Screenshot of final page layouts for STAND 8.io

UX Design

Stand 8 Rebrand & Website

Stand 8 is a growing talent solutions company that needed a new brand identity and website to match its aspirations to become a top managed service provider.

Screenshot of final page layouts for STAND 8.io

UX Design

Stand 8 Rebrand & Website

Stand 8 is a growing talent solutions company that needed a new brand identity and website to match its aspirations to become a top managed service provider.

Project Overview

New logo, who dis?

As part of a cross-functional team at STAND 8, I led the UX research and design of the company’s website to ensure it aligned with IT executives needs and Stand 8's business goals.

Our team included copywriters, developers, a senior visual designer, and a product manager.

I advocated for Human-Centered Design including user research, prototyping, testing, and accessibility improvements.

The result was a professional new brand and website that established Stand 8 as a top MSP.

Responsibilities

Information Architecture

Interaction Design

Prototyping

User Research

UX Design

Web Design

Responsibilities

Information Architecture

Interaction Design

Prototyping

User Research

UX Design

Web Design

Tools

Dovetail

Figma

HotJar

Optimal Sort

Sketches

Wireframes

Team

1 Product Manager

1 Senior Designer

2 Developers

3 Content Writers

The Problem(S)

Understand how executives select IT vendors

Differentiation brand in a competitive market

Align website content with user expectations

Design in compliance with WCAG standards

Perceptions for vendor selection

We needed to change our clients' perceptions of Stand 8. Historically, we had done staffing and we were really good at it. We needed IT executives to see and choose us as a managed service provider (MSP).

How do clients approach vendor selection? What do they expect from top IT service providers? How can we meet and exceed those expectations?

We needed to research these areas and align our content and UX with client expectations.

The Problem(S)

Understand how executives select IT vendors

Differentiation brand in a competitive market

Align website content with user expectations

Design in compliance with WCAG standards

Perceptions for vendor selection

We needed to change our clients' perceptions of Stand 8. Historically, we had done staffing and we were really good at it. We needed IT executives to see and choose us as a managed service provider (MSP).

How do clients approach vendor selection? What do they expect from top IT service providers? How can we meet and exceed those expectations?

We needed to research these areas and align our content and UX with client expectations.

Original homepage with little structure or UX best practices.

Original homepage with little structure or UX best practices.

Original homepage with little structure or UX best practices.

Servicemap for vendor selection

This service blueprint shows company touchpoints and was useful for content writers to understand the business.

Servicemap for vendor selection

This service blueprint shows company touchpoints and was useful for content writers to understand the business.

Servicemap for vendor selection

This service blueprint shows company touchpoints and was useful for content writers to understand the business.

Original homepage with little structure or UX best practices.

Servicemap for vendor selection

This service blueprint shows company touchpoints and was useful for content writers to understand the business.

Research

Human Centered, Client Focused

Human Centered, Client Focused

We conducted comprehensive research to understand our users and competitors. This included qualitative interviews, competitive analysis, content strategy, analyzing client testimonials, and developing user personas and journeys.

We conducted comprehensive research to understand our users and competitors. This included qualitative interviews, competitive analysis, content strategy, analyzing client testimonials, and developing user personas and journeys.

Overview of competitors, their layouts and site architecture.

Overview of competitors, their layouts and site architecture.

Overview of competitors, their layouts and site architecture.

Overview of competitors, their layouts and site architecture.

Final groupings from card sorts

Final groupings of content from card sorts.

Final groupings from card sorts

Final groupings of content from card sorts.

Final groupings from card sorts

Final groupings of content from card sorts.

Final groupings from card sorts

Final groupings of content from card sorts.

Affinity mapping core themes after executive interviews.

Affinity mapping core themes after executive interviews.

Affinity mapping core themes after executive interviews.

Affinity mapping core themes after executive interviews.

Our biggest insight came from affinity mapping our interviews.

