DESIGNING A USER-CENTERED WEB EXPERIENCE

DRIVEN BY CONTENTGE Water Site Design Case Study

SUMMARYCenterline Digital partnered with GE Water & Process Technologies to design a content-driven website. Our goals were to simplify how users surface relevant content and design paths to lead generation.

The project included user research, an extensive content audit, restructured architecture, holistic content strategy and a flexible, responsive design layout.

The new site drove an approximate 200% increase in inbound leads per month.

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THE CHALLENGESWe faced three primary challenges at the start of the project.

1Migrating and gleaning content hosted on a parent site that housed content from multiple divisions

2Integrating an extensive document library that needed new guided marketing context and lead generation opportunities

THE CHALLENGESWe faced three primary challenges at the start of the project.

3Unifying a disjointed web experience that bounced users across multiple sites

THE CHALLENGESWe faced three primary challenges at the start of the project.

USER RESEARCH

Stakeholder and user interviews to glean key insights and craft user personas

aAUDITING & INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE

b

WHAT WE DID

Product portfolio audit, content audit and analytics review to craft a re-envisioned site architecture

CONTENT & UX STRATEGY

c

DESIGN

Final delivery of design templates, style guide and development specs for implementation

d

Creation of user flows anda content strategy to demystify choice and cultivate lead generating opportunities

a. USER RESEARCHWe conducted 25 interviews with GE customers, stakeholders and distributors, then synthesized our findings into four user personas that helped guide the site architecture and content strategy.

Gain a deep understanding of user habits, needs and propensities to build a clear picture of the environment influencing the buyer’s journey

GOAL

PROCESS

Gain a deep understanding of user habits, needs and propensities to build a clear picture of the environment influencing the buyer’s journey

Crafted customized discussion guides based on secondary research and audience segmentation

1

Facilitated interviews to gain a deep understanding of existing perception/usability barriers and how users consume information

2

Synthesized marketing goals in the context of user data, bringing research to life through persona creation

3

a. USER RESEARCHPersonas serve as strategic touchstones throughout the design and content creation lifecycle, always keeping users at the center of our process.

b. AUDITING & INFORMATION ARCHITECTURENext, we conducted a content and architecture audit, then mapped GE’s existing content to their product portfolio, revealing gaps and obstacles in how users access critical content.

Build a navigational structure that seamlessly guides usersto the information they need, quickly and easily

GOAL

PROCESS

Gain a deep understanding of user habits, needs and propensities to build a clear picture of the environment influencing the buyer’s journey

Conducted a content audit to understand depth and breadth of information

1

Performed analytics analysis to understand existing paths through content and vet consumption patterns against interview findings

2

Conducted site architecture audit to identify gaps and dependencies in structure and web narrative

3

Mapped a new site architecture based on personas, analytics data and marketing goals

4

b. AUDITING & INFORMATION ARCHITECTUREThe hierarchy of content shapes how users consume positioning and product messaging, thus influencing how they unfold a brand’s value.

c. CONTENT & UX STRATEGYBased on our research and personas, Centerline defined the information needed on each page of the site, then designed the experience framework to guide users through the content.

Design intuitive user paths through content to capture audiences at various stages in the buyer’s journey, from awareness to purchase

GOAL

PROCESS

Gain a deep understanding of user habits, needs and propensities to build a clear picture of the environment influencing the buyer’s journey

Defined user goals and communication needs for each unique design template, then for each piece of content

1

Designed interface wireframes that incorporated user needs, content logic, usability best practices and marketing objectives

2

Wrote detailed development and interaction design specs to assist our client in managing a third-party development firm

3

c. CONTENT & UX STRATEGYAn applied content & UX strategy means every piece of content serves a distinct purpose, and the design of an interface remains subservient to user needs and content goals.

d. DESIGNFinally, Centerline created a suite of design templates: a culmination of applied research, content strategy and GE branding.

Create a vehicle of credibility for the GE brand through a polished, accessible interface with an intuitive content structure

GOAL

PROCESS

Gain a deep understanding of user habits, needs and propensities to build a clear picture of the environment influencing the buyer’s journey

Became immersed in client’s brand and design requirements

1

Brought wireframes to life with visual design and iconography

2

Created a style guide to augment client’s existing brand guidelines, ensuring brand consistency as the site grows over time

3

d. DESIGNThe branding of an interface greatly influences how users perceivethe credibility of the messages contained within it.

RESULTS

A simplified user experience that seamlessly guides users to solutions and products

Fully integrated content from the GE parent site and information library, along with appropriate context to guide users along an exploratory path

The newly launched site includes:

Carefully placed and non-intrusive lead generation opportunities

123

RESULTS...which resulted in:

123

increase in new, qualified leads per month

new deals added to the sales pipeline per month

Resulting in an overall return

58%

25

7-digit

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gewater.com

Client Team: GE Water & Process Technologies

Steve Pepe, Director of Digital MarketingYesh Desai, IT Program ManagerPatricia Garofalo, Global Communications Leader

Centerline Team:

Nora Jones, Executive Project ManagerCait Vlastakis Smith, Sr. UX & Content StrategistKristen Collosso, Interactive DesignerMeryn Thunen, Project Coordinator

Project Team

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