- XD.
- Asana.
- Octopus.
- Miro.
- Wordpress
January – November 2022 (11 Months).
This website redesign project for Net Zero Technology Centre was a client collaboration with Hatched London.
As UX/UI Designer, I collaborated with 2 Designers, 1 Developer, a Project Manager, and a Design Director.
The Net Zero Technology Centre’s digital platform needed a transformation to better reflect its leadership in energy innovation. The existing site fell short in user engagement and clarity, limiting its ability to effectively communicate the Centre’s mission and cutting-edge projects to stakeholders.
Despite challenges, we transformed NZTC’s digital platform with a focus on improving user engagement, content clarity, and accessibility, ensuring the platform better reflected NZTC’s mission and innovation.
We successfully redesigned and launched the NZTC website, enhancing its functionality and receiving positive feedback from stakeholders. We are now tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the impact of the redesign.
The Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) is a non-profit driving the transition to a net-zero energy future through technology innovation, clean energy solutions, and industry collaboration.
The Net Zero Technology Centre is dedicated to developing and deploying technologies for an affordable net-zero energy industry. By co-investing with industry and collaborating with public and private sectors, the Centre funds R&D, drives investment, and shapes policy to accelerate the transition and close the gap in net-zero technologies.
The challenge was to simplify a complex digital journey, making the NZTC website more accessible and engaging for a diverse audience. By focusing on user needs and intuitive navigation, we aimed to create a seamless experience that aligns with NZTC’s mission and drives greater engagement across its various digital touchpoints.
Due to time constraints, we relied on internal workshops and insights from the earlier “Internal Interrogation” sessions instead of conducting a full user research study. While tools like Hotjar and Google Analytics were considered, we focused on competitor audits and internal feedback to guide the redesign, ensuring we addressed the needs of NZTC’s diverse visitors.
Technology Developer (Established): Seeking opportunities to submit project ideas for evaluation by NZTC to secure funding or collaboration.
Research Organisation (University): Aims to determine how NZTC collaborates with academic institutions on research projects and innovation.
Technology Developer (Start-up): Intends to apply for funding and support as part of the TechX accelerator program.
Prospect Partner (Energy Operator): Investigates whether NZTC can support their net zero targets through innovative projects and technology solutions.
Government (Minister): Needs to monitor the allocation of funding provided to NZTC and assess the overall impact on energy and environmental goals.
Existing Partner (Industry Service Provider): Monitors the progress of ongoing collaborative projects with NZTC to ensure objectives are met and to explore future opportunities.
Based on our findings, we developed assumption-based personas and detailed user journeys. These personas guided our redesign strategy, ensuring the new site effectively caters to the varied needs of NZTC’s audience.
Before the redesign, we identified several key usability issues through a heuristic evaluation of the old site. These included a cluttered design, poor information hierarchy, inconsistent visuals, and complicated navigation. These pain points highlighted the need for a more streamlined, user-friendly experience, which became central to the redesign.
The previous site design suffered from a lack of spacing between elements, which led to a cramped, overwhelming experience for users.
Each section is packed with too much information, often without clear hierarchy. There’s no breathing room, which reduces readability and the effectiveness of communicating content.
The previous site design felt cramped due to insufficient spacing, with sections overloaded with information and lacking clear hierarchy. This cluttered layout reduced readability and hindered effective content communication.
The image backgrounds in each content module aligned with brand guidelines but didn’t resize well, causing text and visuals to become unbalanced. The Bento-box design cluttered navigation, overwhelming users with too many elements at once.
The old site overcrowded options in limited space, making it difficult for users to find key information. The solution centre, case studies, and program showcases were buried under multiple clicks, with minimal preview details to assist navigation.
In the sketching and wireframing phase, we translated our research insights and sitemaps into tangible designs. This stage allowed us to explore different layouts and user flows, ensuring that the structure of each page would guide users intuitively toward their goals. By iterating on these wireframes, we refined the visual and interactive elements, setting a strong foundation for the final design.
Our design system ensures a seamless, cohesive experience across all digital platforms by unifying visual elements, interactions, and design patterns. This standardization aligns with NZTC’s brand identity and usability goals, creating a consistent and intuitive interface for all users.
The redesigned NZTC website has garnered positive internal feedback, reflecting improved alignment with the diverse needs of its user base. While further data is needed for a comprehensive evaluation, early responses indicate a more intuitive and engaging platform that better serves NZTC’s varied audience.
Prioritize Human-Centered Design.
Always begin by understanding the user’s needs. This approach leads to more effective solutions rather than treating evaluations as mere checklists.
Focus on Cost-Effective Research.
After the project, I explored budget-friendly tools like Microsoft Clarity and conducted prototype testing with real users. Even with limited resources, these methods significantly improve redesign outcomes.
Maintain Consistent Branding.
It’s crucial to align redesign efforts with the client’s brand identity to ensure the final product is cohesive and resonates with the target audience.
The redesigned website is now live and has received enthusiastic approval from the NZTC team. Explore the enhanced features and user experience by visiting the site here.
