Juniper
Redesigning Junipers website for enhanced user experience and increased user adoption
The problem
Juniper has a rich legacy in hardware and network technology, but with a growing focus on software and subscription revenue, the company recognised the need to evolve its experience strategy and design system. This was necessary to support a seamless, multi-channel customer journey that meets the needs of modern customers.
The Process & Team
Over the course of 2 years, we collaborated with a diverse group of executive stakeholders to kick off a rapid and ambitious CX vision exercise. This exercise was aimed at showcasing the potential of a future site, based on strong experience principles. With unanimous support from the stakeholders, we led the discovery process, which involved identifying user needs, challenges, and competitive insights. We then used this data to identify key pages and unmet user needs and developed a design and development roadmap to guide a comprehensive site redesign effort.
Role: UX Designer
Project: Research (website & competitor audit), IA review, wireframing
Duration: 2 years (not all projects included in this case study
Devices: Desktop and app design
Research: Uncovering the full picture
through a site audit
We’ve identified four key issues with
the user experience:
1. Unclear purpose of pages
The intent of each company page should be evident immediately so that the user understands the purpose of the page. Previously, the pages did not make a clear statement, tell an impactful story, or identify clear next steps.
2. Inconsistent site hierarchy
The site hierarchy currently lacks the clear structure and precision which would allow for a fluid reading experience.
The structure of company page templates differs enormously from one another, offering no user guidance on how to read and digest content.
There are navigation issues and inconsistencies. Some pages have a sidebar whereas others do not and the footer diverges from the sidebar. Having multiple paths to discover content makes it difficult to digest or progress in a logical way
The use of tabs means a lot of information is hidden and the user has to go in search of it.
There is a mismatch between URLs and pages.
3. Non-intuitive user journeys
There are multiple ways to navigate through the company pages which stray from a clear path. In addition, users are led off-site or to other pages without warning.
Page links do not inform users where they will lead, e.g. PDFs, third-party websites, or other Juniper pages.
The pages don’t have breadcrumbs so it’s difficult to go return to previous pages other than by the back arrow in the browser.
There’s a lack of clear CTAs on the company pages that send users in a clear direction.
Juniper can elevate its visual identity by showcasing its brand personality cohesively. We want users to recognise the Juniper brand at a glance.
Currently, imagery is inconsistent, particularly evident in the hero spaces which vary from abstract to nature and landscape.
The colour palette, layout, and styling change dramatically across pages, as if users are looking at various different sites.
People shots are mismatched, varying in background colour, tone, and style. This weakens Juniper’s overall brand image.
4. Inconsistent visual identity
Our recommendations to improve the site:
Overall, ‘Why Juniper’ and ‘About us’ showcase similar content while addressing a different audience and conveying a different message. By creating a clear proposition for each section, we’ll address the right user at the right time.
Refine purpose of the individual sections
Create clear user journeys across the sections
Content is spread out across different pages which, at times, means pages lack the depth and rigour to create a compelling story. Combining essential sections and collating similar content will create a richer experience and room for storytelling.
Creating some well-defined templates for the site will enable users to know what types of content they are going to be shown. We’ll look to create flexible but tailored components for each template, to make every page feel unique.
Streamline and consolidate templates
A thorough restructuring and copy-edit of the existing text, which will bring consistency and clarity.
Overhaul the existing content
The vision for Junipers website redesign
To streamline these sections into three different page
templates with a flexible set of components
Company pages
Project overview
As the sole UX designer, I was tasked with improving the user experience of the case study pages. After conducting an audit of the current experience, I identified several issues, including a clunky and inconsistent messaging hierarchy, unclear and unstructured content, a weak tone of voice, and a lack of engagement with the reader. To address these issues, I conducted competitor research and used my findings to create an improved experience. Through my efforts, I was able to create a more effective and engaging user experience for the case study pages.
My role: UX design
As part of the website redesign project, we conducted a thorough analysis of the current information architecture to identify opportunities for improvement. Our goal was to streamline the user journey by reducing the number of unnecessary pages and creating a mental model that would reflect user needs, making content more discoverable. By proposing and implementing these IA improvements across multiple pages, we were able to create a more intuitive and user-friendly experience for visitors to the site.
Information architecture
To ensure consistency across the multiple templates we were designing, which included landing, content, and directory pages, I began the design process by creating a comprehensive component library. By utilizing this library, we were able to maintain consistency throughout different workstreams and ensure that design elements were reused where appropriate. Since its inception, the component library has continued to evolve and grow, becoming an essential tool for maintaining design consistency across the site.
Component library
Case study designs
Wireframe
UI by team member
Final thoughts
Over the past three years, my collaboration with Juniper has been diverse and rewarding. Together, we have tackled multiple projects, ranging from case studies and product pages to research and strategy pieces, all of which contributed to strengthening Juniper's brand and supporting its sales efforts. One of the most significant accomplishments of this collaboration was the development of an end-to-end component library that has grown immensely over time. Thanks to this library, building new pages for the website has become a straightforward task, streamlining the company's content creation process and improving their online presence.
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