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NC Biotechnology Center Redesign

Results: 
  • Increased traffic to homepage by 50%
  • Decreased bounce rate by 12%
  • Increased use of site navigation by 100%. In baseline tests, 100% of participants went to site search after an average of 4 seconds. After redesign, 100% of participants used only site navigation.
  • Empowered client through training in order to break their dependency on external vendors.
  • Refined identity that resonates with internal & external stakeholders.

Painting the Picture of High-Impact Economic Development Returns

The NC Biotechnology Center is the state's economic engine for this important growing sector. It adds $64 billion & 226,000 total jobs to the state's economy. Ultimately, $1 invested by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center = $103 generated for the state. Seems like a no-brainer that the Center is an economic development powerhouse.

Any of you who have done positioning and branding know that having perceptions seem common sense (a.k.a., "a no-brainer") takes forethought and careful execution. Add to that the challenge of building client staff capacity for web design, web writing, and online storytelling and you've got the stuff that dreams are made of. Working side-by-side with the Center's Corporate Communications department we positioned the Center to bring its (now) common sense story to the world and empowered their staff to take their talent to the web.

Key project goals

  • Tell the Center's story in a compelling new way to affect policy & create more jobs.
  • Revamp site to reflect job-creation mission & align with organization priorities.
  • Increase public understanding of the Center's success and impact on the state.
  • Empower Corporate Communications team to become skilled web practitioners.
Challenges: 

research and analysis example screens

  • The Biotech Center needs to clarify its purpose & identity both for internal and external stakeholders.
  • Center’s goal is to increase public understanding of its work & clarify its role in job creation and economic development.
  • Current information architecture of the site reflects internal organizational structure more than audiences’ mental models.
  • Center’s leadership wants to develop new ways to tell the Center’s story that resonate with a variety of audiences.
  • Internal Corporate Communications team is well versed in traditional media, but not as confident in web-based media.
Solution: 

sampling of IA

  • Undertook a full website research and discovery effort including internal stakeholder interviews, user research, Google Analytics review & competitive analysis with extensive participation from Biotech Center staff.
  • Created new site information architecture, wireframes, mood boards and design comps.
  • Recrafted central identity for the Center that speaks to diverse audiences.
  • Developed new site in open source Drupal environment, to allow for future plans of supporting online intellectual exchange groups.
  • Performed extensive in-house training for Corporate Communications staff on website design, writing for the web, and taking charge of the design process.