Creating a Supportive Digital Presence That Builds Trust & Connection
Creating a Supportive Digital Presence That Builds Trust & Connection
Creating a Supportive Digital Presence That Builds Trust & Connection
Redesigning a pastor's website to reflect authenticity, support, and clarity
Redesigning a pastor's website to reflect authenticity, support, and clarity
Redesigning a pastor's website to reflect authenticity, support, and clarity
Client:
Client:
Client:
Thomas DeLoach
(Senior Pastor)
Thomas DeLoach
(Senior Pastor)
My Role:
My Role:
My Role:
Web/UX Designer
Web/UX Designer
Duration:
Duration:
Duration:
March 2025-August 2025
March 2025-August 2025
March 2025-August 2025
Setting the Foundation for a Supportive Experience
Setting the Foundation for a Supportive Experience
Setting the Foundation for a Supportive Experience
The project began as I searched for volunteer opportunities to apply my design skills in a meaningful way and gain hands-on UX experience. I connected with a pastor seeking to redesign his website to introduce his life-coaching services and create a more supportive, welcoming experience for visitors.
During our initial call, he walked me through the existing site, which emphasized his accomplishments, but it didn't fully reflect his personality or the care and encouragement he brings to his work. As he planned to rebuild the site alongside a developer, he needed a design that felt clear, approachable, and functional. That conversation clarified his goals and set the tone for a collaborative redesign focused on trust, authenticity, and user experience.
The project began as I searched for volunteer opportunities to apply my design skills in a meaningful way and gain hands-on UX experience. I connected with a pastor seeking to redesign his website to introduce his life-coaching services and create a more supportive, welcoming experience for visitors.
During our initial call, he walked me through the existing site, which emphasized his accomplishments, but it didn't fully reflect his personality or the care and encouragement he brings to his work. As he planned to rebuild the site alongside a developer, he needed a design that felt clear, approachable, and functional. That conversation clarified his goals and set the tone for a collaborative redesign focused on trust, authenticity, and user experience.
The project began as I searched for volunteer opportunities to apply my design skills in a meaningful way and gain hands-on UX experience. I connected with a pastor seeking to redesign his website to introduce his life-coaching services and create a more supportive, welcoming experience for visitors.
During our initial call, he walked me through the existing site, which emphasized his accomplishments, but it didn't fully reflect his personality or the care and encouragement he brings to his work. As he planned to rebuild the site alongside a developer, he needed a design that felt clear, approachable, and functional. That conversation clarified his goals and set the tone for a collaborative redesign focused on trust, authenticity, and user experience.
A Story Worth Telling More Clearly
A Story Worth Telling More Clearly
A Story Worth Telling More Clearly
When reviewing the original website, the heart behind it was clear—it introduced the client and what he cares about—but the experience didn’t fully reflect the impact of his work. While the content was present, some areas felt scattered, and it wasn’t always clear where to go or what to do next. With a clearer layout and a more intentional flow, the website had the opportunity to better tell his story and help visitors quickly understand what he offers and how to connect with him.
When reviewing the original website, the heart behind it was clear—it introduced the client and what he cares about—but the experience didn’t fully reflect the impact of his work. While the content was present, some areas felt scattered, and it wasn’t always clear where to go or what to do next. With a clearer layout and a more intentional flow, the website had the opportunity to better tell his story and help visitors quickly understand what he offers and how to connect with him.
Designing for Support and Clarity
Designing for Support and Clarity
Designing for Support and Clarity
The process began by understanding what the client hoped people would feel when they landed on his site—supported, encouraged, and understood. From there, the design direction became clear: simplify, clarify, and humanize the experience.
Key focus areas included:
Creating a clean, intuitive layout with clear navigation and strong call-to-action
Breaking up long blocks of text into clear, digestible sections
Highlighting services and experience in a scannable, approachable way
Guiding visitors through the page using clear visual hierarchy
Because this was a volunteer project, close collaboration with a web developer ensured the final design aligned with the client’s vision and could be effectively brought to life.
The process began by understanding what the client hoped people would feel when they landed on his site—supported, encouraged, and understood. From there, the design direction became clear: simplify, clarify, and humanize the experience.
Key focus areas included:
Creating a clean, intuitive layout with clear navigation and strong call-to-action
Breaking up long blocks of text into clear, digestible sections
Highlighting services and experience in a scannable, approachable way
Guiding visitors through the page using clear visual hierarchy
Because this was a volunteer project, close collaboration with a web developer ensured the final design aligned with the client’s vision and could be effectively brought to life.
The process began by understanding what the client hoped people would feel when they landed on his site—supported, encouraged, and understood. From there, the design direction became clear: simplify, clarify, and humanize the experience.
Key focus areas included:
Creating a clean, intuitive layout with clear navigation and strong call-to-action
Breaking up long blocks of text into clear, digestible sections
Highlighting services and experience in a scannable, approachable way
Guiding visitors through the page using clear visual hierarchy
Because this was a volunteer project, close collaboration with a web developer ensured the final design aligned with the client’s vision and could be effectively brought to life.
Translating Purpose into Visual Direction
Translating Purpose into Visual Direction
Translating Purpose into Visual Direction
I began the design process by creating two style tiles to explore the site’s visual direction and emotional tone. This allowed me to define hierarchy, typography, and color before moving into detailed page designs. After reviewing both options, the client selected the style tile that felt calm and balanced—aligning with the supportive experience he wanted visitors to feel.
I applied the selected style tile to the homepage to evaluate the full-page visual hierarchy, then created mid-fidelity wireframes for the About and Clarity Compass pages, focusing on content flow and clarity.
