Web Design
Case Study
9to5 Seating
Prior to 2016, 9to5 Seating expanded its workforce, global footprint, and product offerings while increasing revenue at a double digit YOY pace. However, the website maintained its design aesthetics and information architecture without major modifications, modern design implementations, or responsive design techniques.
Categories
Web Design
eCommerce
Duration
~12 months
Role
Project Manager
Prototype Engineer
UI/UX Designer
Information Architect
Web Content Specialist
Marketing Strategist
Creative Brief
A website of this size is an enormous undertaking with lots of content, metadata, images, digital assets, and connected pages.
Business Requirements
Build a scalable website to serve as a complete resource for external B2B dealers, partners and representatives.
Audience
Analysis determined that 90% of users are on desktop but anticipated that we could greatly increase mobile traffic with a responsive design.
Future Growth
Website should be built to scale into eCommerce.
*Pre-COVID and work from home or hybrid workplace models.
Challenges
Limited resources and a small team that included a Graphic Designer, 3D Artist, part-time Photographer, and myself as the project lead and Creative Director.
Web Development
An outside vendor was hired to handle web development which required weekly collaboration in different time zones.
- Team had never built a similar site
- Unfamiliar with modern CMS and scalability
- Communication through Project Manager(s) to developers inconsistent
Brand Perception
- Difficulty competing with high-end and industry leaders
- Company reputation was linked to cheap products or lower prices
Visual Design
- Brand and messaging was inconsistent
- Dated design compared to competition
- Photo/media gallery doesn’t meet user expectations
Content Strategy
- List pricing non-existent on current website
- Taxonomy and classification not user-centered
- CMS data structure/modeling contributes to data redundancy – prone to errors
Information Architecture
- Non-responsive website
- URL structure using parameters
- Lacks location indicators and wayfinding
Research
Wireframes
Scalable templates
Responsive design
Modular architecture
Flowcharts & Metadata
Prototypes & Concepts
Chair Designer
I was also responsible for helping identify a platform for the next iteration of the Chair Designer.
I worked closely with the vendor to vett the capabilities to determine customization and scalability for future product growth.
I simultaneously managed the website redesign project while also overseeing the build out of Chair Designer 2.0.