Challenge:
Redesign Hydrovia’s current website to project professionalism and legitimacy to potential investors.
Result:
A comprehensive, high-fidelity prototype used to rebuild Hydrovia’s website.
Design Team: Neil H. | Mia B. | Danny C.
Duration: Three Weeks of Rapid Research and Design
Filtered Framework
We sat down with Hydrovia’s founder to understand the company’s mission, the website framework he had in place, and the goals for the website. The goals were as follows:
Project a visually impactful and professional website.
Gain the attention of prospective investors.
Provide streamlined contact information.
Concisely articulate Hyrdovia’s mission.
Visual Assets
We understand Hydrovia’s goals, framework, and target audience. We must build upon its visual brand to embody impactful and professional goals.
User Research
Key Takeaways from Interviews with Investors, Former Startup Members, and Clean Tech Stakeholders
Bios of founders project personability to prospective investors.
Clear show where the company’s backing comes from on the website.
Imagery and infographics allow for a streamlined flow of information, saving the user time.
Give potential investors a reason to care and engage immediately with the website through vibrant visuals
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) give investors numbers on which to base their decisions.
Meet Ian Vestor, our User Persona
Website Map
Wireframes
We concluded that startup investors would be the primary user to design for. They value conciseness, trust, infographics, KPIs, and a clear mission.
Refinement
After feedback from usability testing, we could iterate on our redesign.
Landing Page Changes
Product Page Changes
(click to enlarge)
About Us Page Changes
Contact Us Page Changes
(click to enlarge)
Forum Page Changes
Prototype
An Immersive Landing Page
A Welcoming About Us Page
A Concise Product Page
A Collaborative Forum Page
A Streamlined Contact Page
Impact and Reflection
Our client, Hydrovia’s founder, showed excitement when seeing what the team and I had created. He was eager to build out his website based on our redesign. All relevant materials were handed off, including the annotated redesign, research, and creativity for his web team to recreate.
Ultimately, the project proved to be a balance in managing the client’s vision and asserting my best research practices to achieve a singular goal. I believe this goal was met well in the client’s eyes, though I think there could be some improvements in the future. Some of these would be an accessibility test for color-blind users, updated imagery and testimonials from Hydrovia’s clients once they are more established, and integration of social media plug-ins. Unfortunately, the team and I could not implement these improvements though we suggested them to our client during our final meeting.
