Website Redesign
Project Overview
In this project, I worked as part of the UX design team to lead the redesign of our company website. Working closely with marketing, Senior Web Developer, and leadership, we identified several challenges that impacted the user experience and tackled them head-on to create a better, more intuitive platform for our audience.
Purpose of the Website Redesign
The main goal of the website redesign was to address user pain points, refresh our brand’s digital presence, and implement cost-effective solutions that aligned with business objectives. This project aimed to improve navigation, streamline communication, and enhance the overall experience for our website users.
My Role
As a ux designer and front-end developer, I collaborated with the marketing team on user research, worked with IT on development, and contributed to strategic decisions with leadership. My dual role allowed me to approach the project holistically, ensuring that design and functionality were aligned.
Define Problems & User Needs
Problem Identification and Research: At the outset of the project, I led efforts to identify and address several critical challenges that our client and the HRS team were facing:
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Understanding Our Users: We realized that the website content didn’t fully resonate with our audience, and the navigation was confusing. To fix this, the marketing team and I conducted user research, analyzed data, and developed user personas that guided the design process.
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Outdated Design and Brand Disconnect: Our website looked outdated and didn’t reflect our brand’s evolution. Users struggled with navigation, and the visual elements didn’t engage them. After a website audit, the marketing team and I identified key areas for improvement. We updated the brand visuals with modern design elements that were more user-friendly, such as clear fonts and intuitive layouts.
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Cost-Effective Implementation: We needed to redesign the website while keeping costs low. After exploring different options, we decided to use Bootstrap templates, which allowed us to create a customized, responsive design within budget. I worked with IT to implement these templates, ensuring the website functioned seamlessly across all devices.​
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The Solution
To solve these challenges, we took a user-first approach:
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a. User Research and Personas: Conducted in-depth research and created personas to ensure that the design was tailored to user needs.
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b. Modern Design Updates: Refreshed the brand’s visual identity with clean, modern design elements to create a more engaging and functional user experience.
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c. Bootstrap Integration: Implemented Bootstrap templates to keep costs low while delivering a responsive, customizable design.
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Solving Problems Through Collaboration
Throughout the project, collaboration was key. Together with marketing team, we aligned the content strategy with user needs. With Senior Web Developer,, we ensured smooth technical implementation, and with leadership, we made sure that our redesign met both user expectations and business goals. The result was a user-centered website that not only improved engagement but also enhanced the overall user experience.​​​​
Timeline & Tasks
HG website redesign project followed a structured timeline:
4 Weeks
Month 1: Research & Planning
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Conducted user research and interviews.
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Created user personas based on research findings.
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Performed a full website audit and identified problem areas.
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Collaborated with the marketing team to align content strategy with user needs.
Information Architecture
The website uses a mixed hierarchy that blends functional and content-based structures. The functional hierarchy organizes content by the company’s core services, such as Consulting, Custom Research, and Reports, clearly showcasing what the business offers to clients. Meanwhile, the content-based hierarchy focuses on insights and research, categorizing information into sections like "Reports" and "Insights," with subcategories that allow users to dive deeper into more specific content. This structure helps users navigate the site based on their needs, whether they’re
seeking service information or in-depth research.
Development
The development phase of the HG Website Redesign was a key part of the project, where design and technical implementation came together to create a seamless and user-friendly website. We used frameworks like Bootstrap and CSS to build a responsive design that worked well across all devices. As the front-end developer, I was responsible for coding the interface, using HTML and CSS to bring the design to life. My dual role as both designer and developer allowed me to ensure the website not only looked good but was also easy to use and implement. Through continuous collaboration with the marketing and Senior Web Developer, we were able to address all user pain points and deliver a modern, intuitive platform that aligned with the company’s goals and enhanced the user experience.
UI Guidelines & Modules
As the website redesign moved forward, we realized the need for consistent design elements to simplify development and keep the website's look unified. I led the creation of reusable design guidelines and components, making the website easier to update and adapt in the future. This ensured a consistent design and made the development process smoother while improving the user experience.
