Class/Client

Intro to UI/UX

Design Tools

Figma, Photoshop

Awards

Gold ADDY, Graphis New Talent Award 2026

Ballon d'Or - Concept Website

Laptop and phone mockup on a gold background displaying a webpage of the Ballon d'Or ceremony
Project Overview

Project Overview

The Ballon d’Or website redesign was an individual half-semester project completed for my UI/UX course. The brief challenged me to reimagine how fans explore the history, records, and legacy of football’s most prestigious individual award through a modern, immersive digital experience.

Over the span of several weeks, I took the project from initial ideation and early concept sketches all the way to a polished, high-fidelity prototype. The goal was to transform a traditionally text-heavy subject into an engaging, narrative-driven interface that honors the award's heritage while feeling contemporary and intuitive for users.

Research

Research

My research focused on understanding how major sports organizations and media outlets present statistics, records, and award histories. I analyzed platforms like FIFA, UEFA, ESPN, and the NBA to study how they balance storytelling with data visualization. Another aspect of my research was developing user personas which helped me shape the way people would interact with such a site. Using these insights, I mapped out a clear information architecture that grouped content into four core areas: Articles, History, Records, Rankings, and a few others which helped me populate the home page. This structure ensures users can explore the Ballon d’Or's legacy in a logical, narrative-driven flow without becoming overwhelmed.

Blue logo lockups for a Mykonos Hotel named Aletheia
Wireframing

Wireframing

The wireframing phase focused on establishing a layout that supported both readability and visual drama. I developed low-fidelity wireframes to experiment with hierarchy, inline data visualizations, scroll-based storytelling, and interaction patterns. This iterative process helped me refine how users navigate long-form content while staying immersed in the experience.

Blue logo lockups for a Mykonos Hotel named Aletheia
UI Design

UI Design

The visual direction draws inspiration from the prestige of the Ballon d’Or trophy - metallic accents, deep blacks, and an elevated editorial aesthetic. After weeks of different passes and versions, I built a minimal but bold interface system that combines strong typographic hierarchy and consistent spacing. Data-heavy sections were designed with clarity and modernity in mind, using infographics and stat blocks to turn raw numbers into compelling visuals. Each page was crafted to feel immersive and atmospheric, bringing together football history, emotional storytelling, and refined interaction design. This process was carried out for both web and mobile versions.

Phone on a stand featuring a landing page for a Ballon d'Or website
Macbook showing the landing page for a Ballon d'Or website with Rodri
Interactive Prototyping

Interactive Prototyping

To bring the full experience to life, I built a high-fidelity prototype that allows users to explore different sections, interact with the navigation, and engage with various components on the site. This prototype demonstrates how the visual system and animations create a cohesive and premium experience.

Orange hot sauce for a Swazi hot sauce brand named Shisa
Green hot sauce for a Swazi hot sauce brand named Shisa
Red hot sauce for a Swazi hot sauce brand named Shisa
Yellow hot sauce for a Swazi hot sauce brand named Shisa

Umlilo

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Umlilo means “fire” in siSwati, and this mild sauce captures the essence of a gentle flicker of heat. Bright citrus and fresh herbs create a lively, approachable flavor that’s perfect for everyday meals. Inspired by the warmth and vibrancy of Swazi kitchens, Umlilo introduces heat in a way that’s fun, flavorful, and inviting.

Umlilo

--------------------------------------——-

Umlilo means “fire” in siSwati, and this mild sauce captures the essence of a gentle flicker of heat. Bright citrus and fresh herbs create a lively, approachable flavor that’s perfect for everyday meals. Inspired by the warmth and vibrancy of Swazi kitchens, Umlilo introduces heat in a way that’s fun, flavorful, and inviting.

Gijima

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Gijima, meaning “run” in siSwati, delivers bold heat that hits fast and keeps your taste buds moving. With lively chili notes and rich flavor, it reflects the energy, rhythm, and adventurous spirit of Swazi life. Gijima is the sauce for those who want flavor with momentum — turning up the taste in every bite.

Gijima

--------------------------------------——-

Gijima, meaning “run” in siSwati, delivers bold heat that hits fast and keeps your taste buds moving. With lively chili notes and rich flavor, it reflects the energy, rhythm, and adventurous spirit of Swazi life. Gijima is the sauce for those who want flavor with momentum — turning up the taste in every bite.

Juluka

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Juluka, meaning “sweat” in siSwati, is the ultimate test of heat tolerance. Blistering chili heat delivers an intense, no-mercy burn for fearless spice lovers. A tribute to Eswatini’s fiery culinary heritage, Juluka is bold, daring, and unforgettable — perfect for those who embrace the thrill of true fire on their plate.

Juluka

--------------------------------------——-

Juluka, meaning “sweat” in siSwati, is the ultimate test of heat tolerance. Blistering chili heat delivers an intense, no-mercy burn for fearless spice lovers. A tribute to Eswatini’s fiery culinary heritage, Juluka is bold, daring, and unforgettable — perfect for those who embrace the thrill of true fire on their plate.

Jabula

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Jabula means “happy” in siSwati, and this sweet and spicy mango sauce embodies joy with a kick. Juicy green mango meets playful jalapeño heat, creating a balance of sweetness and fire. Inspired by Eswatini’s vibrant flavors, Jabula brings happiness, bold flavor, and a little mischief to every dish.

Jabula

--------------------------------------——-

Jabula means “happy” in siSwati, and this sweet and spicy mango sauce embodies joy with a kick. Juicy green mango meets playful jalapeño heat, creating a balance of sweetness and fire. Inspired by Eswatini’s vibrant flavors, Jabula brings happiness, bold flavor, and a little mischief to every dish.

Orange hot sauce for a Swazi hot sauce brand named Shisa
Green hot sauce for a Swazi hot sauce brand named Shisa
Red hot sauce for a Swazi hot sauce brand named Shisa
Yellow hot sauce for a Swazi hot sauce brand named Shisa

Umlilo

“Fire” in siSwati

Reflection

Reflection

This project strengthened my ability to organize large amounts of content and transform it into a compelling user experience. I learned how to balance editorial storytelling with functional UI design, and how to apply systematic thinking to a complex, data-heavy subject. If I were to continue the project and develop it further, I would explore motion design to elevate transitions further, more interactive prototyping, and develop multilingual versions to reflect the Ballon d’Or’s global audience. If you enjoyed this project and seeing the work done to carry it out, feel free to interact with some of the features and try it out for yourself by clicking the button below.