Aaron Neilson-Belman

UX & Brand Consultant

RGD Certified - Association of Registered Graphic Designers
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case study

Redesigning the Website for AR Monex Pro Cycling Team

The Challenge

AR Monex Pro Cycling Team, a prominent Mexican professional cycling team, faced several challenges with their online presence. They had three separate websites—a promotional site, a fundraising microsite, and an event series —creating a fragmented user experience and complicating backend management.

 

Additionally, the existing website lacked essential features such as rider profiles and a dedicated space to promote and register for a series of domestic cycling events. The team wanted a modern, unified platform to showcase their sponsors, riders, and accomplishments while driving fundraising initiatives to support their ambitious goal of reaching the Tour de France.

 

From a branding perspective, it was critical to incorporate the vibrant Huichol pattern featured on the team’s jerseys, celebrating their Mexican roots and strengthening their identity.

My Role

As UX & Brand Strategy Contractor, I worked closely with AR Monex’s marketing manager to craft a website that unified their online properties, supported their marketing goals, and strengthened their brand. I guided the project from discovery through implementation, ensuring the site met the team’s objectives and resonated with their audience.

How I Helped

  • Discovery & Requirements Gathering

    • Collaborated with stakeholders to identify pain points, goals, and key features.
    • Defined a clear vision for the new website, focusing on user needs and the client’s objectives.

  • Information Architecture

    • Developed an intuitive site structure that combined the promotional site, fundraising microsite, and event series into a single platform.

Sitemap planning in Figma
    • Created wireframes to map out the information hierarchy for each page, prioritizing user needs and key client goals. These wireframes ensured that essential content, such as team profiles, sponsor highlights, and fundraising calls-to-action, were prominently featured. The design also emphasized intuitive navigation, clear visual hierarchy, and responsive layouts to enhance usability across all devices

Wireframing in Figma
  • Design Concept & Branding
    • Designed a modern, visually engaging site that incorporated the Huichol pattern prominently to celebrate the team’s Mexican heritage.
    • Ensured the design aligned with AR Monex’s marketing strategy and enhanced their overall brand image.
    • Designed player profile previews to resemble sports trading cards, creating a visually engaging and thematic way to showcase team members. This approach highlighted key stats and achievements while reinforcing the dynamic and competitive spirit of the team.
home page screenshot
team page screenshot
  • Website Development
    • Designed and built the website to be fully responsive, ensuring optimal performance across all devices.
    • Created a dedicated event landing page with sub-pages for individual events, enabling seamless promotion and registration.

  • Client Training
    • Delivered hands-on training to the client’s team, empowering them to manage and update the website independently.

Impact & Results

The redesigned website transformed AR Monex Pro Cycling Team’s online presence, delivering measurable results:

  • Unified User Experience
    Combined three websites into one cohesive platform, simplifying navigation and backend management.

  • Engaging & Accessible Design
    Created a fully responsive, organized website that highlights the team’s accomplishments, riders, and sponsors.

  • Increased Community Donations
    Achieved a 430% increase in community-based donations, supporting the team’s fundraising goals.

  • Enhanced Sponsor Satisfaction
    Improved visibility and recognition for sponsors, strengthening partnerships.

  • Event Promotion Success
    The new event pages streamlined promotion and registration, contributing to increased engagement with the domestic cycling series.

Reflection

This project demonstrated the value of aligning UX design with brand strategy to create an impactful digital presence. By combining technical expertise with a deep understanding of the client’s culture and goals, I delivered a solution that not only addressed their immediate challenges but also set the foundation for future growth.

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Association of
Registered Graphic Designers

www.rgd.ca

What is an RGD?

The Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) is Canada’s largest professional association for graphic designers. The association’s membership of more than 4,000 people includes firm owners, freelancers, managers, in-house designers, educators and students.

The RGD and Registered Graphic Designer designations are signals of quality and competence to the profession, public and government.

Successful candidates have met a rigorous set of standards that includes documented levels of relevant, professional education and experience as well as competence in the areas of business, design principles, research and ethics demonstrated through the successful completion of RGD’s certification process.

Why work with an RGD?

I am a qualified, experienced professional.
Registered Graphic Designers have successfully completed RGD’s Certification Process and have demonstrated their knowledge and abilities as professional graphic designers.

I am a problem-solver.
Registered Graphic Designers have the knowledge, experience and skills to assess and address a variety of challenges. They provide strategies and solutions that help companies, organizations and entrepreneurs to further their goals and objectives.

I am accountable.
 Registered Graphic Designers engage with clients in professional, contractual agreements. They fulfill their commitments responsibly and work to the best of their ability to match or exceed expected project outcomes.

I am ethical.
 Registered Graphic Designers are subject to and governed by the Association’s Rules of Professional Conduct. These rules serve as their guide for an ethical, professional graphic design practice, and details their responsibilities to clients, the profession, the government and the community.

I stay informed of developments and trends.
 Registered Graphic Designers stay current by augmenting their knowledge – including new information on accessibility, consumer trends, demographics, research methods, production processes, advanced digital technologies and efficiencies. With this growing foundation, they constantly integrate best practices and tools into their work.

I am passionate about design.
Registered Graphic Designers understand that a strong and unified voice advances the practice of graphic design. They are committed professional members of the Association, and raise awareness of the important role and value that design brings to business, society and culture.

I can connect you with reliable industry suppliers.
Registered Graphic Designers access a network of suppliers, services and allied professions. They can assemble a team to execute simple or complex projects including illustrators and photographers, writers and translators, printers and product manufacturers, developers and social media strategists, to name a few.

Why ask for an RGD?
Untrained, unskilled individuals may offer “design services” but their lack of up-to-date knowledge, professional experience and ethical accountability could put your deadlines, budgets, project outcomes and reputation at risk.

How to choose a designer?
Before hiring any designer, review their experience and work samples, request and contact references and meet with candidates to discuss your project. Designers need to understand your strategic objectives and the goals of your project to determine the costs involved. Use the information provided by all candidates to choose a designer who is capable of meeting your needs. For greater assurance, choose an RGD.

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