How do you emphasize that an enterprise software product, which is typically stodgy and corporate, is actually fun, vibrant, and exciting? The design team at OpenRoad hit the nail on the head when they redesigned the ThoughtFarmer website in 2014. We are happy to announce the team won four awards for their vision and hard work on the project.
ThoughtFarmer is social intranet software that enables organizations to improve their internal communications and collaboration. The ThoughtFarmer.com website had been last designed in February 2012, and, with new marketing goals, it was time for a redesign.
The website’s primary audience consists of intranet buyers, who include a mix of corporate communications professionals, HR managers, and IT managers. The goal of the redesign was to 1) increase website conversions, 2) provide content that would help convert opportunities to sales, and 3) support client services initiatives.
As ThoughtFarmer is a constantly evolving product, the design team was challenged to create a website structure and skin that would accommodate frequent product roadmap changes and fluctuating in-house resources.
The design team approached the redesign by conducting stakeholder interviews and aggregating a list of known problems, while identifying where the design could best support the marketing objectives. Our team devised the following tactics:
- Showcase the actual product with large content-rich screenshots,
- Focus on product benefits through playful, branded, custom illustrations,
- Use responsive design to accommodate a full-range of screen sizes,
- Revise the IA to streamline user flows and calls-to-action,
- Revise the value proposition and supporting content to align with new customer demands and continued product evolution.
The use of high-quality video background and delightful illustrated animated were used to help differentiate ThoughtFarmer from its more conservative competitors. The result of the redesign is a memorable brand experience that supports the revised ThoughtFarmer marketing goals, while also enhancing ThoughtFarmer's ability to communicate product benefits to potential clients.
The design team did such a remarkable job with the redesign that it was the recipient of four awards:
- Platinum, Hermes, category: Website Overall/B2B
- Platinum, Hermes, category Website Overall/Professional Services
- Silver, Summit International Awards, category: B2B Product Website
- Bronze, Summit International Awards, category: Website Redesign
Below you can see the evolution of the ThoughtFarmer website. Well done, team!