Giving an Economic Consulting Firm a Macro-Level Website Makeover
Robert D. Niehaus, Inc. Website Design & Development
OVERVIEW
Established in 1983, Robert D. Niehaus, Inc. (RDN) began sharing their analytical abilities to provide comprehensive and accurate economic analysis, forecasting, and planning for private & government entities. They specialize in conducting regional and resource economic analysis and market research for government organizations, private individuals, and institutions.
RDN needed a website that would give potential clients and employees a macro level overview of what they did.
Discovery
RDN came to us with a website that was outdated, wordy and stale. There was the fear that their current website failed to clearly explain what they do in a way that allowed visitors to understand the value their firm provides. They wanted to reshape the perceptions of their company online with an informative website that was pleasing to the eye and enjoyable to view.
In order to provide RDN with a focused and attractive website, we spent time with their team defining key goals and action items for the new site.
One goal we identified during this discovery phase was that they wanted to stand apart from other consulting site by making their website feel more dynamic and engaging so people would want to stay on the site, click around, and read their reports. A second goal we discussed was the importance of setting the site up to be an impactful recruiting tool that would leave potential employees with a positive impression of their firm.
before
UX Strategy
Once we concluded the discovery phase, the next step was to plan and define the information architecture of the site. Once the site architecture was solidified, we moved onto creating wireframes (which serve as our blueprints to build the site in the next phase). Wireframes allowed us to easily define the user journey.
One key area of focus during the wireframing phase was how to keep the user journey moving forward. We achieved this by ending pages with prominent CTAs that encouraged visitors to take the next logical step in their journey.
Build
Once we architected, tested, and approved the framework, we started building out the new website. In order to give the site a modern look, we utilized a harmonious balance of whitespace, striking visual imagery, and typographical styling to accentuate the value propositions offered by RDN.
Furthermore, to ensure the overall messaging of the site was direct, concise, and professional, we emphasized important information with bold applications of their branded color palatte to enhance the visual organization and increase the chance of conversion.
Once the design phase was completed, we dove into coding their custom site upon the WordPress CMS platform. Structured to allow RDN to easily update the content on the site in the future, we developed the custom backend to be intuitive to use. As an added bonus, during development, we implemented subtle animations into the site to give it added polish and appeal.
Test & Launch
After months of hard work and preparation, we were ready for launch. Thorough testing on multiple browsers and devices made us confident the site was ready to be live.
RDN elected to host their site through us, which made setting up the live environment go smoothly. After creating a launch plan and ensuring all the pieces were in place, the domain was pointed and the site was made live to the world. After months of hard work and preparation, everyone was able to sit back and proudly scroll through the beautiful new website.
Closing Thoughts
Seeing what the Robert D. Niehaus, Inc. website was like when the project started, and proudly observing what the site is like now leaves us feeling proud of the online turnaround we were able to create. With a site that is built to impress prospective clients and employees, RDN can now be confident they are putting their best foot forward.
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