Conga Kids
EDTech, Non-Profit 501c3
Conga Kids Digital Platform Redesign and Rebranding
My Role: Lead Product Designer
Timeline: 90 Days
Background:
Conga Kids, an organization operating in Los Angeles and Orange County, is dedicated to fostering social and emotional well-being through dance and music. During the post-pandemic period, the organization faced significant challenges, including transitioning its programs to online platforms and redefining its mission to emphasize inclusivity and diversity. Efforts were focused on rebuilding relationships, advancing a renewed vision, and managing programs to ensure continuity and impact.
After successfully managing the programs for two years, a growing interest in product design emerged, driven by a belief in the potential to create a more significant impact. Leveraging a background in social practice, civic engagement, UX/UI design, and a comprehensive understanding of the organization’s programs and operations, a proposal was made to transition into a Product Design role. This shift aligned seamlessly with prior experience and presented an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to Conga Kids’ growth and expansion.
The Challenge:
Upon assuming this role, a comprehensive project plan and milestones were developed to address critical gaps in branding and outreach that were limiting the organization’s growth:
Limited Understanding of Users: Despite serving a diverse audience—including district and school officials, elementary students, and their caregivers—Conga Kids lacked insight into the distinct needs of these groups.
Inconsistent Branding: The organization's fonts, colors, and messaging lacked cohesion and failed to reflect a kid-friendly, engaging aesthetic.
Low User Engagement: Both the website and social media platforms struggled to captivate users or effectively communicate the program's impact.
No Marketing Strategy: Outreach efforts were unstructured, lacking a clear and targeted marketing approach.
Lack of Visual Storytelling: There was a noticeable absence of dance footage, testimonials, and real-life stories showcasing the program's transformative impact.
Previous Branding
Research
Conga Kids had its rhythm, but its story remained untold. Deep and foundational questions were explored to bring its identity to life, sparking meaningful conversations with the founder, board, and staff. These discussions uncovered the organization’s heartfelt purpose and brought its mission into focus.
Identity Discovery Framework
Audience:
Who is it for?
Describe your top 3 user personas.
Services & Reach:
What are the top services you provide?
What are the top 5 industries you serve?
What geographic location would you like to focus on?
Competitive Edge:
What are the most exciting things about your service?
Who are your competitors?
Digital Presence:
What online platforms would you like to prioritize?
What is your current engagement?
Values:
What principles guide their
Mission:
What problem does Conga Kids solve?
How does it empower young hearts through dance?
Vision:
What future are they dancing toward?
What will they be celebrated for?
These foundational questions led to the development of a shared language—a style guide that encapsulated the essence of Conga Kids. With its voice and values clearly defined, a comprehensive visual and content library was created to ensure that every step aligned with the organization’s purpose. The outcome was a narrative as dynamic and inspiring as the children it serves.
Competitive Analysis
In analyzing Conga Kids alongside Inner-City Arts, YMCA, and KIPP, it’s clear that Conga Kids occupies a unique niche by using dance as a central tool for teaching social-emotional learning (SEL), teamwork, and cultural education. While Inner-City Arts excels in offering diverse arts programs, YMCA emphasizes holistic youth development, and KIPP focuses on academic excellence, none place dance at the forefront of their programming.
Conga Kids differentiates itself through:
Dance-Centered Programming: Positioning dance as a core discipline rather than a supplemental activity.
Cultural Education: Integrating cultural traditions and history to foster diversity and heritage appreciation.
Community Engagement: Building stronger connections among students, parents, and schools through performances and collaborative events.
SEL Emphasis: Using dance to develop critical emotional and social skills, a gap in many competitor offerings.
By highlighting these unique strengths, Conga Kids bridges the gap between cultural institutions, schools, and communities, promoting both individual growth and collective engagement. This focus not only enhances its appeal but also establishes it as a transformative program for youth development.
USERS
Conga Kids caters to three primary user groups:
District and School Officials
Key decision-makers who purchase the program and allocate funding to bring it to their schools.
Parents and Caregivers
Active supporters who engage with their children’s participation, fostering enthusiasm and involvement.
Students
The primary beneficiaries of the program participate in 10-20 session classes and showcase their skills in culminating competitions.
Personas
District Offical
Pain Points:
Funding Constraints: The district struggles with limited budgets to meet its expansive needs.
Attendance Challenges: Faces declining student attendance and needs innovative ways to re-engage them.
Resource Gaps: Insufficient resources to fully integrate arts into the curriculum.
Persona name: Dr. Shakur
Age: 55 years old
Gender: Female
Education: PhD
Occupation: District official of Long Beach UD
Goals:
Identify an engaging, budget-friendly art program that delivers measurable impact on students.
Strengthen student engagement & attendance through creative & enriching initiatives.
