Content Strategy & Information Architecture
Monigle contracted me to assist with Vertex Pharmaceutical's corporate global site redesign. The redesign was to be modern and showcase a more conversational tone that focused on the company's scientific innovation and their dedication to improving patient's lives. My role was to evaluate and redesign the entire information architecture as well as outline the overall content strategy goals for the new website.Team: Monigle (Denver, CO)
Date: March 2020 - Feb 2021
Role: Content Strategist
Collaborated With: Senior UX/UI Designer, Digital Project Managers, Director of Verbal Expression, Client Lead Copywriter, Client Associate Director of Brand & Digital Communications, other client stakeholders
Tools Used: InVision, Office Suite, Miro
Challenges:
- Information Architecture: Total content analysis and restructuring the IA of a large pharmaceutical company's website
- Conduct industry specific research to determine content placement and strategy
- Ensure user journey flows across the site are intuitive and informative
Deliverables:
- Robust content outline with over 75 individual pages of content mapped out
- Sitemap with updated navigation options
- User journey maps
- Research presentations on industry standards
Content Architecture & Page Navigation:
Design Challenge WorkflowOne of the biggest challenges with the site redesign was the content architecture of the navigation and the page content. The navigation was inconsistent and information was often buried under sub-navigation tabs. There was also a large amount of content that was repeated under various navigation sections which lead to a very confusing and repetitive user experience.
- 1
Background / Challenge
Business Goals:
- Streamline site content architecture for better UX
- Focus on specific user journeys when crafting nav flows
User Goals:- Make content easy to find and in one central location rather than scattered across multiple nav sections
- Reduce flow so specific users find the necessary info they're seeking much faster
2Approach / Solution
- The first step I took was to condense the overall content architecture by reducing sub-navigation tabs and removing multiple instances of the repeated content pages
- I conducted in-depth research to compare content architecture on other pharma company sites in order to determine industry-wide standards
- Once the content was grouped and condensed based on subject, I crafted three user journeys based on the main user types who visit the site (job seekers, investors, doctors) as supplied by the client
- Using those journeys, I created a new, updated content architecture for the main nav and subnav as well as updated sitemaps for the entire site.
- Working closely with the lead designer, we developed a new menu style to better approach the new navigation
3Data / Results
- Client was very satisfied with overall sitemap and utilized my industry research for multiple other decisions
- New nav fit seamlessly in redesign specs and was approved by client top level execs
- The number of steps in user flows was greatly reduced, resulting in much less time for users to find needed info, which also should reflect better user bounce rates once site is launched
Scroll through the images below to view delivered user journeys and a comparison of the current navigation and my accepted redesign.
Expected Site Launch Date: Fall 2021By the numbers:
42 > 19
Number of sub-navigation tabs
before and after redesign39.96%
Traffic increase over a three month after new site launched