Creating a design, development, and content strategy framework for Dow's web ecosystem.
Project Overview
When our team began working with Dow, one of our first tasks was to consolidate dozens of business and country sites from diverse environments into a new, unified CMS developed by a previous agency. Prior site design initiatives for Dow needed more guidance on organizing information or utilizing CMS components effectively. Our task was not merely to migrate and update these sites to the new CMS but also to establish consistent brand and design patterns across the board, ensuring cohesion and ease of information access for implementation outside our internal team.
My Role
Collaborating with our UX director, I developed the framework by driving this project's design. My responsibilities spanned a wide range of activities, including engaging stakeholders, crafting content strategy, and information architecture throughout the project's lifespan. I was also deeply involved in designing and documenting the framework, ensuring it met technical and user-centric benchmarks.
Solution
We devised a comprehensive framework that functioned as a set of operational guidelines for migrating and creating Dow's digital properties and as a user-friendly manual for site construction. This framework comprised detailed page templates and sitemap creation guides that promoted a clear, logical flow of information. Our collaborative approach involved multiple disciplines and teams to combine strategic insight with practical design solutions. This process facilitated a streamlined, intuitive method for organizing content, significantly enhancing the usability of Dow's digital assets.
Approach
Before creating the framework, our team worked on several site builds/migrations. These included migrating several country and business sites that Dow saw as key sites that required migration first. While these initial sites took longer to develop, they were pivotal in laying down the benchmarks to build the framework. After working on the first few migrations, it was clear that patterns were emerging in content, page usage, and design across sites. We decided to build a framework after the initial site migrations to create guidelines around these patterns and ensure consistency for future migrations.
Documentation
Detailed documentation on the frameworks' usage ensures that client product owners and subject matter experts understand the requirements for providing content. Before launch, I led a workshop and walkthrough to educate clients on utilizing the framework best, which our team also recorded in a separate webinar format for future review. During each site implementation, our team worked alongside each client during a site build or migration, contributing to the successful outcomes of each build.
Implementation
The deployment of Dow's CMS framework was a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach, integrating strategy and design in a seamless end-to-end process. From initial intake and stakeholder meetings to design execution and quality assurance, our methodology ensured a coherent and effective implementation.
Intake
Stakeholder Collaboration: Worked closely with account and project management teams to gather detailed requirements and objectives from clients.
Requirement Analysis: Initiated the project by understanding and defining the client's needs, ensuring alignment with the overarching site strategy, and setting clear expectations for the final deliverables.
Discovery
Research and Analysis: Collaborated with SEO, analytics, and technical teams to conduct thorough research and validate our approach.
Competitive Analysis: Investigated competitor solutions and market standards to ensure our approach was innovative and competitive.
Client Interaction: Engaged with clients to refine our understanding and adjust our strategy based on their feedback and emerging insights.
Strategy & Design
Information Architecture: Developed detailed user flows and sitemaps to outline how users interact with the site, ensuring a user-friendly experience.
Strategic Planning: Focused on structuring site content and information in a way that was logical and optimized for user engagement.
Comprehensive Design Process: Led the complete design process, from crafting wireframes and mockups to finalizing visual assets.
Tool Utilization: Utilized Axure for interaction-heavy prototypes and Sketch/Invision for more static pages, ensuring high fidelity in design outcomes.
Development
Technical Collaboration: Worked closely with the development teams in Boston and Costa Rica to ensure designs met functional requirements.
Quality Assurance: Conducted rigorous QA sessions to ensure the final product faithfully represented the designed interfaces and met all functional requirements.
Project Outcomes
Successful Deployemnts
The initiative culminated in successfully launching 53 sites, achieved through a concerted effort with Dow's business units, country-specific teams, and key stakeholders. This extensive collaboration ensured that each site was optimally aligned with localized needs while maintaining a coherent global brand presence.
Consistency of Brand Identity
In developing Dow's consistency of brand identity, we ensured that business units and country sites maintained a unified design language, which streamlined the brand experience across various regions. Additionally, we implemented a uniform site structure and template system that standardized the placement and format of key content areas, including product, application, sustainability, and career pages, ensuring a cohesive and intuitive user experience across all sites.
Innovations and Enhancements
Establishing a baseline allowed our team to shift our focus toward further enhancements and innovations. Leveraging this framework, we developed and integrated 28 new tools and templates, significantly improving operational efficiency and user experience across Dow's digital landscape. Key innovations included the Resource Finder, Wall Builder, and Dealer Locator—tools central to Dow's client interaction.
Flexibility and Brand Customization
Similar to enhancements, the framework also helped facilitate the redesign of several non-branded Dow product sites, including ActiveSense, Intellifresh, and Great Stuff. These launches demonstrated the framework's flexibility and scalability in supporting new site builds for Dow's offerings outside its core branding.
Conclusion
This comprehensive implementation streamlined Dow's digital presence and set a new standard for how Dow approaches website management. The successful deployment of the CMS and accompanying tools has paved the way for future collaboration with Digital and Dow.