About

Silicon Valley Pet Project (SVPP) is a San Jose–based nonprofit founded in 2014, dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming cats and dogs of all breeds, as well as senior and special-needs pets, that are at risk of euthanasia.

As a volunteer, I collaborated closely with the organization’s project manager to redesign the website’s information architecture, with the goal of improving user experience and making content more accessible to the public. The project also included updating the site’s visual design and branding to align with modern web standards and better reflect SVPP’s mission.

Website

As part of the redesign process, I performed a comprehensive audit of the existing website to identify usability barriers, structural inefficiencies, and design inconsistencies. These issues were prioritized to ensure a more intuitive, accessible, and performance-optimized user experience for SVPP.

Key Issues Identified:

Old Homepage Design

The site contained an excessive number of individual pages, many with overlapping or redundant content. This created confusion for users and made it difficult to quickly locate important information like adoption listings or volunteer opportunities.

The site design did not reflect SVPP’s vibrant, compassionate mission. It used outdated fonts, colors, and layout styles that made the site feel less trustworthy and engaging.

A significant portion of users visited the site on mobile devices, yet the existing design was not responsive. Texts were hard to read, buttons were difficult to tap, and the layout broke on smaller screens.

Visual elements, messaging tone, and imagery varied across pages, weakening the organization’s identity and user trust.

Poor contrast and missing alt text made the site difficult to use for people with disabilities.

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Rebrand

Below are the proposed branding changes. The core blue and green colors are retained, complemented by a secondary palette for backgrounds, accents, and illustrations. Color choices reflect both brand identity and accessibility that meet contrast standards for better visibility. Typography balances professionalism and approachability. Freight Text Bold, a serif font, is used for headings to convey trustworthiness while maintaining a warm, friendly feel, while Poppins, a clean sans-serif, ensures readability in body text across formats. Future illustration ideas draw on simple linework and bright, solid colors. Photography focuses on friendly, professional images of animals and volunteers, enhanced with thoughtful design treatments.

Finalized Website

Result

The rebranding of the SVPP’s website significantly improved user engagement and overall experience. Improved navigation and a refreshed visual design led to users spending more time on the site, increasing the likelihood of animals being adopted or fostered. The accessible color palette and readable typography enhanced inclusivity, making the site welcoming to a wider audience. Positive feedback from visitors highlighted the friendly, professional tone achieved through the new photography and illustration styles. Ultimately, the redesign strengthened the shelter’s online presence and helped drive community support.