Deepwater Wind

2018 WEB DESIGN

In 2018, Deepwater Wind approached Duffy and Shanley to undergo the tremendous task of creating a new website. At the time, their current website was both dated and unnecessarily large, making it hard for users to visually digest and navigate. As the lead digital designer, I led the UX process to create a cohesive site architecture and the UI process to implement a visual system that better reflected their brand. While I worked on most of the front-end development, another developer was eventually brought on to work on the backend and deployment of the website.

Site Map

Based on the insights gained from the initial content audit, competitor analyzes and card sorts, I created a sitemap for Deepwaterwind in order to visualize the connections between pages and content.

Wireframes

I first created user flows to explore pathways users would take on the website. The user flows lays out the user's movement through the product by mapping out each and every step the user takes—from entry point right through to the final interaction. I created fidelity wireframes for desktop, tablet, and mobile in order to both assess and establish content hierarchy.

Visual Designs

I created a strategic mood board to set Deepwater Wind Inn apart from its competitors while leaning into its brand truth; focusing on Deepwater Wind’s commitment to sustainable energy practices and being an innovator within the energy industry. We created a visual tone that is bold, friendly, and modern conveyed through the use of cool tones and premium photography. I created a style guide ready for developer hand-off.

Design Decisions

  • I developed their visual tone as bold, friendly, and modern.

  • I applied cool colors to reflect the colors of the ocean.

  • I created simple UI elements to highlight content effectively.

  • I used typographic hierarchy and variation to lead the user’s eyes through content while creating visual interest.

DWW Brand Style Guide Template_Cover.png
DWW Brand Style Guide Template_Typography copy.png
DWW Brand Style Guide Template_Colors copy.png
DWW Brand Style Guide Template_Brand - Logo.png
DWW Brand Style Guide Template_Typography.png
DWW Brand Style Guide Template_Typography copy 2.png
DWW Brand Style Guide Template_Colors.png

Conclusion

Content auditing and site mapping played a key role in restructuring the Deepwater Wind website. In doing so, pages were consolidated and content was arranged for efficiency. Insights from user interviews also led to design solutions addressing user needs. However, it may have been possible to arrive at the same conclusion more efficiently by developing more thorough interview questions. Through this experience, I’ve gained insights into how I might conduct more effective interviews in the future.

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