Xanadu Group
DISCLAIMER
Overview
Xanadu Group, a collective of innovative organisations based in Australia, endeavours to provide inspired and straightforward solutions to business and personal challenges across various industries.
From disability care services to technology solutions, Xanadu Group's brands cover a wide spectrum of offerings. In line with their commitment to innovation and user-centric solutions, Xanadu Group prioritises enhancing their website's user experience by efficiently showcasing their diverse brands without cluttering the main landing page. The goal is to create a visually appealing and user-friendly interface that facilitates easy navigation to desired destinations, while succinctly representing each brand.
The primary task, and challenge presented was the time restriction for this project, where a redesign of segments of the Xanadu Group's website, as well as a presentation of the design solution, was to be offered to stakeholders within a single day. This limited the ability to conduct in-depth UX research and follow the typical UX design process. The key stakeholder objective was to ensure the final product was visually appealing, and had a user-friendly interface that effectively showcased the diverse range of Xanadu Group's brands while also delivering an easy to navigate and accessible page for all users.
Design Process
Double Diamond
Agile Scrum
Design Thinking
Lean UX
Rapid Prototyping
User-Centered Design (UCD)
My Role
UX / UI designer & researcher
Wireframe designer
Prototype designer
Tools Used
Figma
Slack
Challenges
The main challenge in this project was the limited timeframe, which hindered the ability to conduct comprehensive UX research and perform multiple design iterations. An additional challenge due to time limitations was balancing the need for a visually appealing design with ensuring accessibility for all users.
Team Values
Collaboration
Efficiency
Adaptability
User-Centric
Accountability
Innovative
Accessibility
Constraints
Tight deadline: One day to complete research, design, and presentation.
Limited resources: Restricted budget, manpower, and access to specialised tools.
Stakeholder expectations: Balancing stakeholder demands with project constraints.
Technical limitations: Compatibility issues or technical constraints.
Accessibility standards: Ensuring designs are accessible within the short timeframe.
Research Objectives
Identify pain points and usability issues with the current website design.
Understand user preferences and expectations when interacting with brand representations on the main landing page.
Explore best practices for creating accessible and user-friendly interfaces.
Gain insights into the target audience's demographics, preferences, and behaviors.
Market Research Summary
Companies avoid cluttering websites by showcasing all brands in a single section.
Successful websites prioritise user experience with clear navigation.
Interactive features enhance user engagement and exploration.
Accessibility is increasingly important for inclusive design.
Competition drives continuous website refinement.
Mobile responsiveness is crucial for accommodating diverse user devices.
Effective brand representation contributes to brand recognition.
Relevant, high-quality content boosts user engagement.
Opportunities
Streamline brand representation on the main landing page to reduce clutter and improve visual hierarchy.
Implement interactive features such as hover interactions to enhance user engagement and ease of navigation.
Incorporate accessibility features to ensure inclusivity for users with disabilities.
Utilise user-centered design principles to create a seamless and intuitive browsing experience.
Personas
Creating a persona was crucial for ensuring a user-centered design approach, allowing me to empathise with the target audience and tailor solutions to their needs. It helped align design decisions with project goals, resulting in a more intuitive and effective website interface that prioritised user satisfaction and engagement.
How Might We
Initial Wireframes
How Might We
How might we streamline brand representation on the main landing page to reduce clutter?
How might we enhance user engagement and navigation through interactive features?
How might we ensure accessibility for users with disabilities without compromising design aesthetics?
How might we design a user-friendly interface that caters to the diverse needs and preferences of our target audience?
Initial Wireframes
The initial wireframes served as a creative spark to ignite the imagination to develop a solution that encompassed all the insights gleaned from our research, while meeting the diverse needs of the users. These wireframes were crafted with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that each design element was carefully considered to enhance the overall user experience. By iteratively refining the wireframes, the aim was to create a cohesive and intuitive interface that provided seamless navigation and effectively communicated the brand identities.
Throughout the process, the focus remained on delivering a solution that not only met, but exceeded user expectations, ultimately resulting in a design that was both functional and visually appealing.
Improving On Ideas
In reaching the final design solution for the rotating menu selection, various layout options were assessed, with a focus on the impact to user experience. After thorough consideration, the concept of a rotating menu, envisioning users hovering over each option to reveal more information, was selected.
This choice streamlined navigation while injecting interactivity. Through iterative design refinements, the layout and functionality was optimised to ensure a seamless experience. Following some discussions with stakeholders and minor design changes, agreement was reached for the final design.
Style Guide / Assets
A style guide for the Xanadu Group website was created with the support of their graphic designer, where ideas and suggestions were brainstormed to improve user navigation. By establishing a consistent style guide, any future additions or changes to the website would have a cohesive look and feel, which simplifies the user navigation process maintains the immersive seamless website view. As Xanadu Group continues to grow, these assets will help ensure a professional and unified online presence.
Final Design
Once the design was agreed upon, the focus shifted to adding all necessary detail, and deciding on company logos for home screen presentation. Working closely with the graphic designer, we collaborated to ensure the logos were integrated seamlessly into the layout, and matched the website and company aesthetic. Additionally, the final design incorporated images that would fit neatly into the rotating menu and central circle, enhancing the overall visual appeal for users. Through careful coordination and attention to detail, the final delivered design effectively showcased the brands while maintaining a sleek and user-friendly interface.
Card Design
The card design developed featured a straightforward and tidy layout, focused on showcasing the company logo, a brief summary, and a representative image for each brand. When users hover over a card, they can swiftly access a summary of the brand. Crucially, the cards were designed with simplicity in mind, allowing users with accessibility needs to easily read the summaries without requiring additional clicks. This approach ensured that all users can quickly grasp key information about each brand, contributing to a more inclusive and user-friendly experience.
Staff Page
On the staff page, each team member is showcased with their name and photo. To enhance clarity, a small circle was incorporated beneath each photo, indicating the company the staff worked for. This feature is particularly helpful when using the filter option, as each brand is assigned a distinct colour. By aligning the colours with the respective brands, users can easily identify which staff members are associated with each company, streamlining navigation and improving user experience.
Final Design
What's Next?
The next steps for the project involve conducting usability testing to gather feedback from users and stakeholders. This feedback will be invaluable in identifying areas for further design improvement.
Additionally, the refining and optimising of the website based on user feedback and emerging trends in UX/UI design will be an ongoing process. It is essential to ensure the website remains accessible and responsive across different devices and screen sizes.
Finally, ongoing collaboration with the Xanadu Group team will be crucial in implementing any necessary changes and ensuring the website continues to meet the organisation's goals and objectives.
