Website redesign - case studies
1) RADA Enterprises Limited (REL)
Business type
REL is the commercial fund raising arm of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). REL seeks to generate revenue by making available RADA's well trained teachers and students to commercial and public organisations to help teach valuable communication and presentation skills.
Project drivers
REL's web presence was limited to a small section of the RADA's main website (www.rada.org), comprising of a very basic design which couldn't really support the vast array of different sections and pages involved. So REL's objective was to separate their content out from RADA's main site and present it in a new, user focused, visually striking website.
Resulting website
After a thorough analysis of the existing REL content, the services offered were separated out into 5 core groupings. A secondary navigation bar was created to look after the supporting sections of the site.
A powerful visual design was created that reflected RADA's preferred use of red as it's corporate colour (as per the curtain on a theatre stage) and also to allude to the calibre of talented actors that RADA has trained during it's 100 year history.
The website has been well received throughout RADA as well as with their client base and has succeeded in portraying the organisation in an appropriate manner. Most importantly the new site has made it much easier for users to find a suitable course or event and then register interest.
Whilst control of the website is now back with REL, it is our sincere hope that the major usability enhancements achieved are maintained, and that the site as a whole will be developed on to the next level.
Site URL - www.radaenterprises.org
2) Alison Doney Interiors
Business type
Alison Doney Interiors (ADI) creates bespoke soft furnishings, mainly for private clients living in the affluent residential areas of South West London.
Project drivers
ADI's previous website suffered from poor visual design and usability, as well as weak information architecture which was making for a troublesome user experience for potential customers. These issues clearly needed to be resolved if the company was going to maximize opportunities offered to it by the web.
Resulting website
Firstly the site's information architecture was considered which resulted in 3 core service types being identified. The site was then designed around these 3 groupings with a strong visual design being agreed upon after considerable input and collaboration between AJD and ADI.
An emphasis was placed on providing a high level of usability and also to give the user adequate visual information of the core products and styles available so that they would be in a position to request a quotation via the website.
The resulting site has been very well received and has proved successful as the main tool for ADI to introduce it's wide range of services to potential clients.
Site URL - www.alisondoney.com
