HiRO
My Role
UX Researcher
Lead UX Designer
Lead UI Designer
Prototyper
Duration
1.5 Months with Team
2.5 Months as Solo
Team
Elizabeth H.
Zaneta G.
Robert H.
Xochitl P.
Tools
Figma/Figjam
Zoom
Google Suite
Slack
Overview
Who is HiRO?
HiRO, a veteran-owned startup specializing in US Government contracting, prioritizes tailored solutions for government agencies, emphasizing integrity and client-specific service delivery. Their focus on advanced Cloud infrastructure, Managed IT Services, secure Weapons transactions, Logistics, and Transportation brokering, aligns with their vision for expanding into biotech and biodefense opportunities.
Scope of Work
HiRO enlisted our team to update their website ahead of their scheduled visit to Washington D.C. on April 18th, 2023. Our main objective centered on redesigning specific sections, namely Logistics and Transportation, alongside Weapons and Arms Brokering, to ensure a refined online presence for their upcoming event.
We aimed to achieve 2 primary objectives with the website update:
Establish HiRO as an esteemed industry leader and a reliable partner.
Showcase HiRO's comprehensive range of services, emphasizing expertise in Logistics and Weapons & Arms.
Goals:
To reach our goals, we chose to redesign the homepage by adding interactive elements and buttons. This would not only make the website look better but also make it simpler for users to move around and find different sections.
Design Strategy:
By April 18th, HiRO agreed that we could manage the remaining tasks independently. They recognized the time constraints and acknowledged the potential use of our designs in the future.
Implementation:
Our team effectively redesigned HiRO's website, concentrating on enhancing the Logistics and Transportation, and Weapons and Arms Brokering sections. We crafted an interactive homepage highlighting HiRO's full range of services, emphasizing their expertise in these fields. Looking ahead, HiRO has the capability to manage the remaining tasks independently, with the option to utilize our designs as necessary.
Outcomes:
Discover
Users need a way to efficiently find clear and easily accessible information on all of HiRO’s services, policies, and pricing so that they can feel confident that HiRO is a trustworthy company capable of meeting their business needs and one they can consider doing business with.
Problem
… optimize the company's website design to build trust with users and make it easy to navigate?
… make users feel that the company is credible upon entering the website?
So How Might We:
Our target audience includes individuals in procurement roles or those experienced in sourcing logistics, web services, or bulk items for their companies. This choice allowed us to gain a comprehensive understanding of how users select companies for business engagements.
Here are the top 5 key takeaways from our user interviews:
Efficient Interactions: Users highly value smooth and streamlined experiences.
Communication Value: Regular updates and effective communication are crucial.
Human Connection: Building trust through personal interactions is vital.
Proactive Relations: Businesses that offer incentives create value.
Credibility & Trust: Trust is influenced by trusted sources and impactful design.
These insights guide our understanding of user preferences and expectations, steering us toward developing a user-centered approach.
User Interviews
Competitive and Comparative Analysis
We conducted a Competitive and Comparative Analysis to identify areas for improvement on HiRO's website. This analysis helped us align with industry standards and practices. Focusing on HiRO's three distinct sectors and their Cloud services, we strategically chose to analyze websites from companies in the Weapons & Arms/Defense and Logistics & Transportation domains.
All 6 companies had the same key features:
"Who We Are"
"Contact Us"
Search Bar
Social Media Platform links
All 6 companies had the same key features:
"Who We Are"
"Contact Us"
"Services/Products"
Define
We began by carefully examining HiRO's current site map to understand their needs and spot any missing elements. This detailed analysis helped us find areas for improvement and set a strong base for our design work. It was crucial in aligning our strategy with HiRO's goals, guaranteeing that the new website would precisely meet their needs and objectives.
Our user interviews highlighted essential elements missing on HiRO's website. To tackle this, we took a strategic step by redesigning the site map. We meticulously crafted this new structure, combining insights from our Competitive Analysis, User Interviews, and industry standards. Our goal was to create a website that not only filled the gaps but also met user expectations, boosting HiRO's online presence and engagement.
Style Guide
I led the creation of HiRO's detailed style guide and heavily contributed to designing most UI elements. Using this guide, I maintained consistency across our designs, resulting in a smooth and visually pleasing user experience. This method not only built HiRO's distinct look but also boosted usability and the overall design aesthetics.
In selecting HiRO's primary colors—Black, Blue, and White—consideration was given to their psychological impact. Interestingly, HiRO's competitors also utilize this color scheme for similar purposes.
The choice of Blue, Black, and White serves a specific purpose for HiRO. Blue represents trust and reliability, instilling a sense of security in users. Black conveys power and sophistication, reflecting HiRO's strong presence and expertise. Meanwhile, White symbolizes purity and simplicity, suggesting transparency and clarity in HiRO's offerings.
The strategic use of these colors aims to evoke specific emotions and perceptions among users. HiRO intends to establish a robust and meaningful connection by engendering feelings of trustworthiness, authority, and integrity through its color scheme.
Wireframes
Develop & Deliver
Usability Testing
Task 1 experienced a significant 148% increase (equivalent to a 3.7-click increase), while Task 2 encountered a notable 45.28% decrease (equating to a 4.8-click reduction).
The contrasting factor between Round 1 and Round 2 was the utilization of wireframes.
Round 1 utilized Low-Fi wireframes.
Round 2 utilized Hi-Fi wireframes.
A notable observation from user behavior in Round 1 was that users encountered fewer distractions from the text and images. In contrast, Round 2 demonstrated more active engagement, with users clicking through the site.
Prototype
For the Prototype:
Scenario 1: You're on the hunt for a new logistics partner to cater to your company's distribution needs. Seeking a provider that can efficiently manage transportation, distribution, and supply chain operations to support your growing business.
Task 1:
1. Search the HiRO website and decide if they are a credible source you’d like to receive logistics services from.
Scenario 2: As a defense contractor for the U.S. government, you're seeking a new weapons and arms supplier. Your goal is to find a reliable partner that meets strict regulations, ensures top quality, and can meet timely demands for government contracts.
Task 2:
1. Search the HiRO website and decide if they are a credible source you’d like to do business with.
Key Takeaways:
➡️ Weapons + Arms page: Because of security and compliance reasons, our team had restricted access to information about HiRO's supplied Weapons & Arms to the US Government. This limitation resulted in content gaps. I'm excited about the prospect of future collaborations, aiming to collect more detailed information to enhance the website content in this aspect.
➡️ Unconstructed Pages: Pages such as News, Capabilities, and Certification hold significant importance in boosting HiRO's credibility and providing comprehensive information. Prioritizing the development of these pages is crucial to fill content gaps and offer visitors a deeper understanding of HiRO's achievements, industry involvement, and certifications.
➡️ Iterate and Improve: The mantra remains constant—iterations are crucial! Continual refinement and improvement are essential for delivering an exceptional user experience.
