Case Study: PointClear Solutions Atlanta, GA

Transcription

1 Case Study: PointClear Solutions Atlanta, GA The Objective When PointClear Solutions decided to launch a rebranding campaign in 2012, the company turned to Dodge Communications to lead these strategic efforts. In addition to a new logo, tagline and messaging, PointClear identified a need for a new, modern website to better reflect its software development user experience (UX) expertise, as well as strengthen its brand. While UX research is at the core of each technology solution PointClear develops, the company s own website lacked a user-friendly design centering on the needs of core audiences it hoped to attract. One of the primary objectives of the website overhaul was to tout PointClear s expertise in this area by keeping UX at the forefront of the site s design and development process. VITAL STATS Established in 2006 Specializes in software development, user experience and user interface design Tactics: Strategy and research User experience design Mobile-responsive site Drupal-based, custom website development SEO-rich content creation Custom photography PointClear Solutions is a software development company that incorporates expertise in clinical informatics and user experience to build transformative healthcare technologies. Additionally, the website needed to clearly define the company s overarching strengths and differentiators such as its healthcare-only focus and clinical informatics team through intuitive design, functionality and smart, compelling content. PointClear determined that it wanted a CMS website to go along with its new brand and positioning that Dodge identified as an edgy, innovative and clever software development partner. This type of site offers an open source architecture and a user interface that is superior to other types of websites. Because CMS websites are also robust, scalable, customizable and easy to update, PointClear wanted to move forward with this approach. The Solution Dodge selected Drupal as the website s CMS due to the open source software s reputation as one of the most secure, cost-effective and user-friendly website options available. Additionally, Drupal s easy-to-implement upgrades and robust ecommerce integration capabilities made the CMS an ideal fit for the Page 27

2 Image 1: Persona documents PointClear site. After selecting Drupal, Dodge employed a multi-step process and worked closely with PointClear at each phase in order to accomplish the website goals determined at the beginning of the project. Discovery. Before designing and developing the new PointClear website, Dodge conducted research and gathered background information that would guide the rest of the project. Starting with a kickoff and strategy call, Dodge collaborated with PointClear s leadership team to establish the overall objectives and approach for website development and set a timeline for each phase. One of the more notable recommendations included creating and leveraging custom photography and iconography in order to give the website a unique, fresh look and convey the company s strategic thinking and unique personality. In order to determine the different ways the website would be used, Dodge also facilitated short interviews with PointClear executives and customers. Dodge then used this information to create detailed personas (image 1) for different potential website visitors including CTOs, product managers, CEOs and prospective employees that directed the site s design and development. Search engine optimization (SEO) was a key component of the PointClear website. Dodge was tasked with establishing a strong SEO baseline, which started with keyword research to identify what words should be used throughout the site to drive SEO rankings and ultimately traffic. Dodge also provided recommendations to ensure a targeted SEO content strategy was employed during the copywriting phase. The content strategy also relied heavily on the user personas and background information both of which influenced the site s overall messaging, tone and key pages to be included in the site. These components were all critical to the sitemap Dodge developed, outlining the different pages that would be included on the website to describe who PointClear is and what they do, while also illustrating the company s differentiators and expertise. Additionally, Dodge created a content requirements document that served as a guide for each page s copy and visuals. Page 28

3 Image 2: Sketches of mobile wireframes Image 3: Interior page prototype During sitemap development, Dodge also decided to implement a mobile first approach, meaning the site would be designed and developed first according to mobile standards and then expanded for desktop. This approach allowed Dodge to focus first on the most important elements of the site content, UX and design rather than having to determine which components to remove during a transition from desktop to mobile. Mobile is no longer an afterthought in the web development process, and with an increasing number of users accessing the web via mobile devices, it was essential for Dodge to make this approach a top priority (image 2). Design. With the sitemap complete, Dodge developed interior page and homepage prototypes that provided visual depictions of the layout think white and black outlines and representations of the structure as well as an active navigation that provides viewers with the ability to click through and experience the flow of the site (image 3). As determined during the discovery phase, Dodge first developed mobile prototypes and then expanded these to accommodate desktops. This approach allowed for a touch and feel experience, enabling PointClear to interact with the site across all devices for a better understanding of its functionality. Additionally, Dodge ensured that the outlined SEO strategy was part of the prototyping and design phase. Page 29

4 Image 4: Animated leadership headshots Image 5: Team Brainstorm Image 6: Layout planning process Page 30

5 Image 7: Custom icon development Development Research Twitter Strategy Design With approved prototypes, the next step centered on adding personality and color to the skeletons. Custom visual elements were an essential component of the website design, as they provided cut through from other sites by showing not only custom iconography (image 7) that would stand out in the market, but also depicting PointClear s employees at work, sketches from various development projects and other similar imagery. To secure these custom images, Dodge proposed and facilitated a two-day photo shoot (images 4 and 5) at the PointClear offices to capture actual team members in action. These photos were then leveraged across the site to give visitors a view of the individuals behind the company and their personalities. For example, the leadership bio page included animated stills of each team member to personify PointClear s playful side. Copywriting. With the prototypes to guide copy length and structure paired with the copy requirements document, Dodge set out to create content (image 6) that was edgy, playful and informative. Dodge first facilitated two in-depth source calls with PointClear executives to gather the necessary background information on the company s clinical expertise, software development approach and more. With this information in hand, the next step included a detailed copywriting timeline and dividing the site s pages in three digestible chunks to help the process move more quickly. Dodge s copywriting team, collaborating hand-in-hand with SEO experts, digital team members and account services, launched into developing bold, clever and edgy content, representative of PointClear s new brand and the site s overall alternative look and feel neither of which are typically found in the conservative healthcare space. The pre-determined SEO keywords were also included throughout the copy, with crosslinking, in order to help PointClear meet its SEO goals for improved rankings. Page 31

6 Old Website New Website Development. Once the mobile and desktop design was selected by PointClear and copy approved, the site was ready for build out. During this stage, Dodge laid out the site, applied the approved design and imported the finalized content. Dodge then conducted multiple rounds of quality assurance, performed a technical SEO site audit and tested the site s functionality on a variety of AndroidTM and Apple devices and all major modern browsers on Windows and Apple desktop systems to ensure the site was ready for go live. Once the site was thoroughly reviewed and tested and all final changes were incorporated, it was implemented on a Dodge-approved host and officially launched in July As a final step, Dodge provided PointClear with training documentation for adding new content and making changes to existing content based on Drupal s easy-to-use functionality. Results Overall, the new PointClear website accomplished the project goals of creating a more modern site that emphasized the company s UX expertise and reinforced its new brand personality. As the most visible platform for showcasing PointClear to prospects and new employees, the new website provided a strong foundation for launching the brand across other vehicles, such as marketing collateral and social media. PointClear received very positive responses from initial website visitors, partners and customers who found the site to be more user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing and cutting edge. The CMS site has also provided PointClear with the capability to add new features, such as a blog or hidden pages, and continue strengthening its digital presence. Page 32