ivicos GmbH

Full time Ux|Ui role in which I redesigned the website and brand for the future of hybrid/remote work.

Intro

Client
ivicos GmbH
My Role
Ux|Ui Designer
Team
UX Designer
Copy writer
WebFlow dev
Background
Starting Feb 2021 I had the oppurtunity to experience the work environment of a young start up dedicated to solving the current issue of remote/hybrid work. I began working as an intern and was hired full time before the completion of my internship. Everything was completely remote and while working I was tasked with redesigning the website, brand design, product design and various design related tasks.
‍
All work done with ivicos is under NDA, so I am not able to fully share the deliverables or other work sensitive data. Nevertheless the content shared will prove to be informative and valuable in regards to my designs.
ivicos Projects
1. Website redesign 2. Feature desings3. Responsive product design
Project 1

Website Redesign

Timeline
2-3 months
Skills
Web design
Responsive design
Tools
Scope
The first task I had with ivicos was to do a complete redesign of the website. This included UX research, brand design, design guidelines, prototyping and managing the outsourced work done by the WebFlow Dev and the copywriter, along with testing and conducting any iterations that needed to be done. The tools used were Figma and Webflow.
The Problem

"Our website confuses our customers"

This was one of the first things the founder said to me when talking about the website. Quite frankly, I agreed as I couldn't tell what the company, product, or website was about and what they were trying to communicate. The website and brand needed a huge over haul if they wanted to penetrate this niche market, and stand out to competitors.
The Process

Working agile - solo designer

Through the complete process of the redesign I was the sole UX|UI designer working on the project. I was responsible for the research, design, communicating with the developer(s), testing, and any iterations that needed to be done. Since I was working solo my methodology was very agile to accommodate any changes the stakeholders may bring or if the developer communicated difficulties translating the design.
As stated earlier, I was working under NDA so I won't be able to share any of the design deliverables one would normally see on a case study like this, but I did provide artistic renditions of the process to make the case study visually appealing. Think of it as my first person perspective.
Research
I began the redesign process with a thorough UX audit of the old website. I looked at ease of use, aesthetics, and if the website was accomplishing the goals of the stakeholders. I then did a competitive analysis of other major players in our niche, and interviewed stakeholders to understand what the company's culture/brand is truly about. I then researched what the typical user would be like who visits our site, creating personas to base designs on.
Define
After doing some foundational research, I held meetings with stakeholders to understand the requirements for the site (must haves, wishes, not haves). We defined our targeted user base using personas and set a strategy for the website to attract theses specific users.
Design
Finally I began the design process. I started with paper sketches, and then moved up to lo-fi wire frames. After receiving feedback from the stakeholders I began designing the hi fidelity website and created a style guide to accompany the design.
Content
After completing the hi-fidelity design, we outsourced the text design for English/German text. While this was underway I met with stakeholders again to finalise the brand design and website content, making sure I met the requirements from stakeholders regarding images, illustrations, icons, and placement of content.
Development
While the content was being finalised I teamed up with an outsourced WebFlow Dev so he can begin building the hi fidelity web design. We communicated regularly on to best communicate the prototype interactions and animations so that the stakeholders receive the website they want.
Evaluate
Once the website was launched, I led the ivicos devs to conduct a team critique and bug hunt, followed by a stakeholder critique and iterations.
Deliver
With the team finding most bugs and issues, and the stakeholders signing off and happy seeing their vision come through after a few iterations, we launched the site successfully.
The Before

This is what we started with

Below you will see what the website looked like prior to the redesign. The side notes will cue you in to some of the audit points that lead the redesign efforts.
Below you will see what the website was prior to the redesign. The side notes will cue you in to some of the audit points that lead the redesign. Some of the most notable issues we see are the inconsistent text, the lack of product images or product explanation, and no clear CTAs or path to conversions.

Whats the brand? 

There isn't a true brand displayed besides a few colors and the logo. This could be any generic website.

Wheres the product? 

Not one product photo or video of the MVP for either product was shown on the site, adding more confusion to the legitimacy of the company and what they are selling.

The spacing is a bit awkward.

From the spacing of the text, to the spacing of the elements on the screen, things needed padding and breathing room bad.

Inconsistent type choices.

After the audit I found that there was over 10 different text sizes and even more line heights. This needed fixing.

Confusing CTAs.

The CTAs are not clear or noticeable on the site. They also led to dead or coming soon links.

How efficient is this conversion path?

The path to conversions or sells wasn't clear, with extra steps that users often exited before completing.
The Design, Prototype & No-Code Dev

We launched and so did interest in the product

After creating a new brand and launching the new website we saw a ton of new traffic to the website along with more interest into what ivicos has to sell. Below is an example of the new home page and some distinct changes that were made. I know what you're thinking "but thats the ivCAMPUS product page", and yes it is. So the stakeholders didn't want any of the products (ivCAMPUS/ivSPACE) being displayed on the main ivicos page even after my recommendations and pleading with them to do it. Later, they realised how still confusing it was for potential customers and switched the main product page to the home page. They learned to trust me after.
1.

Distinct branding

The stakeholders wanted a "corporate look" that was still "relaxed and fun". We kept to the blue/white for ivicos but for ivCAMPUS (the remote work product) we used the orange/blue. They were also persistent on having a mascot and we came to this doodle-y conclusion.
2.

Multi-language options

As a German product being sold in Germany it was important to have both English and German language options and text reflected on the website.
3.

Product features highlighted

Through out the site you can now find product videos and images that accurately show and explain what the MVP can do.
4.

Focus on trust

Trust building was a big emphasis of mine in the brand and website redesign. I made sure to source quotes, show partners, and provide context for what the product does with data and security.
5.

Clear path to conversions

Early on the conversion path was based on collecting user information to agree to a demo call. Now we direct customers to a page that informs them on how to set up their own ivCAMPUS and we convert them to customers via a free trial.
Conclusion

Positive reception and higher conversions

The brand and website redesign garnered a lot of positive reception from stakeholders and potential clients alike. The feedback was so positive and the founders were so impressed they hired me full time early due to my work on the website. We also won the 2021 Digital Champion awards with the new website debuting right before judging and review.

Takeaways and learnings

For the redesign i learned a lot about what my capabilities are as a designer and also how flexible one needs to be when working within new startups. I learned a lot about boundaries within working relationships, for example explaining how it is counter productive for someone off the design or dev team to make changes to the site without me knowing, messing things up, and me having to go in and undo/fix things. I also learned a ton about Webflow and it's capabilities, making it possible to build my own site and brand.
Update: ivicos has since relaunched their brand again Feb 2022, redoing their website and branding. Therefore it will not be possible to see the contributions I made live, but they can be sent upon request.
Website made by me :)
CVLinked INBeHANCE