Docklands Taekwon-Do School
Elevating the school’s online presence and redesign the website
Overview
Role
Duration
November – Ongoing
The Challenge
The martial arts industry is rapidly growing, with more people recognising its physical, mental, and emotional benefits. However, in a crowded market where many schools offer similar programs, Docklands Taekwon-Do School struggled to stand out with an outdated website. The question became: How can Docklands Taekwon-Do differentiate itself and attract more students in such a competitive landscape?
What was the problem I was trying to solve?
In an increasingly crowded martial arts market, how can Docklands Taekwon-Do stand out and attract more students in such a competitive landscape?
Final Solution
To modernise the outdated website for Docklands Taekwon-Do School, I focused on clear branding, intuitive navigation, and a strong digital presence aimed at attracting new students and building trust. My goal was to create a user-friendly platform that highlights the school’s unique strengths, encourages engagement, and instils confidence in prospective students—ultimately supporting the school’s growth.
Research Process
Who is our competition
I conducted a review of key competitors in Taekwon-Do training schools. The goal of this analysis was to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities that Docklands Taekwon-Do School can leverage to enhance its online presence and increase user engagement.
Who are we designing for?
I invited 4 participants from diverse backgrounds to share their views on what matters most when choosing a martial arts school and to provide feedback on Docklands Taekwon-Do’s current offerings to identify any gaps.
User Personas
Sarah is an ideal user, highlighting the core challenges working parents face when seeking safe, convenient, and beneficial activities for their children.
Empathy Mapping
Key insights from the empathy map show that clear information about classes, pricing, and schedules is important for helping prospective students make informed decisions. A friendly and welcoming environment can ease any worries, while testimonials can build trust and help them feel confident in choosing the school.
Key Takeaways
- Simplify the website design and navigation to make it easier for users to find relevant information quickly.
- Provide more detailed class information, including instructor qualifications and safety measures, to build trust and confidence in potential students.
- Enhancing the visual appeal with updated colors, fonts, and imagery would help reflect the school’s values and attract new students.
Design Process
How will users interact with the application
The journey mapping follows Sarah’s persona as she explores the Docklands Taekwon-Do website. I’ve outlined her intentions at each step to ensure a smooth and intuitive experience. The site map organises content clearly, the task flow breaks down her actions, and the user flow guides Sarah through key decisions, from exploration to enrollment. A key is included to explain each stage of the journey.
Low-fi Wireframes
Brand Identity
For Docklands Taekwon-Do School, I developed four mood boards and three style guides. The chosen look combines tradition with a dynamic, modern feel—using deep reds and blacks for strength, and blue accents for energy and agility.
Visual Design
Inspired by the essence of martial arts, the new website design reflects a clean, easy-to-navigate layout with bold typography and a spacious, modern feel. Strong visuals of Taekwon-Do practitioners in action—sparring, kicking, breaking boards, and stretching—bring energy and authenticity to the site.
A primary black-and-white colour palette forms the foundation of the design, with brand colours used sparingly to highlight key UI elements. The result is a modern, distinctive identity that feels both disciplined and dynamic—perfectly aligned with the spirit of Taekwon-Do.
Design Iteration
Usability testing showed users were copying hall addresses into Google Maps, causing friction. I added direct map links, allowing one-tap access to navigation apps—making the experience faster and more user-friendly, especially on the go.
And this is the result...
Reflection
Working on the Docklands Taekwon-Do School project has been an incredible journey. Being familiar with the school from the start helped me understand their vision early on. One of the most interesting aspects was speaking to students from a new perspective—learning about their pain points and why they chose to train at Docklands, even before the website was updated. Another key takeaway was realising how small tweaks—like prompt-driven iterations and refining user flows—can significantly shape the overall product direction and lead to a cohesive final solution.
Future Work
- To explore marketing opportunities by developing and launching a social media account to engage with existing members and attract new ones.
- Considered merchandise design—such as sports bags, caps, and jumpers—as a way to generate additional income for the school.
- Encouraged instructors to record more class footage to enhance the website with dynamic, engaging video content.