Opensoft Systems Ltd. is a specialist in industrial plants automation systems based in United Kingdom. Their solutions range from adapted training, troubleshooting expertise & systems advice through to fully integrated Manufacturing Execution Systems.
I was responsible for the redesign of the company website in an attempt to increase sales. My goal was to apply User Centred Design methodology to create of a website that is intuitive and easy to use on desktops, tablets and mobiles.
I had to work against a culture that needed updating and used workshops as a way to break down barriers between stakeholders and learn deeply about the company’s customer base to develop requirements that can be digested better by the business and help me create a UX strategy for the company to implement. The result was a massive learning experience for myself and I left my mark on an organisation giving them the modern tools to approach new and existing solutions.
Opensoft Systems Ltd. is a specialist in solutions range from adapted training, troubleshooting expertise & systems advice through to fully integrated Manufacturing Execution Systems. Among others in the repertoire of their clients can be found Jaguar – Land Rover, Alcoa and Heinz.
I was responsible for the redesign of the company website in an attempt to increase sales. My goal was to apply User Centred Design methodology to the creation of a website that is intuitive and easy to use on desktops, tablets and mobiles.
I started with extensive research of competitors and their websites. My particular focus was the tools used to sell services and products in this specific technical industry. I tried to figure out which of the elements were the most common and or unique. Performing an audit of competing websites was only a part of the process but it yielded valuable insights. This research was then combined with the client’s existing repository of content, which I had reviewed and catalogued. I organised a workshop with the stakeholders to explore my findings.
The best way to learn about a technical client is to kick the project off with a stakeholder’s workshop. The workshop at the Opensoft Systems office helped with: Business objectives, Content needs, Personas and the Target audience. In the projects infancy organising a workshop helped everybody to harmonise and helped the client understand the scope of the project. This collaborative process with the client is vital in helping to understand their goals, issues and what their project needs. Not only does the workshop help with generating website ideas it helps me understand what the business is about, what are its products and services, the business goals and how the client differs from their competitors.
During the workshops, I divided the stakeholders into four groups to identify the four key Personas. Each group described the typical users of their website and their user’s needs. Every Persona included their name, occupation, age, marital status, needs & goals, motivation, typical quotes and a caricature drawing of their Persona.
I constructed typical scenarios for all the Personas, using sketches depicting how, where and why they accessed the website. This exercise helped me realise that two of the Personas were using the website in a limited way.
I focused on the user flows after defining what parts of the website the Personas were using. I then defined how the Personas interact with the website, when they were most likely to visit it and what information they were looking for. It was important to simplify the content and allow users to find what they needed quicker with less searching.
The challenge then was set for me to find a way to help the Personas find their target information and entice them to explore other parts of the website. My wireframe sketches needed to feature essential parts of the old website so therefore I needed to house these elements and combine marketing, sales and information. It needed to feature less text and be more direct with the users. The old website featured a complicated ordering system for training products. We tested an automated service but found that clients preferred direct contact via phone. My goal was to display these services in a simple, understandable way and then direct the user to our sales team. We made this choice because the complexity of the training products require a personal contact so that clients can have their product tailored to their needs. After the approval of the wireframing, I was asked to create a first visual draft of the main page.
The next step was to create an interactive prototype in Axure that would allow a better perspective of the project. The prototype was done with current branding elements and with the first visual draft of the main page, which allowed the client to better understand what will look the final execution.
The main reason I was chosen for this project was my 12 years of experience in visual communication as a graphic design. This project required both a visual redesign and the application of user experience practice. The visual design enforced all the decisions made during the designing of user experience. I adapted the colour scheme from the logo and used it throughout the website, as the client was specific on using this scheme.
