Stacey Kam | Project | Blue Elephant Productions

Blue Elephant Productions, our esteemed client, is an agile digital marketing agency that specializes in serving small businesses, entrepreneurs, and non-profit organizations. Despite their impressive track record, their website has remained unchanged for over six years. They were seeking to update their website to showcase their extensive portfolio of work and effectively convey their brand identity. The project at hand involved a complete redesign of the website, starting with a thorough understanding of the target audience's needs and culminating in the creation of a functional prototype.

Type Website Redesign

Tools

Hand Sketch

Apple Notes

Miro

Figma

Google Sheets

Google Doc

Skills

Leadership

Team Collaboration

Project Management

Content Planning

Design Thinking

UX Research

Wireframing and Prototyping

Presentation

Project Planning

Project Charter

Following the kick-off meeting with Blue Elephant Productions, we collaboratively created a project charter to align with our client's requirements and expectations. The project charter encompassed essential information, including project scope, timeline, goals, and deliverables. By obtaining approval of the project charter, the entire team achieved clarity and consensus regarding the project's purpose and objectives. This approval process ensured that all stakeholders had a shared understanding of the project's goals, scope, and expectations. The project charter served as a guiding document, facilitating effective communication and enabling the team to work towards a common goal.

Timeline

Project Timeline for Our Team

It was the first time our team collaborated and we were assigned different tasks simultaneously. To ensure efficient tracking and alignment among team members, I took the initiative to create a project timeline. Breaking down the project into various phases, the timeline provided a clear overview of the different stages and their respective deadlines. This timeline specifically pertained to the project with Blue Elephant Productions.

Research and Analysis

Our process involved conducting thorough user research with Blue Elephant Productions' existing clients, performing a comprehensive competitor analysis, and conducting a content audit of their current website. Through user interviews, we gained valuable insights into the common needs and goals of their target audience.

Additionally, we identified areas for improvement as well as the strengths and weaknesses of both their current website and their competitors' websites. This research phase provided us with valuable data to inform our strategy and ensure that the redesigned website would effectively meet user needs while leveraging successful elements from both the current website and competitors.

User Research

User Interviews

With the assistance of our client, we were able to establish connections with their clients, leading to valuable user interviews. These interviews encompassed individuals from various industries, allowing us to gain comprehensive insights into the diverse user needs. By conducting user interviews across different sectors, we were able to develop a well-rounded understanding of the target audience's requirements and preferences.

Key Findings

Common Needs

- Adapt to new changes in the post-COVID era.
- Require an agency that offers website solutions, including references and templates, and can handle social media platforms.
- Assistance with marketing efforts, such as email marketing, to allow the client to focus on their core business.
- Limited marketing knowledge and seeking support from experienced marketing professionals.

Common Goals

- Create a compelling social media presence with high-quality content.
- Develop a successful website that aligns with the client's objectives.
- Expand and grow their businesses.Increase audience reach and engagement.
- Ensure regular updates of the website and social media platforms with the latest information.

Analysis
(Current State Analysis, Content Audit, Competitive Analysis)

We conducted a current state analysis, content audit, and competitive analysis to gain a comprehensive understanding of Blue Elephant Productions' website, identify potential challenges and opportunities, and align with industry trends, ensuring the website's effectiveness and relevance in the digital marketing landscape.

Current State Analysis on Blue Elephant Productions' Website

We assessed the overall user experience of the existing website to identify strengths and weaknesses within each page.

Key Findings

Unorganization and
Missing Information

The website of Blue Elephant Productions lacked organization and had missing information, resulting in users not being able to fully grasp the agency's offerings and capabilities. More detailed content and improved organization were necessary to provide a comprehensive overview of the agency's services.

Divergent Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis revealed that each agency has its own unique style and approach. To stand out in the market, it was crucial for Blue Elephant Productions to showcase its distinctive identity and highlighted its strengths in a way that aligned with their own brand style and values.

Bringing it All Together - Definition Phase

Drawing from our research results, we developed a comprehensive strategy for the redesign of the Blue Elephant Productions website.

