Reflecting TinyCX on Web and beyond— A UX Case Study
TinyCX is an Australian-based Customer-Centric management consultancy who help global brands thrive as scalable enterprises by putting the customer at the heart of their business.
As the consultancy grew in strength and demand, the website became further disjointed from its current identity. The website reflected who they previously were rather than how they’ve become experts and leaders in the CX industry.
Brief
“Accurately represent our systematic approach to services in our website and case studies, according to the context in relation to our Customer Experience (CX) consulting.”
With three weeks on our timeline, myself and two other designers worked collaboratively to dig deep, understand broadly, and test ideas profusely.
Competition Analysis
Through our interviews and research, we discovered and focused on 6 direct and 5 indirect competitors. Competitors ranged from small firms to bigger corporations who identified themselves to be within the customer experience industry, both on a national and international scale.
Looking into these competitors gave me a broad idea of how case studies were structured, how companies chose to showcase themselves and general user interface and experience assessment that can be learned from and applied to TinyCX.
Some things I learned include: Inventium had a consistent tone of voice and brand identity that showed throughout the website in visuals and language. It is achievable to add a quirky personality in a professional manner on a brand’s online presence. Bow and Arrow are results-driven and corporate in their presentation. This is great to put forward when you best understand that your clients are corporate in nature and want to see results up-front without further context.
People Analysis
We completed most interviews as a team, rotating three main roles throughout this process — a lead interviewer, a support interviewer, and a documenter. Then time is spent after the interview to debrief and discuss our own insights to incorporate into the affinity map. This practice helped us be efficient and remain on the same context throughout the project.
I made sure that the affinity map was divided between stakeholders and clients, so insights and user mental models reflected these key groups as accurately as possible. As I was breaking these down into key insights, it deemed to be highly useful to represent these facts through a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Weaknesses) as to better relate to the client. It wasn’t only important to share key insights, but to present it in a way that is easily digestible.
Strengths
The Leader is the Brand
It was clear throughout the interviews that the leader of the tribe, Tom, is the brand identity clients best resonated with. Clients chose to work with someone whom they can have full confidence in with a streamlined process and a grounded nature. The team working alongside Tom also vocalised this throughout different conversations, stating that work was enjoyable and rewarding because of the approach Tom takes towards the consultancy and the projects.
Through our Monday meetings and Friday wrap-ups, we also gained this insight for ourselves — with the ease and support Tom worked with us alongside this project. These meetings also helped us gain a deeper understanding of who TinyCX are, how they function as a consultancy and their long-term vision.
Weaknesses
Credibility
Primarily through contextual inquiry and user interviews, it was clear that there was a misalignment between who TinyCX are currently vs what is shown on the website. Users expressed how the website gave the impression of a small firm just starting in the industry whom have yet to clarify their own process — further proving a point of lack of credibility due to the lack of case studies presented.
Language
The language, both written and visual, was disjointed too. The tone of voice in some parts of the website was corporate and professional in tone, then an odd sprinkle of cheeky humour would appear. Tying this with the colourful moving images on the website added more confusion for users.
Value
A chat bot and a top bar that users felt did not enhance value for the website or the consultancy, impacted on the experience of the website. The top bar gave an opportunity to sign up for a newsletter to gain further updates about events and workshops, but no other mention is provided on the website.
Problem Statement
Tiny CX and potential users express that the current website does not reflect who Tiny CX are and the services they can offer.
There is a misalignment with the brand and the website’s information architecture (tone of voice, sitemap) and user interface.
Solution Statement
By providing a UX overhaul of the website alongside future-proof recommendations, we will be able to bring forth Tiny CX’s brand identity and unique CX approach across all online platforms.
List of Recommendations
Through wild ideating and feature prioritisation, we came up with a list of recommendations that can potentially be implemented now, next and in the future.
I broke down the list of current recommendations into three main categories: language & content, visual language and information architecture.
Language & Content
Consistent tone of voice
One of the key points of confusion for users was the inconsistent tone of voice and brand identity throughout the website. Tone of voice can be tricky to balance and I wanted to provide a guide that was easy enough to understand and follow. I used the following to share this with TinyCX:
Cheeky vs Wit
Sterile vs Professional & Passionate
Telling vs Educating
Rambling vs Telling a Story
List of clients — Case studies & Testimonials
Through competition analysis, we derived this template for case studies: Brief, Insights, Process, Outcomes.
This was also validated through our open card sorting exercise with users. Users wanted to read about results achieved through TinyCX, but within context containing the customer’s problem and process used to achieve the desired result. This will build credibility, most especially when clients include big names and recognisable companies.
Events & Community
This came up during our conversations with TinyCX. To put themselves forward as thought leaders in the customer experience arena, hosting meet-ups and events allows them to build a community they can lead and share insights too. This reflects the grounded nature of Tom and his ability to pursue big companies while keeping true to his own nature and processes. He gets results by keeping true to the consultancy’s values and foundation.
