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.
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.
This service blueprint shows company touchpoints and was useful for content writers to understand the business.
This service blueprint shows company touchpoints and was useful for content writers to understand the business.
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.
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 of content from card sorts.
Final groupings of content from card sorts.
Final groupings of content 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.
Excessive line length at 110 characters Excessive line length at 110 characters
Excessive line length at 110 characters Excessive line length at 110 characters
Excessive line length at 110 characters Excessive line length at 110 characters
Excessive line length at 110 characters Excessive line length at 110 characters
Excessive line length at 110 characters Excessive line length at 110 characters
Excessive line length at 110 characters Excessive line length at 110 characters
Excessive line length at 110 characters Excessive line length at 110 characters
Excessive line length at 110 characters Excessive line length at 110 characters
Excessive line length at 110 characters Excessive line length at 110 characters
Excessive line length at 110 characters Excessive line length at 110 characters
Excessive line length at 110 characters Excessive line length at 110 characters
Excessive line length at 110 characters Excessive line length at 110 characters
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
Initial layouts from our senior designer that we tested.
More layouts that we worked through with the team.
Some early designs that work especially well with restricted use of color.
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
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
