THE PROCESS

DEFINE/UNDERSTAND

As Webhead, we embarked on understanding the needs of the Harris Center through multiple direct-user and C-Level stakeholder interviews. These interviews helped us gather insights into the requirements, challenges, and goals of the project. A client survey was also conducted to collect data and assess the needs of different user types. A competitive analysis of five comparable organizations was performed to identify industry best practices and potential areas for improvement. Close partnerships were established with internal stakeholders to facilitate content creation, image gathering, and ongoing coordination.

RESEARCH

The research phase involved exploring personas and their associated user stories. User personas were created for different user groups, including employees, patients and families, community partners, and political entities. This helped ensure that the website and app we designed addressed the specific needs of each group. Additionally, we developed a comprehensive sitemap and a content map in collaboration with the Harris Center to lay the foundation for the design and build phases. Multi-lingual and accessibility functionality were incorporated to make the platform inclusive and accessible to all users.

DESIGN/BUILD/DEVELOP

Here, we focused on creating a visually appealing and user-friendly website and app. We wireframed two versions of the homepage and key secondary pages, and based on the chosen design direction, we created high-resolution mockups. Prototypes were developed to test the presentation and functionality of the platform. Throughout the process, we ensured content accuracy, responsiveness, and functionality through iterative build iterations.

HANDOFF

After app and website mockups were approved, I handed off my highly-organized and notated design environment (in this case, Adobe Xd) to the two development team, and continued to work closely with each of them to ensure the finished product aligned with the mockups, and that functionality and responsiveness behaved as planned.

DELIVERY/TESTING/LISTENING

Post-launch, we scrutinized analytics, and conducted multiple rounds of user interviews and testing to inform ongoing iterative improvements to both products, a process that continues today.

To facilitate customer ease-of-use, I produced detailed documentation to stepping the client through their most common CMS tasks. Coupled with weekly meetings, the client expressed gratitude at the smooth transition, knowing that the expreience could have proven a difficult one.

LEARNINGS

As the project unfolded, we encountered valuable insights that shaped our approach and yielded significant findings.

Managing the simultaneous development of the website and mobile app proved to be an enlightening experience, teaching us the art of juggling multiple projects with finesse. This required meticulous planning, seamless coordination, and adept time management to ensure each aspect received the attention it deserved.

In retrospect, we realized the benefits of a sequential integration approach. If we had initiated the app project after completing the website, we could have harnessed all the lessons learned during website development to seamlessly integrate the two platforms. This would have allowed for a more harmonious fusion of design and functionality, enhancing the overall user experience.

Additionally, working within the Drupal environment presented an opportunity for us to refine our expertise in optimizing assets such as images, documents, and verbiage. We learned how to tailor these elements specifically for Drupal, ensuring optimal performance and improved user engagement.