CASE STUDY
Modernizing legacy into a seamless, scalable digital experience.
BACKGROUND
Japan is a country where design is not just an aesthetic choice but an intrinsic part of daily life. Yet, much of Japanese web design remains surprisingly outdated—dense, cluttered, and often difficult to navigate, particularly to the Western eye.
This paradox stems from deep-rooted cultural, technological, and historical influences. While craftsmanship thrives on kodawari (こだわり)—the relentless pursuit of excellence—the digital space has lagged behind. Unlike the seamless, user-friendly experiences expected today, many Japanese websites still reflect an era where information density took precedence over usability.
This project aimed to bridge that gap, modernizing a legacy Japanese website into a sleek, scalable, and intuitive platform that aligns with contemporary web standards.
MY ROLE
Project Lead & Creative Strategist
For this project, I led the full transformation from research and strategy to execution. My role encompassed UX research, content curation, project management, and creative direction—balancing Yaeko’s artistic identity with modern usability to deliver a sleek, scalable digital experience in just seven days.
THE PROBLEM
Yaeko, a renowned Japanese mural artist, needed a modern, professional online presence to compete in an international RFP. However, her website was outdated. The challenge was to transform her digital presence into a sleek, intuitive platform that showcased her artistry while preserving the essence of her brand—all in just one week.
Project Timeline
Phase 1: Discovery & Strategy (Day 1-2)
742
images
18
press articles
2
press interviews
4
Site visits*
1
Japan stay*
Phase 1: Discovery & Strategy (Day 1-2)
Kickoff Meeting → Defined project scope, deliverables, and timeline.
Yaeko approached us with a sense of urgency. She had just learned that she had been selected to submit her work to Aman Hotels—a rare and prestigious opportunity for any muralist. However, there was a problem: her existing website, while functional in Japan, was outdated and unsuitable for an international audience.
Aman Hotels is known for its impeccable design sensibilities—perfection in every detail, across every medium. Yaeko knew that presenting her work within this context demanded a website that matched the brand’s refined aesthetic.
That’s where we came in. The challenge? Transforming her digital presence in just 7 days. Although the official deadline was 10 days away, the time zone difference between the US and Japan cut our working timeline short.
On top of that, we were dealing with a massive archive of content spanning two decades. Organizing and distilling it into a cohesive, user-friendly format would become one of the project’s biggest challenges—something we'd tackle head-on in the next phase.
Field Research → Assessed industry benchmarks, user expectations, and cultural considerations.
Japanese web design often prioritizes dense information layouts, text-heavy structures, and multi-layered navigation. In contrast, global UX standards favor clarity, hierarchy, and ease of use. This posed a critical challenge:
How do we modernize Yaeko’s site while respecting her artistic identity and ensuring it meets international expectations?
To break down the problem and structure our approach, I developed the following Decision Framework:
This framework structured our UX/UI decisions, leading to a streamlined solution:
A streamlined, single-scroll website designed to condense 20+ years of content into digestible, byte-sized sections—optimized for high-stakes proposals.
A seamless, guided user experience that works effortlessly across all devices.
A globally scalable platform that allows for future growth and expansion.
A design language aligned with Japanese minimalism and Aman Hotels’ refined aesthetic.
Rather than a traditional website, we built an RFP Website™—a highly curated digital presentation tailored for high-stakes proposals. An RFP Website™ is a streamlined, single-scroll site designed to present key information concisely, ensuring clarity and ease of evaluation for decision-makers.
Contextualization → Educated the client on modern web standards and aligned on key objectives.
I knew this was a major departure from what Yaeko was accustomed to. Japanese web design often prioritizes information density, while the global standard leans toward minimalism, whitespace, and hierarchy.
To bridge this gap, I guided her through examples of modern international websites, drawing parallels between their aesthetic principles and Japanese minimalism. I highlighted how clean, intentional design wasn’t just a Western convention—it was deeply aligned with Japan’s own philosophy of elegance and restraint.
Additionally, I positioned the Aman Hotels brand as a key reference point. Their ethos of understated luxury, precision, and seamless experience closely mirrored the design choices we were making. This helped Yaeko see the value in the approach, securing her trust in the direction we needed to take.
A stark contrast in design philosophies: Yahoo Japan’s dense, information-heavy layout vs. Yahoo USA’s clean, streamlined experience.
A prime example of this contrast is Yahoo!’s homepage in Japan versus the US in 2025. While Yahoo! Japan remains dense and text-heavy, Yahoo! US has embraced whitespace, hierarchy, and a cleaner UI. This side-by-side comparison helped reinforce to Yaeko why modernizing her site wasn’t just an aesthetic choice—it was essential for global usability.
