Fox Chapel Racquet Club: website redesign

Fox Chapel Racquet Club
club website redesign workshop 1: summer 2009

Tim Cunningham

“ It’s about groups, communities, [and]
neighborhoods in which you have the
capacity for a community to investigate and “
invest in solutions rather than individuals.

--- John Thackara, Director, Doors of Perception

Fox Chapel Racquet Club club website redesign workshop 1: summer 2009 Presentation designed by Ying Lee. All rights reserved.

The new website of the Fox Chapel Racquet Club
should engage club members in club activities while
attracting the interest of new members.

Our workshop encouraged collaborative yet focused
discussions among the committee about the
functions and features for the new site.

The goal of this workshop was to define our target
audience and the look of the new website.


Lon Chuckles
Lon took over club management when it was at a low point in
membership and teetering financially. Under his management a new
tennis pro was hired and maintenance upgraded. Food service has
Fred and Claire Legacy improved and expanded. Regular staff training takes place. He is
actively working with the board and members to increase the value of
Forty something’s. Parents were members before them. Moved out of membership by adding social and athletic events that appeal to the club
the area after college, but returned when the kids started arriving to be demographic. The club has been active in booking regional tennis and
nearer to family and community. Both have good jobs. Because of their paddle tournaments and making the facilities available for private
long association with the club from youth, they move easily between the
older and younger members. Active in the club’s governance, social, and Marvin Oldpro events.

sports activities. Would like their kids to have the same experience as Lon’s FCRC Website goals:
they did growing up. They and family members have participated Marvin was hired shortly after Lon Chuckles took over the club
regularly in many other athletic activities outside the Club and have management, to improve the coaching available to members. Well 1.
enjoyed the bike and kayak trips the Club has offered. Now live in connected with the local professional community Marvin has given the 2.
Squirrel Hill. club a year round coaching presence through his involvement in the 3. …
winter paddle season. Organizing group youth tennis lessons, club 4. …
Fred & Claire’s FCRC Website goals: scrambles, and hosting regional tournaments are a major part of his 5. …
activities, in addition to member lessons. Court decorum, rules, and 6. …
1. … scheduling are in his domain. Marvin is responsible for tennis shack 7. …
2. … sales of tennis equipment and clothing, as well as racket stringing and 8. …
3. … other repairs.
4. …
Aniruddha and Jai Ethnic 5. … Marvin’s FCRC Website goals:

Rick and Anne Crotchety
6. … 1.
7. … 2.
American born Asians devoted to family and ethnic values. Both are 8. … 3. …
medical professionals. Two children in middle school who are active on 4. … Long time members who have retired and now spend the summers at
school teams. Parents are interested in seeing kids improve in all areas 5. … their house in Maine. Rick plays paddle regularly with the Racquet Club
including tennis. Prefer to stay home with kids rather than participate in 6. … Navy in the winter mornings two times a week. The group solves the
club social events in the evening. Enjoy playing tennis together on the 7. … world’s problems over a bloody Mary at the bar in the clubhouse after
weekends when they can get a babysitter. Slowly getting to know others 8. … the match. Fairly set in their ways and see no reason to change. Regulars
in the club, mainly through participation in men’s night and women’s at the Wednesday dinner and Sunday brunch. Considering whether to
paddle. Would consider helping out with other Club activities, but do not continue their membership or not as they continue to age. When in town
know how to get involved. they attend numerous lectures and classes at the universities, and have

Jane Friendly
enjoyed the musical events offered at the Club.
Aniruddha & Jai’s FCRC Website goals:
Rick & Anne’s FCRC Website goals:

Sue Swinger
1. …
She and family joined the club because she thought her three kids would
2. …
benefit when they were in elementary school. Kids are now in college 1. Rarely go to website – prefer the printed newsletter and directory for
3. …
and her husband never really participated much because of his travel club information
4. … Thirty something divorcee who grew up in the area andSign up for events and schedule courts by phone
2. then returned
Kyle and Mary Regular
schedule. However, Jane now has friends in the club (many of them
5. … home when her marriage failed to be closer to her aging parents. upset if they had to rely only on the website for club
3. Would be
neighbors) and participates with them in a daytime paddle rotation, and
6. … Professional that spends many hours on the job, with some travel.
information
regular Saturday tennis games in the summer. Jane has served on the
7. … Interested in meeting others like her and eligible men that share an
4. …
Semi-retired couple that has been a member of the club for years. Kids club board, is a regular at the club open houses and other events (bridge
8. … active life style: from playing tennis to bike riding. Is game for anything
5. …
are grown and gone. Each has participated fully in all the club has lessons).