I began the design process by creating two style tiles to explore the site’s visual direction and emotional tone. This allowed me to define hierarchy, typography, and color before moving into detailed page designs. After reviewing both options, the client selected the style tile that felt calm and balanced—aligning with the supportive experience he wanted visitors to feel.
I applied the selected style tile to the homepage to evaluate the full-page visual hierarchy, then created mid-fidelity wireframes for the About and Clarity Compass pages, focusing on content flow and clarity.
I began the design process by creating two style tiles to explore the site’s visual direction and emotional tone. This allowed me to define hierarchy, typography, and color before moving into detailed page designs. After reviewing both options, the client selected the style tile that felt calm and balanced—aligning with the supportive experience he wanted visitors to feel.
I applied the selected style tile to the homepage to evaluate the full-page visual hierarchy, then created mid-fidelity wireframes for the About and Clarity Compass pages, focusing on content flow and clarity.
From Personal Story to Purposeful Flow
From Personal Story to Purposeful Flow
From Personal Story to Purposeful Flow
I designed the About page to tell the client’s story in a way that feels personal and intentional, rather than like a traditional biography. The layout highlights his early calling to ministry, long-term leadership alongside his wife, and the broader impact of his work through the 2 Empower U podcast. Together, these moments communicate authenticity, commitment, and purpose — helping visitors quickly understand who he is, what he stands for, and the impact of his mission.
For the Clarity Compass 360 page, my focus was on clearly explaining what the service is, what it offers, and how visitors can take the next step. While the client provided draft content, I restructured it into interactive, scannable sections to make the information easier to digest and more engaging. To ensure the experience felt intuitive across the site, I also created a user flow to validate navigation, clarify key entry points, and confirm a smooth path from learning about the client to booking a session.
I designed the About page to tell the client’s story in a way that feels personal and intentional, rather than like a traditional biography. The layout highlights his early calling to ministry, long-term leadership alongside his wife, and the broader impact of his work through the 2 Empower U podcast. Together, these moments communicate authenticity, commitment, and purpose — helping visitors quickly understand who he is, what he stands for, and the impact of his mission.
For the Clarity Compass 360 page, my focus was on clearly explaining what the service is, what it offers, and how visitors can take the next step. While the client provided draft content, I restructured it into interactive, scannable sections to make the information easier to digest and more engaging. To ensure the experience felt intuitive across the site, I also created a user flow to validate navigation, clarify key entry points, and confirm a smooth path from learning about the client to booking a session.
Bringing the Vision to Life
Bringing the Vision to Life
Bringing the Vision to Life
Once the layout was validated, I moved into high-fidelity designs, applying the finalized color palette, typography, and stock imagery from the selected style tile. I shared the initial high-fidelity mockups with both the client and web developer to gather feedback on the visual consistency, readability, and overall tone. While the client loved how the design came together, we refined the imagery further to better reflect his target audience and ensure the visuals felt authentic and relatable.
Once the layout was validated, I moved into high-fidelity designs, applying the finalized color palette, typography, and stock imagery from the selected style tile. I shared the initial high-fidelity mockups with both the client and web developer to gather feedback on the visual consistency, readability, and overall tone. While the client loved how the design came together, we refined the imagery further to better reflect his target audience and ensure the visuals felt authentic and relatable.
Carrying the Design Into Development
Carrying the Design Into Development
Carrying the Design Into Development
After finalizing the mockups, the designs were handed off to the web developer for implementation. A few months later, the client reached out for feedback on the in-progress build, allowing me to review how the designs translated into the live site. While the overall execution aligned well with the original vision, I shared a few refinement notes where the implementation differed from the mockups, helping ensure the final website stayed true to the intended experience.
After finalizing the mockups, the designs were handed off to the web developer for implementation. A few months later, the client reached out for feedback on the in-progress build, allowing me to review how the designs translated into the live site. While the overall execution aligned well with the original vision, I shared a few refinement notes where the implementation differed from the mockups, helping ensure the final website stayed true to the intended experience.
After finalizing the mockups, the designs were handed off to the web developer for implementation. A few months later, the client reached out for feedback on the in-progress build, allowing me to review how the designs translated into the live site. While the overall execution aligned well with the original vision, I shared a few refinement notes where the implementation differed from the mockups, helping ensure the final website stayed true to the intended experience.
Reflection
Reflection
Reflection
This project pushed me to strengthen my communication with both a client and an offshore web developer, while learning to trust my design decisions and professional judgement. It helped me clarify the design process that works best for me and set clearer expectations for collaboration and handoff. If I were to revisit the project, I would introduce more structured checkpoints and create more detailed documentation to ensure stronger alignment throughout development. Overall, this experience reinforced my interest in intentional, user-focused design.
This project pushed me to strengthen my communication with both a client and an offshore web developer, while learning to trust my design decisions and professional judgement. It helped me clarify the design process that works best for me and set clearer expectations for collaboration and handoff. If I were to revisit the project, I would introduce more structured checkpoints and create more detailed documentation to ensure stronger alignment throughout development. Overall, this experience reinforced my interest in intentional, user-focused design.
This project pushed me to strengthen my communication with both a client and an offshore web developer, while learning to trust my design decisions and professional judgement. It helped me clarify the design process that works best for me and set clearer expectations for collaboration and handoff. If I were to revisit the project, I would introduce more structured checkpoints and create more detailed documentation to ensure stronger alignment throughout development. Overall, this experience reinforced my interest in intentional, user-focused design.
Other Work
Other Work
Other Work
