Comprehensive discovery is the key to finding the correct mix of technology and design to enhance the user experience and ultimately increase sales. The site needs to have a signature look and feel. The home page should invite every visitor to look further and the site should make that process seamless. It should have areas for new items, sales, special fashion statements for seasonal and holiday purchase, valuable information and an easy pathway into the product and purchase process.
All necessary information should be readily accessible as global navigation with primary navigation aiding the decision process by leading the user through the more specific areas via comprehensive search vehicles and targeted straightforward navigation.
We will follow this simple formula for success:
- Keep the site simple and the process straightforward, each element should have a purpose …“Good design like haiku… is made from reductions” ? Vaitkunas
- Keep like items and tools together
- Give a user feedback when they embark on a task and thank and compliment them when they complete it successfully
- Develop a hierarchy of importance and corresponding task
- Use the right tools for the right job
In short, we will create a simple, elegant, highly efficient web presence for your business.
Our forte is working closely with you, our clients, to accomplish near term, midterm and long term goals.
We Nancy Eckert and Jay Benkovich will be your primary contacts throughout; with our seasoned professional Management / IA / Design / Technical / Production team supporting your process. As things change we will be there with outside the box thinking and problem solving to keep ahead of the curve. We look to deliver on time, on target and to make the process a pleasant yet professional experience.
We will be there to keep the project on point and make certain your Scope of Work, milestones, timeline and overall goals are not only met but exceeded!
Thank You,
Nancy Eckert, Vice President Jay Benkovich, President
Web Design and Development
1. PROCESS: Discovery Phase
a. Meet with stake holders to gather input on but not limited to the following topics
b. Review the demographics of site extensively
i. Review Market research if available or reach out to users with an email linked to a simple online
survey to gather key feedback regarding likes and dislikes of your current customer’s web experience.
c. Additional functionality upgrades for the site
i. The product viewing experience
ii. Purchase process
iii. Navigation likes and dislikes
1. Need for a more streamlined and logical user experience
2. Simple, elegant, straightforward pathways
3. Easier access to information needed to execute the viewing, information dissemination and purchase process
d. New services, events, features and products coming online
e. Define user deliverables and the various formats they will be in
f. Your teams vision and graphic ideas [What you like] for the site
i. Take a look at websites you like and explore why
g. Discussion of new marketing programs: we want this to dovetail with the new identity of the web presence
i. Themes, tag lines, copy , graphic designs , advertising campaigns
h. Technical specifications for the site:
i. Parameters and limitations of existing technology
ii. Types of data feeds
iii. Future Technology available
1. Ideas to increase the user experience
2. Understanding of the dev process to address budget and timeline milestones
3. Set-up technical liaison for dev department
iv. Specifications for the deliverables
2. DELIVERABLES: Discovery Phase
a. With the primary goal of increasing volume and sales in mind, we need to develop overall goals and the means to measure them. Then define the Scope of Work, milestones and timeline to achieve this end.
i. Comprehensive report following discovery compiling all the information and to outline goals. We will issue this to all stakeholders to make certain we are all on the same page
ii. Together with the SC Direct team compile and Issue a document containing the Scope of Work, timeline, milestones and the corresponding parties responsible at all levels.
iii. Email marketing survey to solicit user input as so that we can make an informed evaluation of user needs.
3. PROCESS: IA Sitemap Creation / User Flow
a. The Information Architecture group creates the sitemap taking into account all the variables discussed during the discovery phase. [See attachment A for an example].
4. DELIVERABLES: IA Sitemap Creation / User Flow
a. Comprehensive sitemap outlining primary, secondary and global navigation for each website
i. Content inventory [Excel]
ii. Topic mapping
iii. Key words, Meta data, labels and Titles - so that we can build from the back end search criteria forward to enhance SEO
iv. Develop controlled vocabulary for the written content
v. During the sitemap process we will also storyboard the user flow as part of the process to determine the preferred manner of interaction
vi. Develop the field structure for the DB
5. PROCESS: IA Wireframes with comprehensive notation
a. Upon reaching a consensus we will move forward on fabricating the wireframes.
i. The Birchwood team will create a comprehensive series of wireframes outlining the various states of each page layout - following the lead of the sitemap. Again we will remain in close communication with the team to stay on point.
6. DELIVERABLES: IA Wireframes with comprehensive notation
a. Corresponding wireframes in various states outline the entire layout with a corresponding code keyed into each of the sitemaps. [A roadmap for the wireframes.]
7. PROCESS: Graphic Design of Website
a. Working closely with the IA team, as they are solidifying the wireframes we will simultaneously be exploring overall ideas for the graphic design and look and feel of the website.
i. We feel that doing this will ensure the wireframes are fabricated to house the graphic treatments and specialized design elements that will enhance the user experience and act as signposts in their quest for the perfect user experience.
8. DELIVERABLES: Graphic Design
a. A signature look and feel for the target market to evoke a comfort level for the corresponding audiences. They should feel good when visiting the site and we should engage them properly to enhance the experience and fulfill the user’s needs and the overall goals of the clients.
|
