California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG)
Project Summary
CAWG (California Association of Winegrape Growers) needed a modern, member-first website that clearly communicates advocacy efforts, resources, and events – while making it effortless for growers, partners, and policymakers to find what they need. I led a dual-track exploration that produced two distinct design directions (“Editorial Advocacy” and “Member Hub”) and guided stakeholders to a confident, evidence-based decision..
Responsibilities
I began by reviewing the site’s layout and visual consistency, then explored two creative directions – one bold and editorial to emphasize CAWG’s advocacy voice, and another clean and structured to make member resources more accessible. Both shared a modern, cohesive aesthetic but conveyed different priorities: storytelling versus usability. The final design blended the strengths of each, featuring a striking hero section that highlights current issues and a clear, grid-based layout that organizes key content and calls to action – resulting in a polished, balanced design that reflects CAWG’s mission and professionalism..
A/B testing played a key role in guiding the final design decision. By comparing user feedback across the two design concepts, we found that the minimalistic layout led to faster navigation and higher interaction with key actions like event registration and membership links, while the graphic intensive “Editorial Advocacy” version drew stronger attention to policy updates and storytelling. The data revealed that combining the clarity of the member-focused layout with the visual impact of the advocacy design would best serve CAWG’s goals.
Original design – color selection and layout makes it difficult for users to navigate and find content
Final design – faster navigation and higher interaction