Phase 2: Design, Development & Iteration (Days 2–5)
Phase 2: Design, Development & Iteration (Days 2–5)
Conceptualization → Developed wireframes, content structure, and core design principles.
With a clear understanding of Yaeko’s artistic essence and project goals, the next step was to translate those insights into a structured, visually compelling digital experience.
Mood Board & Visual Inspiration
To guide the design direction, I curated a mood board that balanced organic textures, earthy tones, and structured minimalism. The selected imagery helped define the aesthetic tone I was aiming for—a fusion of Japanese craftsmanship and modern digital elegance—while ensuring a seamless, intuitive user experience.
Wireframing & Content Structure
Based on this inspiration, I sketched a low-fidelity wireframe (see sketch below) outlining the core layout:
Hero Section – A striking visual introduction that immediately establishes Yaeko’s artistic identity.
Artist Statement – A concise yet evocative expression of her artistic philosophy.
Mural Technique Overview – Educating decision-makers on her unique process.
Installation Showcase – Large-format images of her most impactful works.
Client Logos – Establishing credibility and breadth of experience.
Downloadable Artist Resume – A comprehensive PDF takeaway for offline review.
By structuring the storytelling flow upfront, we ensured the final design was not just visually compelling but also strategically aligned with the needs of decision-makers reviewing the RFP.
Agile Development & Platform Selection → Building on SquareSpace
To ensure a scalable and globally accessible experience, we selected SquareSpace as the foundation for the RFP Website™. Its rapid deployment capabilities allowed us to move quickly within the 7-day deadline, focusing on content, design, and storytelling rather than complex development.
While I was building on the backend, I was also meeting with Yaeko, ensuring she understood the structure, securing buy-in, and painting a clear picture of the final execution. The success of this project relied heavily on minimizing surprises and keeping momentum, ensuring each decision aligned with her artistic identity and the expectations of an international audience.
Why SquareSpace?
Fast Deployment → Customizable templates enabled quick execution within the tight timeline.
User-Friendly Backend → Empowered Yaeko to make updates independently post-launch.
Built-in SEO & Performance Enhancements → Optimized for search visibility and fast image loading.
Integrated Hosting & Security → Included SSL security, automatic updates, and reliable uptime.
Seamless Responsiveness → Ensured a fully optimized experience across desktop, mobile, and tablet.
Future Scalability → Designed for RFP submission now, but adaptable into a full portfolio site later.
Content Curation & Lean Process → Sifting Through 700+ Images
One of the biggest challenges was content consolidation. Yaeko’s career spans two decades, with an archive of over 700 images and extensive documentation of her work.
To maintain lean efficiency, I:
Curated only the strongest visual narratives → Selecting imagery that not only showcased impact but also highlighted Yaeko’s technical mastery, including sandblasting, painting, stenciling, and strippling, ensuring her craftsmanship was as evident as her artistry.
Applied a storytelling-first approach → Ensuring each section flowed logically and intentionally.
Maintained ongoing feedback loops → Refining content choices in real time with Yaeko to streamline the approval process.
This phase was about balancing speed with precision—delivering a high-impact digital presence without sacrificing quality.
Phase 3: Testing, Refinement & Launch (Days 6–7)
Phase 3: Testing, Refinement & Launch (Days 6–7)
Testing & QA: Ensuring Seamless Functionality
With the core structure and content in place, the final stretch was dedicated to testing, refining, and optimizing the experience before launch. Given the tight timeline, I implemented a lean testing process, focusing on:
Usability & Accessibility → Ensuring clear navigation, text legibility, and intuitive interactions across all sections.
Cross-Device Responsiveness → Verifying that the experience was consistent and fluid on desktop, tablet, and mobile.
Performance Optimization → Compressing images, refining transitions, and adjusting load speeds for seamless interaction.
At this stage, Yaeko became more deeply involved. While she had been briefed throughout the process, seeing something concrete sparked a new level of engagement. Clients often have difficulty visualizing abstract ideas, but once she saw the site materializing, she began refining her artist statement, skillset highlights, and long-term vision.
Final Refinements: Aligning the Details with Perfection
Yaeko’s newfound engagement led to critical refinements:
Artist Statement Revisions: Seeing it in writing helped her realize the need for a sharper, more succinct personal narrative.
Technique Selection Adjustments: She became more discerning about which mural techniques to highlight—prioritizing those most relevant to the RFP.
