john deere
A fresh digital experience secures a legacy brand’s future
So maybe it wasn’t that simplistic, but one of the major problems that brought about this project was how confusing the paths to purchasing and exploring were. This problem was further exacerbated by a cluttered website, overloaded with content across every section. As a result, users found the site overwhelming and difficult to navigate.
The team and I analyzed user surveys collected by the client, noting recurring complaints. We then conducted a robust competitor analysis. From this research, we focused in on three key findings:
I worked with our content strategist to determine how to better organize the huge amounts of content the current site contained. From this exercise, we made small but powerful adjustments.
For example, when looking at our user interviews, customers indicated that often had to hunt for content like brochures and warranties. I highlighted those pieces, while sunsetting less engaging things such as spec diagrams.
Users often struggled to use John Deere’s current navigation, finding it overwhelming. They knew the product they were looking for, but couldn’t be sure they’d found it. I brought in more visuals to help. I also re-structured the navigation and performed tree-testing to confirm our new structure.
A large chunk of users were in the market for lawn equipment, but not yet ready to purchase. They were interested in learning more before they bought. Because the website was so bloated, it was challenging for them to gather the information they needed. They also struggled to differentiate between very similar products.
To combat this, we introduced things like the ability to compare products from anywhere on the site, interactive quizzes, clearer product suggestions, and real-owner testimonials.
I brought in a bolder, more modern look - using a new font, more imagery and more of John Deere’s darker color palette. I then created a design system and component library.
