The Argentine Journalism Forum (FOPEA) is a non-profit organization founded in 2002 as a space for reflection, dialogue and promotion of journalism quality, created by a group of media professionals and teachers.
FOPEA.org wanted to redesign ts website with a modern design, and updated information with the aim of improving the user experience. Also, the project aimed to address a decline in journalist memberships with FOPEA between 2014 and 2016, attributed to an outdated website and a cumbersome membership application process.
The problem:
- Data showed a significant drop in journalist memberships during the specified period.
- An evaluation of the website, competitive analysis, and interviews with the Board revealed issues with site content and the application process.
Goals:
- to redesign the website with a modern design, and updated information in 6 months
- to create a new experience for membership application
- to increase membership applications by 20%.


My Role:
- my role involved identifying and understanding the problem by redesigning the website structure and improving the membership application process.
- restructured the main website sections and sub-sections, reorganized content, edited and rewrote the membership section including conditions and types of memberships, with a focus on consistency and clear terminology.
- proposed new user flows for membership and application evaluation.
- led the project by proposing changes, working with the internal team, and facilitating the transition. I collaborated with the internal team, including the board and the organization’s Executive Director, as well as a graphic designer and the web development company.
Process:
- it involved iterative content revisions based on user feedback, data analysis, and interviews with the board and the organization’s Executive Director.
- after conducting UX Reseach (interviews, competitors analysis, SWOT Analysis, heuristic evaluation), I suggested a new user flow for the membership process, which most important part was to simply the membership application, allowing candidates to submit basic information and attach their CV, reducing the complexity. The evaluation process transitioned from case-by-case to monthly, making it more efficient and visually organized.
- I encouraged a new information architecture for the website.


Outcomes:
- The membership applications increased significantly: almost 300 applications were received and 200 journalists joined the ONG
- All committee members gave positive feedback on the improvements in the membership’s internal process.
- The end-to-end experience was considered, enhancing both internal efficiency and user satisfaction.
- By reaching a larger number of members, the organization increased its fundraising for the realozation of workshops, courses, congresses, and awards.
- Constraints included resistance to change in a small organization, but the project’s success demonstrated the value of small improvements.
What I Learned:
- Small, incremental improvements can significantly impact user and organizational experiences.
- Collaboration and communication are key in driving change within small, resistant organizations.
- The transition to a more efficient process benefited both FOPEA and its members.
- If I were to do the project again, I might explore more automation options to further streamline the membership application process.