Scalability Concerns: She expressed concerns about reach and visibility compared to her old site, which sparked deeper discussions on future growth.
Scope Creep & Expectation Management: Once she saw the bigger picture, she pivoted to wanting a full firm-wide website overhaul. Given the contract and deadline, I had to gently but firmly remind her of the project scope—any expansions would impact the timeline and incur additional costs.
This phase wasn’t just about catching errors—it was about balancing her evolving vision with the constraints of the project. Every refinement was intentional, ensuring the site felt true to her brand while staying within scope.
Launch & Delivery: From Concept to Reality in 7 Days
On Day 7, we finalized the site and ensured all assets were in place for submission. The final walkthrough confirmed:
Fully optimized design & functionality across all devices.
Downloadable PDF resume assets were accessible and easy to retrieve.
A clean, intuitive, and modern experience that reflected Yaeko’s brand and artistic identity.
Despite the last-minute refinements and evolving client expectations, I successfully navigated the shifting priorities, delivering a sleek, globally accessible platform—ready for a high-stakes RFP submission.
Next: A closer look at the transformation—Before & After.
Before & After: A Complete Digital Transformation
Yaeko’s original website was functional but outdated, heavily text-based, and difficult to navigate—especially for an international audience. The structure reflected older web conventions, where information was dense and cluttered, making it challenging to engage with her work fluidly.
Before: Dense, text-heavy layout with unclear hierarchy
Key Challenges Identified in the Original Site:
Text-heavy layout made it overwhelming for users to find key information.
Lack of visual hierarchy resulted in a cluttered experience, diminishing the impact of her artistry.
Navigation complexity created friction in user flow, making it harder for potential clients to explore her work.
Not optimized for global audiences, limiting accessibility and engagement outside of Japan.
The goal was to modernize the experience without losing Yaeko’s artistic identity, creating a sleek, responsive, and high-impact digital presence tailored for international RFP reviewers.
After: Refined, minimal design for clarity and global accessibility.
How We Solved It:
Refined, minimal design → Inspired by Japanese aesthetics + global UX best practices.
Single-scroll storytelling format → A digestible, immersive experience for RFP reviewers.
Seamless cross-device compatibility → Optimized for desktop, mobile, and tablet.
Intuitive structure → Guiding users effortlessly from introduction to credentials.
Future-proofed for scalability → Can evolve into a full portfolio site post-RFP submission.
This transformation didn’t just refresh an outdated site—it redefined Yaeko’s digital presence, making it modern, accessible, and globally competitive.
The transformation was more than just aesthetics—it was about usability, scalability, and making Yaeko’s work shine in the international space.
Outcome & Next Steps
The completion and launch of Yaeko’s RFP website successfully met the tight deadline and strict submission requirements. While she appreciated the execution, she initially felt the site leaned more toward a Western aesthetic than she was comfortable with. This reaction underscored a broader challenge in Japanese web design—where many websites remain in their earliest iterations, diverging significantly from modern Western web standards.
Her concerns were echoed by her team, who noted that the site "looked like a foreigner’s website." However, this sentiment wasn’t received as a criticism but rather as a cultural reflection of the stark differences between Japanese and global web design trends.
On the other hand, her international colleagues, the Aman creative director, and her boyfriend (a Michigan native) saw the site in a completely different light. They praised the elegance, clarity, and beauty of the new design, which captured aspects of her work in a way that her old site had not.
The site ultimately served its purpose: Yaeko and her team successfully secured the opportunity to present their design and cost proposal to Aman. While Aman’s creative director strongly advocated for Yaeko, the stakeholders ultimately chose a more cost-efficient alternative—washi paper—over a custom-painted installation requiring international travel.
Next Steps
Despite Aman’s final decision, the project validated the importance of bridging traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern digital experiences. The process reinforced the need for deeper cultural UX research when designing for non-Western markets, where user expectations and industry standards often differ.
Interestingly, though Yaeko initially hesitated to adopt the Western-style approach, she ultimately expanded the scalable design system we created to power her entire website—a decision made without our direct involvement. While unexpected, this reinforced the adaptability and long-term viability of the design solution, proving that a modernized structure could, in fact, work within a Japanese artistic framework.
Moving forward, I aim to further refine the approach to culturally adaptive web design, ensuring that both aesthetic integrity and modern usability can coexist. While this project highlighted a clear gap between Japanese and Western web sensibilities, it also demonstrated the power of thoughtful design in elevating an artist’s global presence.
NEXT Case Study
to come
Prosperity Market
