WOLSELEY HOMEPAGE RE-DESIGN
A long established B2B service provider, Wolseley UX platforms need regular refreshing and maintenance.
Daily life as a UX/UI designer.
UX developments at Wolesley are driven by client interests; reported issues and, of greatest importance, user data. The website analytics software we use is Content Square and I've quickly become a specialist in this tool. I've been responsible for building up the UX team expertise in this and now have extensive user behaviour and journey data that helps us to not only decide what our next priorities should be, but also to justify our UX design proposals.
Homepage re-design.
I was given responsibility for this re-design which involved analysing current user behaviour and understanding company objectives in order to propose a new layout structure that would meet both user and company needs and interests.
Company objective: i) increase user engagement below the fold line and ii) reflect contemporary design system thinking about the company's visual imagery and UX style.
User behaviour: using Content Square I had evidence that users were extremely focused on their immediate goals and had a specific purpose in mind which meant they didn't tend to browse.
Design considerations for the re-design.
The existing homepage was extremely 'busy' with a lot of advertising material which competed with product content. In addition, the material was not set within any infrastructure hierarchy which contribute to a high cognitive load.
Design solutions: I brought a cleaner structure to the page that encouraged users' attention to flow down the screen (e.g. use of graded and tinted visuals to direct attention) and allowed each important segment of the page to present itself without too much competition from other parts. To do this I separated material out visually and embedded in a subtle hierarchy.
Re-design acceptance and sign-off.
In order to complete this re-design I had to continuously present key stages and developments to senior management and other parts of the wider digital team, including merchandisers and developers. During these presentations I fielded questions and explained the design rationale and decision-making. One of my strengths that I drew on during this process was my ability to respond calmly and confidently to feedback whilst also sharing insights into design decisions and thinking. Since going live the new homepage has generated positive reactions.
Learning and takeaways.
Working with key stakeholders: building a rapport with key stakeholders enables the UX/UI Designer to create their best work. This includes being open to feedback and drawing on the expertise of members of the team.
Keeping business needs in mind: it's essential to understand the capabilities and resources available to the business as well as the goals of the business to guide the ambition of your design.