Voices of Mahomet
Voices of Mahomet is a strategic placemaking initiative created for the Mahomet Chamber of Commerce (MACC), designed to amplify community identity through storytelling, digital presence, and civic activation. Built through a human-centered design approach, the project addresses how small towns like Mahomet is facing rapid growth and cultural shifts. MACC wanted to preserve their roots while inviting new engagement. As Web Experience Lead, I led the creation of an interactive, future-ready ecosystem and phase-wise information architecture to serve as the community’s digital hub.
Client
Mahomet Area Chamber of Commerce (MACC)
Timeline
JUN 2025 - AUG 2025
Skills & Methods
UX Research
Web UX Strategy
Comprehensive UX Audit
Stakeholder Management
Creative Workshop Facilitation
Information Architecture
Business Model Canvas
Value Proposition Canvas
Blue Ocean Strategy
Pains, Gains, Jobs to be Done Method
Brand Development
UX Management
Team
Prathamesh Patil (Web Experience Lead) + 16 SCAD Students + Prof. John Storey
PROBLEM
Mahomet, Illinois is a small Midwestern town undergoing significant transformation. With new residents arriving and the local economy evolving, MACC recognized a growing need to preserve the town’s identity while strengthening community connections. The challenge was to:
Capture authentic voices from local business owners across the town.
Build trust and inclusivity between old and new residents along with visitors.
Design a scalable digital eco-system that connects Mahomet’s people, local businesses, history, and values.
SOLUTION
Our solution focused on three main pillars: web experience, branding, and social media. Each track was developed to support long-term growth while keeping the community’s voice at the center.
The web experience strategy was built on a phased roadmap. I led the design of an information architecture that MACC could implement gradually over several years. This gave them a sustainable way to scale their digital presence without overwhelming resources. Alongside that, we delivered a comprehensive user experience audit that broke down what different stakeholder groups, including local businesses, residents, and visitors actually needed from the website. We identified where the current experience was falling short and where targeted improvements would have the most impact.
The branding team reimagined Mahomet’s identity to reflect both its heritage and future direction. This included a new logo, updated brand guidelines, and refined messaging that better captured the spirit of the town. The new identity system was designed to be flexible and authentic, helping MACC connect more meaningfully with both longtime residents and new arrivals.
The social media team provided MACC with content planning toolkits and communication frameworks to help them grow their outreach in a consistent and engaging way. These resources allowed MACC’s internal staff to manage campaigns with minimal effort while ensuring their voice stayed true and relevant across platforms.
VALUE DELIVERED
Delivered a fully prototyped digital experience showcasing local stories, with UX structure designed for long-term CMS adaptability
Empowered MACC to carry forward a scalable, community-driven identity model
Strengthened stakeholder relationships through participatory design
The project is being positioned as a model framework for other small-town chambers navigating identity during growth
APPROACH
We followed a structured and collaborative process to build trust and co-create value with the client and community:
• Began with a discovery meeting to understand the client’s goals, current challenges, and expectations
• Conducted interviews with both internal stakeholders and external community voices, including residents and local business owners
• Held a brand diagnostic workshop to assess the current perception and performance of MACC’s brand and communication strategies
• Entered a strategizing phase to translate research insights into clear opportunity areas and project priorities
• Facilitated an ideation and co-creation workshop where we collaborated with the client to shape and refine our proposed solutions
• Delivered a complete set of final assets, including web structure mockups, brand identity toolkits, social frameworks, and an implementation roadmap tailored to MACC’s ongoing capacity
SUMMARY
Voices of Mahomet is more than a branding project, it’s a living system of trust and community identity. By grounding the project in real voices and participatory co-creation, we helped Mahomet honor its past while preparing for its future. This project exemplifies how creative facilitation and web experience strategy can come together to solve civic, cultural, and emotional challenges at scale.
Voices of Mahomet
Voices of Mahomet is a strategic placemaking initiative created for the Mahomet Chamber of Commerce (MACC), designed to amplify community identity through storytelling, digital presence, and civic activation. Built through a human-centered design approach, the project addresses how small towns like Mahomet is facing rapid growth and cultural shifts. MACC wanted to preserve their roots while inviting new engagement. As Web Experience Lead, I led the creation of an interactive, future-ready ecosystem and phase-wise information architecture to serve as the community’s digital hub.
Client
Mahomet Area Chamber of Commerce (MACC)
Timeline
JUN 2025 - AUG 2025
Skills & Methods
UX Research
Web UX Strategy
Comprehensive UX Audit
Stakeholder Management
Creative Workshop Facilitation
Information Architecture
Business Model Canvas
Value Proposition Canvas
Blue Ocean Strategy
Pains, Gains, Jobs to be Done Method
Brand Development
UX Management
Team
Prathamesh Patil (Web Experience Lead) + 16 SCAD Students + Prof. John Storey
PROBLEM
Mahomet, Illinois is a small Midwestern town undergoing significant transformation. With new residents arriving and the local economy evolving, MACC recognized a growing need to preserve the town’s identity while strengthening community connections. The challenge was to:
Capture authentic voices from local business owners across the town.
Build trust and inclusivity between old and new residents along with visitors.
Design a scalable digital eco-system that connects Mahomet’s people, local businesses, history, and values.
SOLUTION
Our solution focused on three main pillars: web experience, branding, and social media. Each track was developed to support long-term growth while keeping the community’s voice at the center.
The web experience strategy was built on a phased roadmap. I led the design of an information architecture that MACC could implement gradually over several years. This gave them a sustainable way to scale their digital presence without overwhelming resources. Alongside that, we delivered a comprehensive user experience audit that broke down what different stakeholder groups, including local businesses, residents, and visitors actually needed from the website. We identified where the current experience was falling short and where targeted improvements would have the most impact.