It was important then to integrate this facet of their growth into their website, recommending a plug-in from Eventbrite or Meet-up.com for ease of integration and keeping things up-to-date. The opportunity to also write articles within their website helps with their online presence for validity and SEO.
Tom and Team’s story
This ties back to “The Leader is the Brand”. Users want to have an understanding as to who the team are, what skillsets they have and how they function as a unit. But, this is best presented in a story as it keeps with the tone of voice of the brand too.
Visual Language
It was important for TinyCX stakeholders that the website still contained its organic movement originally found in its current website. We understood its appeal and its impact and therefore wanted to incorporate it in a way that was purposeful.
TinyCX Approach
The website is a source of information and therefore many rely on its ability to communicate key concepts. One main concept that was important to portray was TinyCX unique approach with problem solving and working with clients. As it is a string of services tied into an approach, we tried and tested out different layouts through our “Crazy 8” sketching and wire framing. We finally found a good medium where we presented it through a moving line and dot, flowing down as services fade in with a snippet explanation. Through the harmony of written and visual language, users we tested on said they had a better understanding of the process.
TinyCX in a Venn diagram
One thing we consistently heard from stakeholders is that they described themselves as “a team of strategists, designers and algorithms”. How best to present this? In the same practice above, our final outcome was a Venn diagram that rotated as the site scrolled down and the title and description flowed through with the movement. Then, in the middle of the Venn diagram, users will see TinyCX.
Information Architecture
Consistent IA — Navigation & Sitemap
There were many pathways to get to the same page. Users were disappointed when clicking upon a button but led to another area. There were also multiple methods of contacting on one page, which users found overwhelming. It was important to strip this back and identify the main purpose of the website.
An open card-sorting exercise was an excellent tool to start conversations with potential clients to acquire important information they expect to see at certain stages of the website and what is important for them when hiring an external team too. From this, I broke down their current sitemap into a recommended version.
Website Template and Style Guide — Visual and Written Hierarchy
As a business in its growing years, TinyCX requires a website that grows with it. We wanted to provide a guideline through templates, wires and a list of recommendations to minimise stress involved keeping their own online presence consistent and up-to-date. With actions and examples presented through the interactive prototype, we best displayed an ideal website and its consistencies throughout. A style guide and template wireframes were also provided.
Here is the interactive prototype — https://invis.io/F7HXWGIPJR6
Phase 2 — Implement Next
Online Media & Presence
TinyCX’s online presence expands beyond their website and therefore was taken into consideration in future-proofing our list of recommendations.
A presence on LinkedIn is important to integrate as some users vocalised that this is a growing basis for them to find reliable work and contact directly instead of ‘contact forms’. This is a great way as well to keep referrals consistent, share blog posts and complement the growing community they will form around them.
YouTube channels or videos showcasing clients, team members and interviews throughout events and meet ups is a great practice to incorporate within their online presence — bringing real world into digital.
Website Add-Ons
TinyCX pride themselves to be a decentralised consultancy. With capabilities to travel around the world for work, a potential add-on to the website is an interactive map of clients’ location or current locations of team members as they travel for work.
To tie in with our desire to provide a future-proof and easy to implement action plan, we also suggested an online automated template for case studies. TinyCX talk about their capabilities to build tools for others and what better way to implement this skill into their own company.
Content & Person
As the company grows and content becomes a main requirement in the website, it would be ideal to have a dedicated copywriter and content manager. I emphasise this to be an ideal situation and to be implemented ‘next’ due to the implications of cost and return of investment with this type of commitment.
Phase 3 — Implement In Future
Online Growth
As clients grow outside the bounds of Australian borders, the website can be carried along to country specific domains and language translations to better cater to these users. It shows that not only does TinyCX keep client’s customers in the centre of their process, but they are also mindful of their own client’s needs and comfort to communicate too — in any language.
Personal Contributions
Researcher — three competition analysis, discussion guide, lead interviewer with five users and stakeholders, time keeper, food provider, affinity map and trend allocator, SWOT analysis and card sorting host and supporter
Ideator & Presenter— How might we, feature prioritisation, crazy 8s, music facilitator, four paper prototyping and testing, three interactive usability testing, style guide and phase of recommendations allocator
Reflections
The list of recommendations and over-all presentation was well received. We formed a strong relationship with TinyCX through the three week process that allowed for open conversations and brain storming between ourselves and the client. They are an ideal client.
How we felt from our first class project to how we tackled working on this real client brief is highly reflective of the great progress we’ve made throughout the program. I am proud of how strong we’ve become as designers and how much stronger we can become with experience.
A Little Bit about Me
I am a Melbourne-based User Experience Designer. Nurse and start-up founder in a parallel life. Naturally curious, inquisitive and empathetic towards things old and new. Learn more about me here.
