test could reveal when and how users seek pricing info and whether it’s positioned effectively.
If we had more time, building out a flow to process the payment (which would then grant full access to the platform) would have been ideal. Of course, the client understood that this couldn’t be completed within the allotted time, but I’m glad we were at least able to deliver this pricing page that demonstrates how robust the full site could be.
CLOSEOUT:
Improvements like those done in this sprint can make a big impact for community managers across multiple sectors - and this is where Shaker stands out: helping users manage, connect, monetize, and integrate - all in one.
If Shaker can orient itself to more clearly engage it’s users and prove to them that it knows what they need and can help them meet their goals, it will become a central platform for organizing and managing communities, from the smallest book clubs all the way up to the biggest firms in the business sector.
Now that this design sprint has concluded, further rounds of sprints and testings would be beneficial while the client implements the following recommendations:
-Continued refinement UI elements based on further usability testing to gather even more results
-Expansion of dedicated webpages and copy to explain features in even more depth
-Further reframing of Roles and Views platform features to be more accessible
-Creating and uploading actual video recording segments for the demo pages.
**As of the culmination of this sprint, changes like button placement and color adjustments as well as video recording segments for the demo pages will be be implemented in the forthcoming weeks.
- NEXT STEPS -
REFLECTION:
The project started out on taking the time to figure out the best way to tackle the design process, which took a bit of time. While were eager to dive in given the time constraints, we kept reminding ourselves that it was worth taking the time to stay focused on the research phase.
It was tempting to jump straight into Figma, especially since we had the branding assets upfront, but mapping out what to design and why we were designing it reassured us that we would be well-equipped to validate our decisions with our research. Staying level-headed about this helped prevent us from straying too far from our essential and achievable design goals. This was a key aspect of my role as Project Manager I needed to impart on my team.
I really enjoyed how the research process came together when we mapped out the MoSCoW and Feature Priority matrices. That midpoint of the project allowed me to feel more excited, relieved, and grounded about the realistic expectations we had for ourselves and for the client, who we kept in the loop along the way.
TIMELINE:
For reference, a full list of daily completed tasks can be found below:
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Outlined group charter
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Reviewed client information
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Gathered feedback on handling the first client meeting
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Prepared questions for the meeting
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Drafted and sent client introduction email
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Met with clients and established the plan moving forward
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Scheduled follow-up meetings for the next week
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Outlined initial research steps
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Set up platforms (Slack, Shaker, Hotjar, Notion, Google Meet)
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Created Kanban board in Notion to plan the research phase
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Conducted heuristic analysis of Shaker
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Assigned leads and roles
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Began drafting user interview questions
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Set priorities for deliverables in Notion
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Conducted several interviews and scheduled additional sessions
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Reviewed usability test recordings provided by Shaker
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Completed all remaining interviews and transcribed insights
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Refined and repackaged heuristic evaluation, created supporting graphs
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Synthesized data and began building presentation slides
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Met with client to review progress and align on next steps
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Incorporated feedback to adjust design pillars
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Completed affinity mapping to produce “I statements”
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Prepared for design critique
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Completed design critique and reviewed next steps
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Finalized synthesis and early design work, including feature priority matrix and central feature pillars
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Assigned lead and support roles for each pillar to guide design development
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Dedicated full day to hi-fi design in Figma
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Scheduled weekend work to meet upcoming deadline
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Met with clients to provide progress update
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Incorporated feedback to refine hi-fi prototype for round 2 of usability testing
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Edited usability test script and launched second testing roundContinued developing hi-fi prototype
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Conducted round 2 of usability tests
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Began preparing presentation and project report
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Finalized hi-fi design and transitioned to crafting presentation and project report
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Conducted multiple rehearsal run-throughs in preparation for final presentation
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Met with clients to deliver final presentation
Thank you
All research material was packaged and delivered to the client in this file.
A Google Drive link was sent to the client as a centralized repository for all stages of our work.
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