The branding team reimagined Mahomet’s identity to reflect both its heritage and future direction. This included a new logo, updated brand guidelines, and refined messaging that better captured the spirit of the town. The new identity system was designed to be flexible and authentic, helping MACC connect more meaningfully with both longtime residents and new arrivals.
The social media team provided MACC with content planning toolkits and communication frameworks to help them grow their outreach in a consistent and engaging way. These resources allowed MACC’s internal staff to manage campaigns with minimal effort while ensuring their voice stayed true and relevant across platforms.
VALUE DELIVERED
Delivered a fully prototyped digital experience showcasing local stories, with UX structure designed for long-term CMS adaptability
Empowered MACC to carry forward a scalable, community-driven identity model
Strengthened stakeholder relationships through participatory design
The project is being positioned as a model framework for other small-town chambers navigating identity during growth
APPROACH
We followed a structured and collaborative process to build trust and co-create value with the client and community:
• Began with a discovery meeting to understand the client’s goals, current challenges, and expectations
• Conducted interviews with both internal stakeholders and external community voices, including residents and local business owners
• Held a brand diagnostic workshop to assess the current perception and performance of MACC’s brand and communication strategies
• Entered a strategizing phase to translate research insights into clear opportunity areas and project priorities
• Facilitated an ideation and co-creation workshop where we collaborated with the client to shape and refine our proposed solutions
• Delivered a complete set of final assets, including web structure mockups, brand identity toolkits, social frameworks, and an implementation roadmap tailored to MACC’s ongoing capacity
SUMMARY
Voices of Mahomet is more than a branding project, it’s a living system of trust and community identity. By grounding the project in real voices and participatory co-creation, we helped Mahomet honor its past while preparing for its future. This project exemplifies how creative facilitation and web experience strategy can come together to solve civic, cultural, and emotional challenges at scale.
Voices of Mahomet
Voices of Mahomet is a strategic placemaking initiative created for the Mahomet Chamber of Commerce (MACC), designed to amplify community identity through storytelling, digital presence, and civic activation. Built through a human-centered design approach, the project addresses how small towns like Mahomet is facing rapid growth and cultural shifts. MACC wanted to preserve their roots while inviting new engagement. As Web Experience Lead, I led the creation of an interactive, future-ready ecosystem and phase-wise information architecture to serve as the community’s digital hub.
Client
Mahomet Area Chamber of Commerce (MACC)
Timeline
JUN 2025 - AUG 2025
Skills & Methods
UX Research
Web UX Strategy
Comprehensive UX Audit
Stakeholder Management
Creative Workshop Facilitation
Information Architecture
Business Model Canvas
Value Proposition Canvas
Blue Ocean Strategy
Pains, Gains, Jobs to be Done Method
Brand Development
UX Management
Team
Prathamesh Patil (Web Experience Lead) + 16 SCAD Students + Prof. John Storey
PROBLEM
Mahomet, Illinois is a small Midwestern town undergoing significant transformation. With new residents arriving and the local economy evolving, MACC recognized a growing need to preserve the town’s identity while strengthening community connections. The challenge was to:
Capture authentic voices from local business owners across the town.
Build trust and inclusivity between old and new residents along with visitors.
Design a scalable digital eco-system that connects Mahomet’s people, local businesses, history, and values.
SOLUTION
Our solution focused on three main pillars: web experience, branding, and social media. Each track was developed to support long-term growth while keeping the community’s voice at the center.
The web experience strategy was built on a phased roadmap. I led the design of an information architecture that MACC could implement gradually over several years. This gave them a sustainable way to scale their digital presence without overwhelming resources. Alongside that, we delivered a comprehensive user experience audit that broke down what different stakeholder groups, including local businesses, residents, and visitors actually needed from the website. We identified where the current experience was falling short and where targeted improvements would have the most impact.
The branding team reimagined Mahomet’s identity to reflect both its heritage and future direction. This included a new logo, updated brand guidelines, and refined messaging that better captured the spirit of the town. The new identity system was designed to be flexible and authentic, helping MACC connect more meaningfully with both longtime residents and new arrivals.
The social media team provided MACC with content planning toolkits and communication frameworks to help them grow their outreach in a consistent and engaging way. These resources allowed MACC’s internal staff to manage campaigns with minimal effort while ensuring their voice stayed true and relevant across platforms.
VALUE DELIVERED
Delivered a fully prototyped digital experience showcasing local stories, with UX structure designed for long-term CMS adaptability
Empowered MACC to carry forward a scalable, community-driven identity model
Strengthened stakeholder relationships through participatory design
The project is being positioned as a model framework for other small-town chambers navigating identity during growth
APPROACH
We followed a structured and collaborative process to build trust and co-create value with the client and community:
• Began with a discovery meeting to understand the client’s goals, current challenges, and expectations
• Conducted interviews with both internal stakeholders and external community voices, including residents and local business owners
• Held a brand diagnostic workshop to assess the current perception and performance of MACC’s brand and communication strategies
• Entered a strategizing phase to translate research insights into clear opportunity areas and project priorities
• Facilitated an ideation and co-creation workshop where we collaborated with the client to shape and refine our proposed solutions
• Delivered a complete set of final assets, including web structure mockups, brand identity toolkits, social frameworks, and an implementation roadmap tailored to MACC’s ongoing capacity
SUMMARY
Voices of Mahomet is more than a branding project, it’s a living system of trust and community identity. By grounding the project in real voices and participatory co-creation, we helped Mahomet honor its past while preparing for its future. This project exemplifies how creative facilitation and web experience strategy can come together to solve civic, cultural, and emotional challenges at scale.