CHALLENGE:

“Clients don’t fully realize all the components we can and do produce.” // ABC Group is a global automotive manufacturing company. They team up with brands such as Ford, Alpha Romeo, Chrysler and more to manufacture leading edge plastic components for their vehicles. Many potential clients don’t know ABC Group is a global company, what they can produce, nor how they produce it.

SOLUTION:

The existing website housed a lot of redundant information, and key information is buried inside the site. Using analytics, we can identify what information we should highlight. Using user personas, we can understand the target market and design the website to them. Using existing VR infrastructure, we can position ABC Group as a cutting edge leader in the industry.

RESULTS:

The website displays information clearly and concisely. This lead existing partners to discover growth opportunities with ABC Group, and partnered to manufacture new components in collaboration with in-house industrial designers. Every department saw a rise in client projects, including the tool making sector where they engineer custom machinery to produce unique automotive components. In addition, the number of new client proposals grew and the leadership team evolved to manage the influx of work opportunities.

While acting as the lead graphic designer for 37 global locations, I managed a junior designer, lead the redesign of the global corporate website, and set a benchmark for future marketing materials as stated by my supervising director.

For the user personas, I relied on archetypes and tied it back to the company.

Archetype:

The Rebel: Questions authority & breaks the rules. ABC Group disrupts the industry & finds innovative ways to optimize. In ways previously thought impossible.

The Creator: Imaginative, inventive & driven to build things of enduring meaning and value. ABC Group thinks outside the box, builds their own tools, and challenges themselves to achieve innovative solutions to complex problems.

The Explorer: Finds inspiration in travel, risk, discovery & thrill of new experiences. ABC Group implemented a virtual tour of their showroom, & designed an interactive VR space. In which, a user can interact with a 3D animated model car that showcases all the components ABC Group is able to manufacture.

 

THE DESIGN

For this project, I wanted to use programs such as Sketch, Invision, Flinto or other similar programs to build this website. Instead, the company had rights to the Adobe Suite, so I used that.

Before AdobeXD came out, I had to use Photoshop to build this website. Photoshop works with pixels, and so does a website. Therefore, it was the obvious choice to build in.

Often times, you would see me sketching in my notebook. Doodling away possible layouts and functionalities. In these sketches, you can see modules that are now housed on the home page, careers page, and products page. The doodles are accompanied by notes of how to improve.

These preliminary sketches evolved into final layouts. Some sketched modules look similar to the final product and others don’t.

 
Home Page

While designing this website, I acted as a project manager.

I worked with developers, copywriters, 3D-animators, and the department head.

Using the colours of the logo to set the tone, we decided to go in a modern corporate direction.

The design is clean and offers a lot of information that doesn't require the user to endlessly scroll.

The homepage featured an interactive 3D model of a car, under “Our Products” that showcased the components ABC Group manufactured.

The car in the header is an example of what you would expect in that section.

Navigating through this website was relatively simple as the homepage showcased a lot of high fidelity information.

 
Capabilities Page

During the design process, I had to change my format style to appease the developers.

Since I am familiar with several different mockup programs and styles, I was able to adhere to their requests.

This page shows the grid I was working with to ensure the developers were able to follow it. Through back and fourth communication, we were able to achieve the design we were going for.

 
Products Page

The products page showcased the 3D car that highlighted all the products ABC Group manufactured.

Users can read an in-depth synopsis of the product, and cycle through images.

This page has a sub nav where users can navigate to micro pages.

 
Suppliers Page

Keeping in theme of the rest of the site, similar modules are used throughout.

I used Adobe Illustrator to make the icons, which the executive team complimented saying I “set a new bar” for the design department.

You may recognize the PDF section from the sketches. Initially this module was designed for the career page. However, it worked better for this content.

 
Career Page

Again, to preserve the theme throughout the website, similar modules are used.

Unfortunately, I don’t have examples of the About Page or Contact page. Though, you are able to navigate the live site here: abcgroup.ca

 

As the lead graphic designer for this company, I designed ads, infographics, and edited videos for the company. Below are examples of ads and infographics.

Click to scroll