7.

UI Component Design Challenge

 For a set period (30 days, for example), focus on designing specific UI components such
as buttons, cards, sliders, or modals. This will help you build a strong, reusable design
system.

8. Branding & Identity Challenge

 Pick a company (real or fictional) and design their branding identity. This can include
logos, color palettes, typography, business cards, and even website or app mockups. You
could do this weekly or in a more intensive 30-day challenge.

9. UX Writing Challenge

 Focus on improving your UX writing skills. Every day or week, challenge yourself to
write user-friendly microcopy (buttons, instructions, error messages, tooltips) for various
types of apps or websites.

10. Interaction Design Challenge

 Focus on improving your interaction design skills. This could involve creating
animations, transitions, hover effects, and micro-interactions to enhance the usability and
feel of your designs. Tools like Figma, Principle, and Adobe XD are great for this.

11. Design Sprint Challenge

 Use the design sprint method to tackle a new design problem each week (like the Google
Ventures design sprint). It involves a condensed timeframe—typically 5 days—where
you work on research, ideation, prototyping, and testing to design a solution.

12. Design a Website from Scratch in 24 Hours

 Take on a time-bound challenge, like designing a complete website or landing page in 24

hours. This helps build your speed and decision-making abilities.

13. Weekly Sketching Challenge

 Get back to basics with daily or weekly hand-drawn sketches. Sketching out wireframes
or concept designs will improve your ability to rapidly prototype and communicate ideas
visually.

14. Themed Design Challenges (e.g., Vintage, Futuristic, Retro)

  Set a theme for each week or month. For example, one week could be "Design a
Futuristic App," the next could be "Design a Vintage Restaurant Website." This
encourages creative thinking within constraints and helps diversify your design portfolio.

15. Color Palette Challenge

 Focus on experimenting with different color palettes. Choose a specific color scheme
each day or week (complementary, monochromatic, etc.) and use it to create designs that
are visually appealing and balanced.

The key to these challenges is to stay consistent and reflect on your progress. After each one,
you’ll have new work for your portfolio, and you’ll have pushed yourself to improve in specific
areas.

Do any of these sound like something you’d want to try?

You said:

what websites can i redesign

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

Redesigning websites is a fantastic way to practice your design skills, and there are tons of sites
out there that could benefit from a fresh look! Here are some types of websites you could
consider redesigning, along with examples for inspiration:

1. Outdated or Overcomplicated Websites

 Many older websites are still stuck in the 90s or early 2000s with clunky designs and
poor usability. These are great candidates for a redesign.
 Example sites:
o The Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster Memorial (NASA) - A bit outdated and
could use a more modern, user-friendly interface.
o Old university websites - Many university sites tend to have outdated designs
and could benefit from a more streamlined, mobile-first approach.

2. E-commerce Websites

 E-commerce websites are often cluttered or not optimized for mobile. Improving product
pages, checkout processes, and overall UI/UX can help increase conversions.
 Example sites:
o Etsy (can always use design improvements, especially mobile responsiveness)
o Best Buy (some pages can feel overly busy with information overload)
3. Non-Profit and Charity Websites

 Non-profits often have great causes but lack the design resources to make their websites
impactful. You could improve their donation flows, storytelling, and overall aesthetics.
 Example sites:
o World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - Could benefit from a more modern design and
simplified user experience.
o Red Cross - Improving the flow for donations and event sign-ups could increase
their effectiveness.

4. Local Business Websites

 Many local businesses still use very basic websites with outdated design, poor navigation,
or lack of mobile responsiveness. You could help them create a more professional online
presence.
 Example sites:
o Local coffee shops, restaurants, or salons - Most small businesses have
outdated websites that don’t reflect their brand properly.

5. Government Websites

 Many government websites are known for being hard to navigate and not user-friendly.
Redesigning these sites with a focus on accessibility and simplicity could help a lot of
users.
 Example sites:
o Your local city or state government’s website (check out the ones with outdated
layouts or hard-to-find information)
o IRS.gov (a redesign focusing on clarity and user guidance would be very helpful)

6. Blogs or Personal Websites

 Blogs and personal websites often fall victim to inconsistent design, long load times, or
poor mobile optimization. You could focus on improving the content presentation,
navigation, and visual identity.
 Example sites:
o Medium (could be streamlined for a more personalized reading experience)
o Personal blogs - Many bloggers have outdated designs and could use a fresh,
modern look.

7. Portfolio Websites (For Creatives)

 Creative professionals like photographers, artists, and writers often have portfolios that
don’t showcase their work effectively. These are great sites to redesign to create a more
immersive experience for potential clients or employers.
 Example sites:
 o Photographers' portfolios (many could be optimized to showcase images better
and load faster)
o Freelancer portfolio sites (personal portfolios that could use modern UX/UI
improvements)

8. News Websites or Magazines

 News sites can often feel overwhelming with ads, popups, and too much content
competing for attention. A redesign focused on a clean, readable layout could greatly
improve user experience.
 Example sites:
o CNN or The New York Times (could benefit from better mobile design or
simplifying the front page)
o BuzzFeed (some pages can feel too cluttered with distracting elements)

9. Education Websites

 Online learning platforms and school websites often have lots of information but can be
difficult to navigate. Redesigning these sites could make learning experiences smoother
and more engaging.
 Example sites:
o Coursera or Udemy (streamlining course search and visualizing progress more
effectively)
o Online universities - Many have outdated systems and design elements that
could be refreshed.

10. Health & Fitness Websites

 Many health-related websites or apps have outdated or confusing designs. Redesigning

them to be more intuitive, with accessible content, could greatly improve the user
experience.
 Example sites:
o WebMD or Healthline (refresh their design and improve mobile responsiveness)
o Fitness apps websites (often cluttered, so there's room for improvement in both
design and UX)

11. Tech & SaaS Websites

 Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) websites sometimes suffer from technical jargon, confusing

interfaces, or unclear messaging. A redesign could help these companies present their
products in a more user-friendly and appealing way.
 Example sites:
o Salesforce or Dropbox (more streamlined, clearer value propositions)
o Basecamp or Trello (simplifying their product pages for ease of navigation)
12. Travel and Tourism Websites

 Travel booking websites or tourism information sites often have information overload,
poor visuals, and confusing navigation. A redesign could make the booking process much
smoother and improve overall aesthetics.
 Example sites:
o Expedia or Airbnb (improve user flow, especially on mobile)
o Tourism boards or destination pages (creating an immersive, engaging
experience)

13. Corporate Websites

 Large corporations tend to have websites that feel corporate, outdated, or overly complex.
Simplifying them and improving the visual design could elevate the company’s online
presence.
 Example sites:
o IBM or General Electric (simplifying their pages and improving interactivity)
o Automotive companies' websites (many car brands have dated websites that can
be refreshed)

Tips for Redesigning Websites:

 Focus on User Experience (UX): Ensure that the redesign enhances usability by
improving navigation, readability, and accessibility.
 Make It Mobile-First: Most web traffic comes from mobile devices, so your designs
should prioritize mobile users.
 Improve Performance: Redesign for faster loading times by optimizing images,
reducing unnecessary elements, and improving overall speed.
 Follow Best Practices: Stay up-to-date with modern design principles like minimalism,
clean layouts, and user-centric design.

Do you have any websites in mind that you’d like to tackle, or are you looking for more specific
suggestions based on industry or typ