Role
User Research
UI/UX designer
Branding
Time Frame
4 months
Tools Used
Figma, Figjam,
Pen & papers, Google Workspace, Zoom
Team,
3 UI/UX designers
1 Developer
2 Marketing interns
I spearheaded the transformation of Manr's brand identity and landing page UI/UX, leveraging user research to drive early-stage growth for a start-up company.
The Problem
“We’re looking for the expertise to steer our design and experience to maximize our vision’s potential.” - Manr
Manr faced challenges in creating a user-friendly design and establishing a clear brand identity. This led to a confusing website structure and visual language, making it difficult to gain credibility.
The Company
Manr
An early-stage start-up in Ontario, Canada that aims to simplify property transactions, providing clients with a transparent, seamless and cost-effective solution.
The Approach
Product Strategy
We begun our mission by defining Manr's objectives and aligning them with the goals of our business stakeholders.
The Research
Do we know our users well enough?
To begin with, I led the creation of a survey, aiming to uncover user sentiments and needs towards property transactions in Canada.
We also had marketing interns conducting research simultaneously to better understand our target demographics
Interested Buyers: 25-34 yrs old
Interested Sellers: 35-44 yrs old
The current market is buyer-focused yet many lacks the necessary experience and knowledge to navigate the processes
Here are the personas I crafted for Manr, using synthesized data to aid with visualization and understanding of our target demographics
The Research
Does the product meet our users' needs?
Now that we understand our users, let's assess our current state. With data from our task analysis (here’s the detailed report) and user interviews, I analyzed and identified the following issues:
Lost in Navigation
Users found Manr's information architecture confusing
“This doesn’t make sense”
User frustration arises from the disconnect between their mental model and the actual experience
“I don’t think I’d trust this website”
Bad impressions and experiences eroded Manr's credibility
Abandon ship
Users, discouraged, felt they'd invested enough time and were ready to leave
The Brand Transformation
Who is Manr?
With a deeper understanding of our users, and the current state of our product, it was time to craft a brand identity that would resonate with our audience.
moodboard
The creation of a moodboard helped guide our exploration of colors, while I conducted desk research on color psychology to reinforce our choices
Brand colors
My research revealed that colors triggered consistent emotional responses which informed our selection of a deep blue to convey trust, complemented by a vibrant yellow for playfulness and boldness.
Championing for inclusivity and accessibility, I ensured our colors provided visual appeal and high contrast with neutrals to improve readability.
Logo exploration & design
I had the most fun immersing myself in this creative process. I experiment logos using ‘Manr’, the letter ‘M’, moving onto icons, houses and silhouettes etc..
Old logo
Brand new logo!
Eventually, I hit upon a design that resonated with our team — a design that cleverly blended trust, transactions, a subtle house silhouette, and our buying and selling personas.
Awesome! Now let’s start
re-hauling the entire website!
NOT SO FAST!
The Design System
Start smart with standardization and consistency!
Prior to diving into the website redesign, I advocated passionately for the implementation of a design system. My efforts led to the allocation of resources to establish this system, emphasizing its pivotal role in ensuring design consistency and scalability
The Overhaul
Onwards to redesigning Manr~
With our design fundamentals firmly established, we delved into overhauling Manr’s website. But, to spare you from a never-ending case study *wink* , here's a sneak peek! If you're curious about the nitty-gritty of my design process behind Manr's transformation, don't hesitate to reach out. I'd love to share more.
