Open Access
Open Access Limited is a Canadian independent provider of group retirement services and pension plans, operating since 1997. They specialize in offering group retirement savings plans that are easy to understand and administer, managed by professional portfolio managers to ensure optimal outcomes for employees.
Role
Visual Designer,
UX Designer,
Multimedia Designer
Year
2020
Industry
Finance
Duration
1 year
The Why?
Open Access Ltd.’s current website is outdated due to several factors. It has a non-responsive design that doesn’t adapt well to mobile devices, an outdated visual style with old design elements like gradients or low-resolution images, outdated navigation, and poor SEO performance, all of which contribute to a subpar user experience. Additionally, the absence of modern accessibility features and competitor websites with more modern designs and better functionality make Open Access Ltd. feel that their site is no longer competitive.
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A modern design aligns with current web design trends, which are crucial for making a positive first impression. Outdated visuals such as old fonts, low-resolution images, or cluttered pages can make a company appear out of touch. A clean, minimalist design with updated branding elements helps establish trust and reinforces the company’s professional image. This is particularly important for Open Access Ltd. as they offer financial and retirement services, where professionalism and trustworthiness are paramount.
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Modern websites often include interactive elements that engage users more effectively. Features such as retirement calculators, live chat support, and personalized client portals make it easier for clients to access services and get answers to their questions in real-time. Open Access Ltd. could benefit from incorporating these types of features to improve customer interaction, which would lead to higher engagement and client satisfaction.
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With an increasing focus on inclusivity, Open Access Ltd. might want to ensure their website meets accessibility standards, such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). Modernizing the site to accommodate users with disabilities (e.g., providing alternative text for images, improving color contrast, and enabling keyboard navigation) makes the website more accessible and ensures that the company is meeting legal and ethical obligations.
Challenges
It’s crucial to maintain the integrity of Open Access Ltd.’s brand identity. Striking the right balance between a contemporary design and the company’s established brand guidelines can be difficult, particularly if the brand elements (such as logo, color palette, or typography) need to be updated to align with new design choices.
Ensuring the website is fully responsive and provides a seamless experience across various devices and screen sizes can be a challenge, particularly if the current design was not optimized for mobile. This requires meticulous testing across different devices and browsers to ensure that the layout and functionality remain intact.
After the website is redesigned, Open Access Ltd. may need to educate both internal teams and clients on how to use new features or navigate the updated site. This can involve providing training materials or even live demonstrations. Ensuring that everyone feels comfortable with the changes can take time and effort.
As features and design elements are added to make the website more interactive and engaging, it’s crucial to ensure that the website remains fast and doesn’t suffer from performance issues, such as long loading times.
Learnings/Solutions
Learned how to balance clean, modern design with user-centric features like clear, easy-to-navigate financial tools (retirement calculators, investment guides) while ensuring the site’s professional tone aligns with the financial industry’s expectations.
Considering Open Access Ltd.’s target audience may include older adults or people with disabilities, I focused on making financial information accessible. This includes ensuring proper color contrast for readability, adding alt text to images and charts, and ensuring that interactive elements are accessible via keyboard or screen readers.
Open Access Ltd.'s site may require complex features like retirement calculators, financial planning tools, and live chat support. I learned how to work closely with developers to integrate these features into the site while ensuring they remain functional, responsive, and visually aligned with the design, especially considering the complexity of financial data visualization.
