Designing a better customer information hub
OVERVIEW
Selo is a large UK Manufacturer supplying the construction industry with passive fire protective products.
The website is an information hub for architects, specifiers, and general construction industry professionals.
It is also an excellent channel for new sales enquiries.
The website had a high bounce-rate with relatively low numbers of enquiries based on unique visitor numbers
ROLE
Product Designer
User Research, Prototyping & Testing, Pitching to Stakeholders
"We just spent £20'000 on the site redesign to improve traffic - I don't understand why it isn't working"
Harry Purdom (Sales Director)
Background
Selo began trading in 2008 and found instant success by providing products for the construction industry that were quick and easy to install, as well as being competitively priced.
They held this competitive advantage for almost 10 years, before more companies started entering the market with copy-cat products
Due to the highly regulated nature of the industry, the website had always been a large directory of information. As time passed, this directory grew larger and larger. The challenge became how to present this information so it was easy to find and relevant.
Analytics showed -
89.22% bounce rate
29 seconds average visit duration
1.46 pages per visit
Original Mobile Website - February 2023
I was the sole designer on this project. I worked closely with the sales team to help arrange interviews with architects. I was given access to the companies marketing directory to help build the prototype.
My brief was to conduct usability studies with present and potential website users, and present an insight driven prototype for company stakeholders to review.
Understanding the problem
I conducted 7 usability study interviews with architects from several different practices via Teams. Some were Selo customers, some were not. Interviews lasted around 20 - 30 minutes
The goal was to identify why website visitors were not progressing past the homepage.
Katy - Make Architects
Paul - Sheppard Robson Architects
Daniel - Stiff + Trevillion Architects
Etsuko - Stiff + Trevillion Architects
James - Endeavour Architects
Charles - St. George plc
Irina - MorenoMasey Architects
Insights
High Priority
Out of 7 participants, all 7 had issues with the homepage
"It looks like Sports Directs homepage".
Based on the theme that: the homepage is overcrowded with too much going on for all users, an insight is:
"Users need a simpler homepage that is cleaner an easier to digest. "
Medium Priority - 1
4 participants had issues with the downloads section.
Medium Priority - 2
4 participants had issues with product hero images.
"It is a mess of choices".
"Are you showing me a riser door, or a hex key?".
Based on the theme that: the download section overloads users with choices, an insight is:
"Users need a simpler way to choose the information they want."
Based on the theme that: product hero images did not represent the product in question, an insight is:
"Users need a strong hero image that clearly illustrates the product."
Hi-fidelity prototypes
Insight 1 - Users need a simpler homepage that is cleaner and easier to digest.
ORIGINAL Header - Cluttered / Messy / Unaligned
IMPROVED Header - Clean / Simple / Ordered
ORIGINAL Menu - Oversized / Assortment of Styles
IMPROVED Menu - Clean / Simple / Informative headings
ORIGINAL Hero Image - An advertisement for Hex Keys?
IMPROVED Hero Image - Eye-catching product in-use image to grab the user's attention
ORIGINAL Product cards - Brand name most prominent
IMPROVED Product cards - Product type most prominent
ORIGINAL Highlighted Content - A confusing link promoting the companies showroom
IMPROVED Highlighted Content - Descriptive image of the company's showroom
ORIGINAL Highlighted Content - Takes up two full screens with no clear CTA
IMPROVED Highlighted Content - Clean, simple, with a very clear CTA button
Hi-fidelity prototypes
Insight 2 - Users need clear options to make a decision
ORIGINAL Options - Too many choices splash across the screen at the same time
IMPROVED Options - Clean / all choice organised into one drop-down menu
Hi-fidelity prototypes
Insight 3 - Users want a clear product narrative
ORIGINAL Product Hero Image - A confusing hero image
IMPROVED Product Hero Image - Clear product imagery
Delivery
The user research findings, as well as the actionable insights were presented to the Sales Director Harry.
Harry was blown away with the customer insights and that a series of relatively simple changes could have a transformative effect on the website.
It was agreed they would be implemented as part of a wider website review and update.
"I was really hoping not to like it, and that our customers all said positive things. But everything they said, and you've changed makes sense. But that Sports Direct comment still really hurts!"
Harry Purdom (Sales Director)
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