Garuda Hacks
Redesigning one of Indonesia's largest hackathon platform to increase engagement and accessibility
Role
UX Designer
Timeline
Jan 2023 - July 2023
Tools
Figma
Overview
Garuda Hacks is one of Indonesia's largest international hackathon, bringing together over 500 students from across Southeast Asia. The platform needed a complete redesign to better serve participants, sponsors, and organizers while showcasing the event's innovative spirit.
The Challenge
The existing platform had low engagement rates, confusing navigation, and didn't effectively communicate the hackathon's value proposition to potential participants and sponsors.
The Solution
A complete redesign with user-centered design principles, creating an engaging experience that increased site traffic by 40% and improved user satisfaction scores by 65%.
Understanding Users
I conducted 15 interviews with past participants, potential attendees, and sponsors to understand their needs and pain points.
Found the registration process confusing
Couldn't find important event information
Wanted better mobile experience
Ideation & Concepts
Based on user research, I explored multiple design directions focusing on bold visuals, clear information hierarchy, and streamlined user flows.
Bold & Energetic
Use vibrant colors and dynamic layouts to capture the excitement of hackathons
Clear Hierarchy
Make important information easily scannable with strong typography
Accessible
Ensure WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for color contrast and navigation
Design Solutions
Streamlined Registration
Reduced registration from 7 steps to 3, with clear progress indicators. Registration completion rate increased by 45%.
Interactive Schedule
Dynamic schedule view with filtering by track, difficulty, and personal bookmarks.
Team Formation Hub
Team-building feature where solo participants can find teammates based on skills and interests.
User Testing
Conducted usability testing with 20 participants across different user groups to validate design decisions and identify areas for improvement.
Key Findings
- →Users completed registration 45% faster with new design
- →Navigation satisfaction increased from 2.1/5 to 4.6/5
- →Mobile usability scores improved by 80%
Impact & Reflection
Increase in site traffic during registration period
Improvement in user satisfaction scores
Higher registration completion rate
Participants successfully onboarded
Key Learnings
User research early in the process prevents costly redesigns later
Bold visual design can coexist with strong usability principles
Mobile-first approach is essential for student-focused platforms