Project Breakdown
Background
The newly formed Austin-based law firm, SKS Law, sought a refined identity. I took on the task of shaping and enhancing their brand and online presence.
Timeline
Tools
My Role
Scope
Challenge
SKS Law, operated by a single individual, faces the challenge of limited time and resources to establish a strong brand identity and develop an effective website presence.
results per our users
“The new website feels really nice and clean.”
Cody
“The website feels much quicker to the point, it previously felt a bit long-winded.”
Ryan
opportunities
Extensive observational research, market research, surveys, and user interviews have unveiled critical issues prevalent while shopping for footwear.
Users need quick and effective access to legal information ensuring that they can easily find relevant resources.
Users desire a local attorney who specializes in the specific area of legal services required.
Solving problem #1: Users need quick and effective access to legal information ensuring that they can easily find relevant resources.
prototyping
tried solutions
Clear information architecture
IA is well-organized and intuitive, making it easy for users to navigate and find the legal resources they need quickly.
Concise and scannable
Present legal information in a concise and scannable format, using clear summaries to make it easy for users to quickly grasp key points.
Easy to use navigation
Visual navigation aids such as icons and breadcrumbs to help users orient themselves within the website and easily navigate to different sections or categories of legal resources.
Solving problem #2: Users desire a local attorney who specializes in the specific area of legal services required.
prototyping
tried solutions
Showcase reviews
Incorporate user reviews and ratings, this helps build trust and credibility and assists users in making informed decisions.
Highlight expertise
Showcase SKS Law's expertise using visual cues such as badges, icons, or tags to indicate specializations, making it easy for users to identify.
Location cues
Incorporate Austin-specific imagery and establish a visual hierarchy that showcases the location of SKS Law for easy identification.
providing local expertise
Market research highlights the importance for law firms to have a strong online presence that quickly establishes trust and locality with users.
96%
of clients seeking legal advice began their search online.
71%
of users looking for a lawyer think that it's important to have a local attorney.
33%
of users begin their lawyer search online.
Usability tests and interviews were conducted on the current website to explore its ease of use and overall user experience.
01
Main journey
Task user with determining what type of law SKS Law focuses then complete contact request.
02
Website feature
Find user reviews that focus on communication as a preferred trait.
03
Side journey
Determine how long SKS Law has been practicing and where they practice law.
research results
confusing legal landscape
Usability tests and interviews with participants revealed several pain points and overall user frustration.
The overarching theme of the discussions were confusion and lack of clear identity.
Eluding location
0% of participants were able to determine where SKS Law was located or practiced.
Intense confusion
All participants noted confusion with website identity and navigation.
Walls of pain(points)
100% of participants voiced displeasure with the amount of text throughout the website.
Reviews first
100% of participants said when seeking out legal advice they would first seek out customer reviews.
Research run-down
Who were my usability participants?
Cody
36 years old
Desiree
26 years old
Ryan
38 years old
What were the usability test goals?
User behavior
Understand user needs, wants, goals, and frustrations during an online shoe purchase.
Actionable insights
Determine the strengths and weaknesses of the website through the eyes of a user.
"Seeking legal counsel"
Uncover what participants would look for when seeking out a legal professional they were unfamiliar with.
User perception
Assess how users assess the trustworthiness and credibility of the SKS Law website.
How did I choose interview participants?
Sample questions
Usability quotes
A little bit different background, my guess would be that it's (SKS Law) not based solely in Austin.
Ryan
Draw attention to the most important aspects so we don't have to read so much.
Cody
Open ended interviews with frequent attorney users were conducted to identify their key preferences and motivations when engaging with attorneys.
attorney wishlist
Research run-down
Who were my interview participants?
Brandon
Loan Officer
David
Investor
Lynn
House-flipper
Ryan
Engineer
Sample Question
From site maps to sketching ideas to wireframes the intention was for concise information.
Crafting an identity that exudes professionalism, embodies its Texan roots, communicates its areas of expertise, all while streamlining the content.
Building a prototype to test our solutions.
Evaluated solutions using the identical set of users and tasks employed during our initial phase of user testing. All tasks were completed with 100% success.
01
Main journey
Task user with determining what type of law SKS Law focuses then complete contact request.
02
Website feature
Find user reviews that focus on communication as a preferred trait.
03
Side journey
Determine how long SKS Law has been practicing and where they practice law.
The initial website and final design changes based on user research.
Video of the Prototype
reflecting on the case study
what can be learned?
Perception is reality
A law firm must diligently uphold its reputation and actively manage its public image. Even if the firm's actual performance and expertise are top-notch, clients' perceptions ultimately shape their experience and satisfaction.
Concise content
Legal information is complex and can be challenging to understand. Therefore, concise and easy-to-digest content enhances user experience, promotes transparency, and improves the effectiveness of a law firm's website.
Next steps
Sharing is caring
Share results
Share the research findings with Shanon Stanfield, the proprietor of SKS Law and explain the results from the case study.
Owner collaboration
Discuss solutions that resonate with both the challenges encountered and the overarching goals of the law firm. This ensures alignment with the law firm's vision but also capitalizes on Shanon's insights and expertise for a well-rounded problem-solving process.
