Background / Context

Role: Web Designer
Tools: Sketch
Duration: Sep 2013 - Dec 2013
Platform: Mobile & Web

What: An aesthetic and architectural redesign of Montlake Consulting's website
Why: To promote online presence and appropriate brand representation, and exercise design and development skills
When: The redesign was completed by May, 2014, and was officially migrated and launched to the public August 11th, 2014.
Where: montlakeconsulting.com
Skills: HTML/5, CSS/3, WordPress, Gimp, Design

As a former small project consultant of Montlake Consulting Group, it was clear that while MCG had a strong verbal reputation for quality and efficient work, the web-presence left much to be desired. I took this opportunity upon myself and with my team to begin a systematic redesign and re-imagining of the former website.

Problem

Montlake Consulting Group (MCG) is an entirely student run consultancy dedicated to helping businesses address the most difficult issues that face them today. MCG provides the help and flexibility necessary for overcoming these problems. View the slideshow for pictures of the website and interface.

MCG has a high-profile client base, and wished to have a website that is representative of the quality work they perform on a regular basis for the likes of Microsoft, Google, Starbucks, Amazon, and more. A new website would add to the legitimacy of MCG’s image as a whole, and function as an additional marketing channel for the organization as a bi-product.

Requirements

As a result of the redesign, my hope was to attract more clients with MCG's online presence, draw in potential future-consultants at a regular basis, and provide a better portal for currently employed consultants to share and exchange information. Additionally, I wanted the website to be responsive to accommodate the different ways people access the site, and mobile-friendly. Long-term, I hope this redesign will help Montlake Consulting continue to expand its consultant base, maintain existing relationships with established clients, and draw in new companies seeking to work with us.

Solution

A completely new layout that is professional, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing, while still staying to-the-point and easily accessible. This is conveyed through the use of a clean grid structure and architectural layout, a color scheme that matches the company and is easy on the eyes, and high-quality content that draws the user while giving them easy access to what they’re trying to accomplish.

Iteration

Actions

This project consisted of two parts:

Redesigning their brand image/logo
Redesigning and building an entirely new website to replace the old one

Since the MCG logo already had a strong visual foundation, I aimed to preserve its original look and feel while making thoughtful refinements. My solution was simple yet impactful: I adjusted the font and fine-tuned the kerning and spacing to create a more polished and cohesive appearance.

The second phase focused on the website redesign. One of the key requirements from management was to take a more active role in managing their online presence and updating the site regularly. With this in mind, I chose WordPress as the CMS platform. This decision ensures that even those with limited web design experience can easily maintain the site once my involvement ends.

The new design can be viewed with more details are available at montlakeconsulting.com.