Our first project for Literary Arts when live in 2005. For our first major redesign of their website, we immersed ourselves in conversations with a constellation of patrons—authors, readers, students, and readers—capturing their aspirations and frustrations with the website.

As we sifted through the tapestry of their responses, a powerful insight emerged from between the lines: the website needed to shed its organizational skin and embrace the collective power of community.  Through information architecture and thoughtful design, the redesigned digital experience became a testament to this new conversation—one where Literary Arts doesn't simply speak to its community but speaks with and through them. 

The data also revealed a compelling plot point: 80% of visitors were searching for the literary events that have become Portland's cultural touchstones—Portland Book Festival, Youth Poetry Slam, Portland Arts & Lectures—yet finding them had become cumbersome.

We crafted a solution that transformed this experience. The reimagined platform now invites patrons to discover events through the lens of personal interest, with individual paths laid out for readers, writers, and youth.