Problem

Blue Elephant Productions' outdated website, which hasn't been updated in six years, fails to showcase their strengths and impressive work, hindering their ability to make a positive impression on potential clients. This lack of engagement with the audience and failure to align with current design trends poses a risk to their business growth and potential opportunities in the digital marketing and website design industry.

Theme: Guiding

Our research findings revealed that our target audience has limited experience in digital marketing and faces resource constraints compared to larger brands. In addition to showcasing the strengths of Blue Elephant Productions, our objective is to provide users with guided experiences on the website.

We aim to educate and empower users with valuable insights into digital marketing solutions and the process of working with Blue Elephant Productions. Our goal is to create a sense of security and confidence among users, ensuring that they feel supported and equipped with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions about the digital marketing solutions provided by Blue Elephant Productions.

Content Structure

In light of our proposal to add 2 new sections to the website, we have recommended a detailed content structure along with writing guidelines to ensure the content's clarity and effectiveness.

Marketing Tips Blog

Get Started

Customize Your Solution

Let’s Talk

From Concept to Reality - Design and Testing Phase

Our team consisted of five members, with each individual assigned the responsibility of designing one key page. Following the completion of low-fidelity wireframes individually, we regrouped to collectively review and establish the structure for each page. During this phase, we held regular meetings after completing our tasks to review the designs and prototypes, ensuring their readiness for presentation to the client.

Reviewed and built wireframes together

Instead of working individually on the wireframes, we opted to collaborate and build them together as a team. We found it beneficial to sketch the wireframes initially, as it allowed us to quickly draw and make immediate changes based on our collective input and feedback.
This collaborative approach facilitated efficient communication and enabled us to iterate on the wireframes in real-time, ensuring that our design decisions were well-informed and aligned with the project objectives.

What I did

Leadership

As the project leader, I took charge of guiding the team towards the success of the project. I ensured that the project was delivered on time and within budget by consolidating the timeline and tasks. I played an active role in reminding the team of upcoming deadlines and keeping everyone on track. Additionally, I prioritized tracking our project progress and making informed decisions to effectively manage multiple courses simultaneously.

Project Management

In my role as a project manager, I organized and consolidated all the information we gathered, creating a clear roadmap for the team to follow. I ensured that everyone understood their roles and responsibilities, and I proactively reminded them of deadlines to maintain project efficiency. By overseeing the project's progress, I ensured that we stayed on track and were able to deliver the project within the specified timeline.

Active Involvement

Throughout the project, I actively contributed to every stage of the website design process. From contacting clients, conducting research, and ideation to execution and final checks, I played a vital role in each step. I not only shared my ideas and suggestions on the designs and tasks but also provided proactive feedback and reviews on the team's work. Even when I wasn't directly involved in a specific task, such as creating wireframes for particular pages, I took the initiative to look for references and offer valuable insights to enhance the overall quality of the project.

What I learnt

Team Management and Collaboration

Working with a culturally diverse team was a unique experience as we came together to plan and deliver the project. We explored different working styles and identified the ones that suited us best.

As someone with project management experience, I volunteered to be the contact person and played a crucial role in managing the entire project. Learning to navigate a team with diverse backgrounds and working styles taught me invaluable lessons, and achieving project success together brought me a great sense of satisfaction.

Time Management

While creating a timeline helped us track the project's progress, we realized that designing the interfaces and reaching consensus took more time than anticipated. This served as an important lesson for us in allocating sufficient time for the design phase and ensuring team alignment before launching. It emphasized the significance of thoughtful time management in achieving project goals effectively.

Design Thinking

Engaging in user research and employing design thinking to create a cohesive story and user experience was a new and enjoyable experience for me. It taught me the art of solving problems through design thinking and highlighted the importance of crafting a seamless journey from 0 to 1 for users. This process allowed us to explore innovative solutions and deliver an enhanced user experience.

Wireframing and Prototyping

Although I had a basic understanding of design and prototyping, I realized there was room for improvement and honing my skills. However, this did not hinder our ideation process or dampen our expectations for exceptional designs. We generated a multitude of ideas to enhance user engagement on the website. Learning Figma tricks and skills on the spot may have required more time compared to those with prior experience, but it allowed me to intensively develop my design skills and expand my knowledge.