Mike and Penny Involved
that enhances her social activity when she has free time. She also
6. …
offered through the years. Mary served as membership chairman on two belongs to Club One and exercises there 3-4 times a 7. … but would
week,
occasions, and Kyle can be counted on to pitch in when needed on club consider using exercise machines at the Club if they 8. … offered.
were
activities. Kyle now captains one of the lower paddle teams and plays in Jane’s FCRC Website goals:
Young couple that moved to Fox Chapel in anticipation of their small a regular Saturday morning tennis rotation. Will join a table of old
children’s need for good elementary schools. Active athletes throughout Sue’s FCRC Website goals:
friends at club events. Likes to take the grandkids to the club pool or to 1.
their lives, tennis is something that they have played sporadically and hit tennis balls when they come to visit their grandparents. 2.
enjoyed. Looking for a summer pool for the kids, they joined during a 1.
3. …
club membership promotion and discovered they enjoyed many of the 2.
Kyle & Mary’s FCRC Website goals: 4. …
adult activities as well. Now play tennis often with their age group both 3. …
5. …
together and singly. Actively working on their games with instruction 4. …
1. 6. …
from the club pro, and have taken up paddle as well, by joining teams at 5. …
2. 7. …
their level. Regulars at club dances and social events such as vodka 6. …
3. … 8. …
tastings that attract their age group. 7. …
4. … 8.
5. …
6. …
Mike & Penny’s FCRC Website goals: 7.
8.
…
…
Carl Ringer
1.
2. Tennis is his game and only game. He is very eager to get out on the
3. … court two to three times a week with his buddies as soon as the season
4. … starts, at a scheduled time. Carl is an A player who wants to play with
5. … regulars at his skill level. Paddle is not of interest (he plays indoor tennis
6. … in the winter). He rarely plays in club tournaments, unless they are for a
7. … club championship and he knows who the competitors will be. His
8. … family is not involved in the club.

Carl’s FCRC Website goals:

1.
2.
3. …
4. …
5. …
6. …
7. …
8. …

Before the workshop
Ten personas reflecting the characteristics of people currently involved in the club and potential
members were developed by the website committee. Addtionally, lists of features and criteria for the
new website were generated. These materials served as the foundation of the workshop exercises.


Each participants
presented goals for
different personas.
New issues brought up
during discussion were
written on board for
future discussion.

Facilitators divided participants into two 3-person
groups. Each group were given different personas
and asked to discuss and then list specific website
goals and for the needs of each persona.

workshop exercise 1: in their shoes

Participants were asked to place stickers with their initials
on 12 style boards that represented the possible look and feel
of the new website. The blue dots represented what the new
website should be like, and the red/yellow dots represented the
current club image. An open discussion of why different styles
were selected followed.

workshop exercise 2: find your styles

No one thought of the club
as “contemporary” now, but
they would like to move in
that direction.
All participants perceived
the current club image
as “traditional” and
“established.”

* Blue dots represent the desired future image and red/yellow dots the current image.

from traditional to contemporary
Most participants would like to retain the familial, domestic, and marital characteristics of the club while
maintaining an economical, affordable, and reasonable image. However, there is a desire to evolve from
the club’s traditional and established image to a more contemporary, youthful and inclusive look


involved legacy ethnic regular

Step 1:
the ideal club members
staff Participants were asked to review
and select the personas that they
would love to include in the club.
The selection reflect the previous
discussion about each persona
and style.

workshop exercise 3: the affinity map

Facilitators used an example of affinity map to
help participants visualize the purpose of this
exercise. Participants were asked to describe
their most important goals for the slected
website personas on post-its.

Step 2: the 6 most important goals


Step 3: group your ideas, quietly!
Participants were then asked to individually cluster like ideas by moving the post-it notes around until
everyone was comfortable with the groupings that emerged. The result was an affinity map that was
used to facilitate an open discussion about goals for the website.


member- club image
member
social
networking

comprehensive
display of
online court and event activity webcam coverage member-staff
scheduling and event for instant updates communication
information on court conditions channels

the future website should include...

The new website of the Fox Chapel Racquet Club should attract
and retain members that
- are involved in most club activities;
- have a legacy of family ties to the club;
- are open to members of ethnic background; and,
- are longtime supporters of the club.

Additionally the website should
- consider the needs of staff;
- have a contemporary feel; while,
- communicating a sense of family values and affordability.


contact information
If you have any questions or comments about this presentation, please contact:

Ying Lee, MPD
614. 376. 2396
leeying0525@gmail.com
yingdesign.blogspot.com


Fox Chapel Racquet Club: website redesign

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