Practice Group (Internal Project) Case Study: Discovery Phase
Role: Designer
Duration: 5 Weeks (Conducted in Free time)
Output: Discovery, Initial Designs
Background
At AND Digital/Turing, practice groups exist for principals and leaders in design, frontend, tech, product, and delivery sectors. Each club within the organisation maintains its version of these groups, serving as forums for sharing knowledge and insights. This framework promotes professional development and enhances collaboration across disciplines.
The lack of a platform or method for Practice Group leaders to share knowledge resulted in valuable content being frequently lost within numerous Slack posts.
DISCOVER
WHAT ARE TURING/AND DIGITAL DOING Now?
At Turing and AND Digital, the Practice Group conducts internal Google Meet sessions and organises themed "PG Presents" events, where members deliver relevant presentations. Despite these efforts, valuable information shared on Slack can be overlooked due to the volume of posts. Additionally, AND Digital utilises external platforms such as a dedicated blog, LinkedIn updates, talks, and a YouTube channel to extend their thought leadership beyond the company, reinforcing their commitment to digital innovation and community building.
cOMPETITOR RESEARCH
I undertook a research initiative to gather ideas and inspiration on how other companies approach similar challenges. Opting for an open-minded strategy, I explored a broad spectrum of possibilities without immediate dismissal, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding before refining my choices. This research involved a review of websites from various agencies and companies, which provided insights into current industry standards and innovative practices. Additionally, I explored the potential of integrating newsletters and magazines into our strategy, because it was a great and unique way to distribute information.
RESEARCH FEEDBACK SESSION
To address these challenges, I devised a comprehensive UI redesign solution:
Before proceeding with further research and design phases, I engaged in close collaboration with two colleagues from the practice group to evaluate my initial ideas. Together, we meticulously explored all possibilities, delving into the pros and cons I had identified. This collaborative review proved indispensable; not only did it refine our ideas, but it also sparked a pivotal shift in our approach to defining the MVP for the initial stage.
Next steps;
Primarily focus on content distribution.
Additional features such as quizzes, competitions, and other elements are not MVP
Start small – we should opt for something quick and simple - easier to distribute
Consider theme blog styles- change quarterly based on topics (E.g. AI, Data)
DEVELOP
MOODBOARD
I explored a variety of websites to gather inspiration and identify particularly interesting and relevant features. These elements were carefully curated and added to a moodboard to guide the design process.
SKETCHES
Armed with this knowledge, I began creating several sketches and exploring other inspirational content to see how these ideas could be implemented into the practice group website.
HOMEPAGE DEVELOPMENT/ITERATION
Iteration A: The hero section was underwhelming in design flair and needed further refinement.
Iteration B: Although impressive and reminiscent of newspaper websites, there were concerns about the number of articles that could be published quarterly.
Iteration C: This version was favoured because the hero section’s theme, style, and images can be easily updated to reflect different themes. Additionally, there was no major concern about the quantity of articles per quarter, as a maximum of six would be displayed on the homepage.
Iteration A
Iteration B
Iteration C
DELIVER
design system
Here is the initial simple style guide, which aligns with AND Digital's existing design. The selected colours and typefaces are easy to read, visually clear, and meet the standards of the colour contrast checker. Looking ahead, there is an aspiration for the Turing Practice Group to develop its own unique style guide and identity.
CONCLUSION
I had the unique advantage of working an internal project that afforded me the opportunity to thoroughly explore each design concept and engage in in-depth discussions—a luxury seldom available in typical client-driven scenarios. Although the project is currently on pause, the next steps are clear. Once the project gets picked up again, I will collaborate closely with the development team to bring these designs to life, followed by the initiation of the second MVP phase, during which we will conduct comprehensive user research. This iterative approach ensures our designs not only meet but exceed user expectations and business goals.
© 2024 Alisha Bourne