Attitudes:
Values data-driven decisions when allocating art and PE budgets.
Actively seeks partnerships with organizations offering proven benefits for student well-being and academic outcomes.
Believes in the transformative power of art to foster student connection and growth.
Motivations:
Wants to leave a legacy of fostering creativity and connection among students.
Seeks programs that can align with district values and deliver both short-term results and long-term benefits.
The Parent
Name: Maria Lopez
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Occupation: Nurse
Family: Single mother of two children, ages 10 and 12
Location: Los Angeles
Goals:
Provide her children with opportunities to build confidence and social skills.
Enroll her kids in programs that promote physical activity and creative expression.
Find affordable and accessible extracurricular activities.
Pain Points:
Affordability: Struggles to afford extracurricular programs with her limited budget.
Time Constraints: Juggling work and home responsibilities leaves little time to research or transport her kids to activities.
Safety Concerns: Wants a program she can trust to provide a safe and nurturing environment.
Attitudes:
Believes in the importance of arts and culture in her children’s development.
Values programs that teach life skills like teamwork, discipline, and leadership.
Seeks opportunities that create a sense of community and belonging for her children.
Motivations:
Aspires to see her children thrive, both academically and socially.
Finds joy in seeing her kids excited and engaged with their peers.
The Student
Name: Jordan Thompson
Age: 11
Grade: 6th grade
Hobbies: Listening to music, watching dance videos online, playing video games
Location: Los Angeles
Goals:
Learn how to dance and feel confident performing in front of others.
Make new friends and connect with peers in a fun, creative environment.
Feel recognized and appreciated for personal achievements.
Pain Points:
Shyness: Feels nervous about trying new activities, especially in front of others.
Limited Access: Doesn’t always have access to programs at his school or in his neighborhood.
Peer Pressure: Worries about being judged by classmates or not fitting in.
Attitudes:
Excited about activities that let him express himself creatively.
Wants to be part of something “cool” and relatable.
Enjoys collaborative activities but values encouragement to step outside his comfort zone.
Motivations:
Inspired by watching skilled dancers online and dreams of learning similar moves.
Wants to make his family proud by showcasing his newfound skills.
Craves a sense of belonging and camaraderie with other kids.
Site Map
The website serves as a platform to highlight Conga Kids' mission, programs, and achievements. It also facilitates donations, volunteer sign-ups, online store purchases, memberships, and opportunities for community engagement.
Branding, Building Foundation
COLOR
Blue: Different shades of blue can evoke feelings of calmness, trust, and professionalism. Lighter shades of blue can symbolize openness and receptivity, which align well with
Turquoise: Turquoise is a blend of blue and green, symbolizing tranquility, communication, and emotional balance. It can be a unique choice that represents the merging of movement and emotional well-being.
Pink: Pink is associated with compassion, empathy, and nurturing. It could be a suitable choice for an organization focused on emotional learning and personal development. It is also a dynamic color, which fits in representing dance, movement, and actions.
Background
Gradient colors beautifully symbolize the intricate relationship between time and space. When we engage in dance movements, we embark on a captivating journey through both the temporal and spatial dimensions, creating a dynamic and enriching experience.
Moreover, with every step and graceful motion, we not only traverse physical space but also travel through history itself. We become vessels of cultural and historical references, weaving a narrative that honors our ancestors and tells their stories through our graceful exploration of time and space.
Flow Map
Ideation
User Testing
Throughout the development process, continuous agile user testing was conducted to ensure the program’s usability and effectiveness while the business remained operational. This included A/B testing and user interviews aimed at understanding how users could quickly and easily access the information needed to make informed purchasing decisions about the program. These insights were instrumental in refining the platform to better meet user needs and streamline the customer journey.
Findings
User Accessibility: A/B testing revealed that users prioritized ease of navigation and clarity in accessing program details. Simplifying the interface significantly improved user satisfaction.
Information Clarity: User interviews highlighted the need for concise and well-organized content. Clear descriptions of program offerings, pricing, and benefits were essential for aiding purchasing decisions.
Decision-Making Process: Many users expressed the importance of having transparent and easily comparable options, which emphasized the need for features like side-by-side comparisons and clear call-to-action buttons.
Trust and Confidence: Feedback indicated that users valued testimonials and case studies as they provided reassurance and credibility when considering the program.
Mobile Optimization: Testing uncovered a preference for mobile-friendly designs, as many users accessed the platform on their smartphones.
These findings informed iterative design improvements, ensuring the platform aligned with user needs and supported their decision-making process effectively.
Engagement Result
Upon rebranding the website, I drove a 77% increase in customer acquisition and a 15% boost in sales for FY 2023/24 by implementing a user-centered redesign within an agile framework. The rebranding initiative also enhanced brand visibility by 66%, resulting in a significant uptick in website traffic and user engagement.
