A trusted baby swim brand reborn through clear UX and joyful design

The Challenge

Water Babies had outgrown its old website. Despite being a respected and beloved brand, its digital experience was dated and confusing.
Parents struggled to find local classes, often faced unclear pricing, duplicate booking steps, and hidden commitments that caused frustration at checkout.

The lack of instructor profiles, real photography, and verified credentials made the brand appear less trustworthy than its real-world reputation. The challenge was to restore that credibility, while also streamlining the journey for busy parents booking lessons online — across more than 600 pools and 50+ franchises.

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My Approach

I began with a deep UX analysis to uncover pain points, behavioural patterns, and conversion barriers. Combining analytics, heatmaps, and customer feedback, we identified where users were dropping off and what information they needed to feel confident.

Using these insights, I led the UX redesign and wireframing of the new booking flow, from homepage to checkout. My focus was on simplicity, trust, and emotional clarity.

Key actions and deliverables:

• Competitor and market analysis – Reviewed major UK and US swim schools to identify trends, UX gaps, and opportunities for Water Babies to stand out as a premium yet approachable brand.
• Funnel mapping – Analysed the entire user journey, from awareness to booking confirmation, to highlight friction points such as hidden costs and unclear commitments, and redesign a more transparent, streamlined flow.
• Persona development – Created detailed personas representing different parent motivations (new parents, returners, gift buyers) to shape tone of voice, reassurance content, and booking pathways.
• Positioning Water Babies in the market – Defined how to visually and verbally communicate the brand’s expertise, warmth, and scientific credibility while keeping the experience joyful and accessible.
• Information architecture – Rebuilt the site structure to prioritise location, age, and availability — the three key decision drivers in the booking process.
• Wireframes and flows – Produced detailed wireframes for search, location results, pool pages, and checkout, ensuring consistency and ease of navigation across the full user journey.
• Visual design – Refreshed the brand palette for stronger contrast and legibility while retaining Water Babies’ playful identity.
• Trust layering – Introduced authentic imagery, customer reviews, instructor bios, and certifications to reassure users at every stage.
• Accessibility and scalability – Achieved WCAG AA compliance with improved typography, colour contrast, and modular design components for franchise flexibility.
• Prototyping and handover – Built high-fidelity prototypes and collaborated with developers to ensure seamless integration with the external ADA booking platform.

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The Result

The new Water Babies website delivers a transparent, reassuring, and mobile-first experience that brings the brand’s care and credibility to life.
Parents can now find and book lessons faster, compare locations, and clearly understand costs and commitments.

Within just a few months of launch, the site achieved:

• 46,000+ new enquiries recorded through the booking system
• Dramatic reduction in drop-offs during checkout
• Stronger trust signals, improved accessibility, and consistent brand storytelling across every page

The redesign turned Water Babies’ digital presence into a reflection of their real-world warmth and professionalism — a seamless, emotional, and trustworthy experience for every parent.