Spain Tourism Board
Overview
The Instituto de Turismo de España – Turespaña, is the official agency of the Government of Spain responsible for the marketing of the country as a tourist destination throughout the world.
For their collaboration with Gardens By the Bay, they wanted a microsite to complement the "Spanish Serenade with Sunflowers" exhibition scheduled for October 2022, encouraging people to experience Andalusia and learn more about the exhibition.
Sector Tourism
My Role Lead Designer
Job Scope
Client Liaison
Information Architecture
Interaction
Visual Design
Prototyping & Testing
Developer Liaison
Project Time May 2022 - Sep 2022
“What we love most about the team is that they know how to listen to your ideas and objectives. Mixing with their creativity, it comes to life with more than what you could have imagined. Their visuals speaks your message which is essential to any brand.”
— Chet Francisco - Ramos, PR & Media Manager, Spain Tourism Board
Background
The exhibition showcased the rich architectural styles and cultural essence of Andalusia, a region in the south of Spain. It encompassed diverse cultural programs and live entertainment for visitors to enjoy.
As the sole designer for this project, I was in charge of the product design, and UI/UX experience for the microsite. Leading this project was a true privilege, giving me the opportunity to immerse myself in an entirely different culture and elevate my visual design skills to new heights. We’ve had other key achievements in this project as well:
Social Media Content Integration
Thanks to the Instagram contest’s success in boosting community engagement, the microsite features photos taken by visitors during the exhibition, adding a human touch to the overall experience.
Informative yet Digestible
Despite the extensive information on the exhibitions, activities, sponsors, and details about Andalusia, we effectively organized the information architecture. This categorization was done thoughtfully to ensure users are not overwhelmed with information overload.
Gathering Insights
Our team, comprising the director, business development manager, design intern, and myself, had the privilege of visiting the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay. This visit provided us with valuable insights into the various sections of the exhibition.
This firsthand understanding of the exhibition's vision played a pivotal role in shaping my concept for the microsite's UX flow and envisioning the UI design's aesthetics.
Product Vision
As a product, we wanted to keep users informed with these 3 key focus areas:
Discover Andalusia
We want to inspire users to purchase tickets and personally experience the exhibition for themselves.
Exhibition Highlights
We aim to provide users with information about the various sections and experiences available at the exhibition, enabling them to effectively plan their visits.
Instagram Contest
We want to encourage users to take part in the exhibition's social media contest, thereby generating a sense of community excitement and engagement surrounding the event.
The microsite’s visual style is inspired by Spain’s beautiful landscapes and architecture, making use of the country’s vibrant colors and decorative motifs.
Information Architecture
Based on the requirements set by the Spain Tourism Board, I defined the sitemap using octopus.do and then evaluated it with Spain Tourism Board’s PR & media managers.
The platform also simplified the creation of low-fidelity wireframes for the microsite, fostering easier communication between our team and the Spain Tourism Board where they can leave comments.
I also shared low-fi wireframe sketches to help them visualize the various sections better.
Website Design
Development
After completing the designs, we handed over the designs to the developers using AdobeXd where they could inspect the HTML and CSS, and export the assets they needed.
I briefed them on the sitemap and the different functions of the site, and used monday.com to keep track of the timeline and progress for each page. We also used the platform to show them the bugs and adjustments they had to make as we were testing the microsite.
Results & Takeaways
The microsite was successfully launched in time for the exhibition's commencement, and the addition of users’ real-life photos from Instagram added vibrancy to the site. The exhibition garnered significant media coverage, including articles by reputable sources like The Straits Times, The Smart Local, and TripZilla.
Here are some other lessons I learnt along the way:
When in Doubt, Just Ask
In the project's early stages, a lack of clear direction left me guessing based on the available content. Thankfully, a colleague suggested contacting the client directly.
I then presented two flows, and once the client clarified the direction, the project proceeded smoothly.
Pacing is Important
I admit this project kept me up at night. With a meeting set for the next day and UI feedback arriving just the day prior, I worked through the night to finish the design.
In hindsight, I recognize I should have discussed the tight timeline and my constraints. This taught me the importance of self-advocacy and mastering time management to meet deadlines effectively.
Don’t be Afraid to Grow
While the initial website designs were commendable and I felt satisfied with my work, I'm truly grateful to my managing director for challenging me further.
Their encouragement pushed me outside my comfort zone in UI design, urging me to explore and experiment with visual elements.
