context

Sayu is a foundation created to give opportunities to vulnerable youngs, via the creation of a craft shipyard, where they can learn the job of boat building, by constructing traditional one-manned boats. These youngs can then continue their careers in the chilean Navy or as merchant marines.

As I was presented the opportunity to build their website, I fell in love with the project and became an active part in the foundation activities.

I understood the founders love for the sea, for excellency, for their traditions and for the less fortunate, and decided that those principles would be the center of the user experience.

Design process

Research

The best way to do something great, is to see how others did it before, and adapt and improve it. 
I researched in the web tens of acclaimed foundation websites, and understood the principles that work in these kind of sites.

Inspiration

The sea is always moving. It flows. It is the movement what gives life to the sea. So the website had to flow. It had to give the user the experience that the site is liquid, while telling the good the foundation brings to the world, inviting people to join the cause.

Objective

One of the seven habits of highly effective people is Begin with the end in mind. And this is true for highly effective design too. So it was important to establish the purpose of the website from the beginning, so all and everything in the site follows that purpose.

Empathize

Through a series of meetings, both online and in person, I got to know the founders more closely, and understand what they wanted to tell, and what was important to them to be part of the message the website should give to the public.
This allowed me to change part of the inicial proposal, and present something that exceeded expectations. 

The extra Mile

I designed a beautyfull video background for any android or iphone that you can download as a gift only after you donate through the website HERE. It’s a beautyfull cause to support. And it´s a really pretty background to have in your phone.

Results

The first view of the page is a 15 second video that shows, in a simple story, the whole transformation process the foundation aims to deliver. It communicates through image the real impact on peoples lifes this proyect brings.

The whole page moves, whether as a paralax effect, as videos or both, giving the liquid feeling that was looked for.

Every video was selected carefully, to show only wooden crafted boats, following the foundation’s principles of using only noble, sustainable materials in the construction process. 

Donations are asked using a pop-up with a pun that uses the word «Dona» (that can be translated both as Donate and Donut) using sea-related donuts in the image. It seeks to make the visitor smile, putting him/her in a better mood to actually make a donation.

Client reception was great, with only positive comments from the founders and test users. 

Currently, there are other projects in development for a couple of the founders´ own business, that started thanks to the success in this one.