Tiantian Zhang
Nextgen Interarts Foundation
from 0 - 1 : launching NIF’s first digital presence
overview
NextGen InterArts Foundation is a nonprofit that focuses on cross-disciplinary thinking for youth art education. In a system where art is often treated as a siloed subject, NIF encourages students to integrate their diverse passions: science, literature, and film into their creative work.
I led the product design and development of NIF’s digital platform from 0–1. This included establishing a distinct brand identity, identifying site structure to build a responsive website, and implementing back-end systems using no-code tools to ensure scalability on a lean budget.
Role
Market Research
Wireframing
Information Architecture
UI Design
Web Development
No-Code Automation
Status
Launched May 2025 - Now
Go to site ->
Team
Completed in collaboration with NIF leadership and board members. My contributions are detailed below.
🛠️ Backend workflows and system logic are not shown due to confidentiality. I’m happy to discuss high-level concepts in conversation.
Problem scope: starting at 0
What would it look like?
HMW translate NIF’s mission and values into a visual language that feels inviting, trustworthy, and distinctly its own?
What to Prioritize
HMW define and prioritize core programs (XC Creatie Art Contest) and functions under tight timelines, so they are clearly structured, easy to understand, and aligned across the organization’s digital presence?
Automation & System Design
HMW design a reliable, scalable submission and review workflow for a student art contest, anticipating a high volume of entries, under tight resource constraints?
Specific implementation details are not shown.
Accessiblity
WCAG-aligned color contrast and typography choices
Clear hierarchy for youth and multilingual audiences
Simplified submission language and instructions
Collaboration with cultural council officers to ensure clarity and inclusivity
Constraint
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Lean budget (no dedicated research team)
-
Rapid launch timeline
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Limited operational bandwidth
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Prioritized core flows over feature expansion
decision Solution
Design Branding
I created NIF’s visual identity, defining core elements such as typography, color palette, and logo-based patterns. The system establishes a bold, kaleidoscopic look that engages students while maintaining credibility with parents and sponsors.
Neo - Education
Boundary - Breaking
Heading
Montserrat Bold
Body
Nunito Sans Light
I choose both san-serif fonts as the fonts because it's professional and eay to read for users.
Key Screens
Homepage
Designed as a clear entry point with launch priorities in mind. The XC Creative Art Contest was NIF’s core program, so it’s intentionally surfaced immediately after the main section, while editorial and partnership content is introduced progressively.
Program 01 page
Designed as a clear entry point with launch priorities in mind. The XC Creative Art Contest was NIF’s core program, so it’s intentionally surfaced immediately after the main section, while editorial and partnership content is introduced progressively.
Program 02
Designed as a clear entry point with launch priorities in mind. The XC Creative Art Contest was NIF’s core program, so it’s intentionally surfaced immediately after the main section, while editorial and partnership content is introduced progressively.
Phase 1: Front-End Setup
Build a smooth, user-friendly website interface that links seamlessly to the submission form.
Phase 2: Form & Data Collection
Find a form platform with strong conditional logic that adapts to different submission categories and artwork quantities (1–3), ensuring no empty or irrelevant fields appear, and automatically sorts uploads into category-specific folders.
Phase 3: Judge Presentation & Evaluation
Organize all student submissions (images, videos, PDFs) into a clear, accessible format where preliminary judges can mark “yes” or “no,” generating a refined selection pool; final judges then evaluate this pool in tiers to assign bronze, silver, and gold awards.
PHase 1 Research: form
Platform
Wix Form
Pro
✅ already have pro version
✅ automation to Google Suite, including google drive and google sheet.
Con
❌ all uploaded documents are hyperlinks, requiring download to view contents.
❌ original file names overwritten
Verdict
❌
Google Form
✅ free
✅ automation to Google Drive
❌ to upload files, must have google account
❌ limited conditioning set up
❌
Jotform
✅ strong conditioning feature
✅ automation to multiple platforms
❌ monthly payment
✅
PHase 2 Research: Data organization & presentation
Platform
Google Sheet
Pro
✅ Free
✅ Easy for judges to edit, use column checks
Con
❌ judges need to click & download files to view
❌ though there's hide columns section, judges could still see
Verdict
❌
PDF Booklet
✅ free
✅ presents most information in one, could omit specific informations
❌ not much automation, if submission over 1000, it's a lot of manual labor
❌ hard for judges to select artworks.
❌
Airtable
✅ strong conditioning feature
✅ automation to multiple platforms
❌ monthly payment
✅
95%+
reduction in projected development costs by automating workflows with no-code tools for submissions, scheduling, and data collection.
4,200
Our flagship program: XC Creative Art Contest had 4,200 submissions from multiple U.S states and from 5 differnt countries. I oversaw the process from interface to back-end system automation.
36
U.S. states reached and 200+ monthly visitors attracted through the cross-platform website I designed and launched for a national arts foundation.
impact
What I learned
In this role, I wore multiple hats with a single goal in mind: getting the platform ready for launch. The first phase focused on understanding the foundation’s positioning and narrowing down the programs to prioritize. Much of this work happened behind the scenes, combining product design with strategic planning to shape how each program would function and be presented.
The second phase shifted into implementation by designing and building the system automation that would allow the programs to run smoothly at scale. This involved extensive research into available tools, including AI based solutions, and thoughtfully connecting them into a reliable, cohesive workflow.
Through this process, I learned to work with agility. I prioritized what mattered most, adapted quickly, and thought holistically about how each piece fit together. Rather than designing in isolation, I focused on assembling the full puzzle from strategy through execution.
Poster Design
3D Animation of Contest Logo