When selecting IT vendors, companies look for Technical & Domain Knowledge, Quality & Delivery, Partnership, Character, Communication, Cost, and Speed. The #1 piece of content that speaks to these points are CASE STUDIES.

This finding was the cornerstone of our most website content as well as talking points for sales people.

*More artifacts from this research are available upon request.

Design Process

Trust the Human-Centered Process

I used Human-Centered Design methods to ensure that our designs were grounded in user needs.

These methods included card sorts, restructuring navigation & layouts, creating low-fidelity sketches and wireframes to explore designs, and designing high-fidelity prototypes using Figma to test and iterate.

I worked with developers to provide detailed design specs and interaction models. I also entered content in Contentful CMS and checked developed pages in HotJar and Sizzy.

HCD methods gave our team shared knowledge and kept us aligned on decisions and changes.

Low fidelity sketches of page layouts

Low fidelity sketches of page layouts.

Low fidelity sketches of page layouts

Low fidelity sketches of page layouts.

Low fidelity sketches of page layouts

Low fidelity sketches of page layouts.

Low fidelity sketches of page layouts

Low fidelity sketches of page layouts.

Solution

A User-Centric Website with Improved Navigation, Accessibility, and Strong Branding

The redesigned site featured an intuitive navigation structure supported by clear content hierarchies and interactive elements to guide users through our content. This came directly from card sorts that revealed how executives mentally group services.

I made prototypes for micro-interactions to give our site a consistent look and feel.

We also made significant improvements in accessibility by conducting an audit against WCAG 2.2 standards.

Consistent design and strong content gave executives the confidence they needed to consider Stand 8 for multi-million dollar projects.

Key Successes

Bold brand Identity

Case study cms

Clear content hierarchy

Forms for lead gen

Intuitive navigation

Key Challenges

Working with remote developers

Generating content for services

The redesigned site featured an intuitive navigation structure supported by clear content hierarchies and interactive elements to guide users through our content. This came directly from card sorts that revealed how executives mentally group services.

I made prototypes for micro-interactions to give our site a consistent look and feel.

We also made significant improvements in accessibility by conducting an audit against WCAG 2.2 standards.

Consistent design and strong content gave executives the confidence they needed to consider Stand 8 for multi-million dollar projects.

Key Successes

Bold brand Identity

Case study cms

Clear content hierarchy

Forms for lead gen

Intuitive navigation

Key Challenges

Working with remote developers

Generating content for services

Final homepage with clear and bold design

Final homepage with clear and bold design

Final homepage with clear and bold design

Final homepage with clear and bold design

Our final layout of sections and components

Our final layout of sections and components

Our final layout of sections and components

Our final layout of sections and components

Our final layout of sections and components

Our final layout of sections and components

Our final layout of sections and components

Our final layout of sections and components

Better website, better brand

We delivered a website and brand identity that better reflected Stand 8's strengths and supported its aspirations.

We streamlined content & navigation via card sorts, achieved stronger brand differentiation through analysis of client testimonials, improved accessibility, and delivered an overall better user experience than we had previously.

This was a great foundation upon which we could build content and case studies to grow the Stand 8 brand.

Results

Created clear map of how vendors get selected

Created clear and bold brand identity

Strong website content and navigation

Achieved accessible design aligned to WCAG 2.0

Created clear map of how vendors get selected

Created clear and bold brand identity

Strong website content and navigation

Achieved accessible design aligned to WCAG 2.0

Better website, better brand

We delivered a website and brand identity that better reflected Stand 8's strengths and supported its aspirations.

We streamlined content & navigation via card sorts, achieved stronger brand differentiation through analysis of client testimonials, improved accessibility, and delivered an overall better user experience than we had previously.

This was a great foundation upon which we could build content and case studies to grow the Stand 8 brand.

Results

Created clear map of how vendors get selected

Created clear and bold brand identity

Strong website content and navigation

Achieved accessible design aligned to WCAG 2.0

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