BDO
BDO is a global accounting company providing a diverse range of services. BDO USA and Canada share common global goals, yet each possesses unique attributes that must be accurately reflected in their new website.
Project Summary
My Role
As a member of the dedicated UX team at Diff Agency,
I collaborated on the UX aspects of projects for BDO clients in both Canada and the USA. This included working closely with the external and internal team to ensure a smooth transition to the interface design and development phase.
My Work Included
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Competitive analysis
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Personas workshops
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User journeys mapping
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Information architecture
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Wireframes
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Prototyping
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Usability testing
Challenge
Upgrade the platform and redesign the entire website to align with the modern aesthetics of the BDO brand.
Solution
Our team collaborated in parallel with the BDO clients, from USA and Canada. Despite both institutions adhering to the same branding, we ensured that navigation and functionality elements were consistent and flexible enough to cater to both entities, each with its own distinct set of services.
Discovery & Research
The project kicked off with our team delving into the client's internal documentation, which included white papers, business objectives, strategy, and existing personas for specific segments.
The client provided us with six personas meant to address their site's intended user needs. To deepen our understanding, we conducted personas and UX mapping workshops with the leadership team. In these sessions, we outlined persona activities, brainstormed task associations, identified unknowns, emotional points, must-haves, could-haves, and potential features.
These workshops allowed us to group personas based on critical differentiations in their needs, specifically distinguishing between users as Buyers and users as Candidates. This strategic approach ensured that the new BDO site could address these needs accordingly.
Personas and UX mapping workshop
We applied the insights gained from workshops with the leadership team to enhance our understanding of user needs and to articulate a digital design approach, design principles, and additional features aligned with their business model.
The culmination of this effort was the execution of a user journey, which then guided our next steps in refining the Information Architecture (IA) and the layout of the site.
User journey example
Wireframing & Solutioning
As a member of the wireframing team, a major challenge we faced was the need to create a substantial number of wireframes—37 in total. To address this challenge efficiently and meet client development deadlines, we implemented a solution of duplicating overlapping functionalities for both BDO Canada and USA.
This approach enabled us to streamline the process by maintaining a focus on addressing unique differences. Through collaborative efforts, we tailored templates and user flows within the team, providing mutual assistance to ensure consistency and speed in our wireframing efforts.
Post-wireframing, we continued our close collaboration with Visual Designers. This ongoing partnership was crucial to ensure that UX thinking and guiding principles were seamlessly reflected in the final mockups. This collaborative approach helped us deliver a cohesive and user-friendly design that met both client expectations and development timelines.
Home Page Wireframes
Wireframes Landing Page (Level 1)
Wireframes Listing Page (Level 2)
Usability Testing
Even though BDO Canada and BDO USA shared the same content, the testing requirements differed. This prompted us to design a comprehensive set of usability tests for both clients.
We conducted a variety of tests including First Click, A/B Tree Test, and Moderated Usability Testing. Sharing the results with both clients proved instrumental in providing them with deeper insights into their respective projects.
1. First Click
Objective: Assess the findability of specific content and uncover unforeseen issues in the new user experience.
Method: Remote unmoderated first-click testing on optimalworkshop.com.
Results: Analyzed over 70 participants' tests, offering recommendations based on new findings.
2. A/B Tree Test
Objective: Evaluate the findability and discoverability of specific nodes in two proposed Information Architectures, testing navigation labels.
Method: Two unmoderated tree tests (A & B) on optimalworkshop.com with 50 participants each.
Results: Analyzed both tests, providing recommendations from the insights gained.
3. Moderated Usability Testing
Objective: Test comprehension of the BDO Strategy, explore similarities and differences in specific categories, and assess findability of content.
Method: Remote facilitation by Akendi using the UserZoomGo user test platform.
Results: Developed the testing plan, oversaw the prototype, and offered recommendations based on findings provided by Akendi.
Here are examples of raw data from First Click user testing, where users were asked to rank the difficulty of a task on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being most difficult, and 10 being most easy)
“Overall it was easy. On one of them I was torn between two options, but otherwise was straight-forward”.
- Respondent 110,
Success Rate 60%,
Nonprofit & Human Resources
“The categories were vague and difficult to find”.
- Respondent 95, Success Rate 20%, Financial Institutions & Specialty Finance, Operations
“It was pretty easy to navigate and find everything. There was only one that I was not sure of."
- Respondent 85,
Success Rate 60%,
Public Sector
Learnings & Takeways
The process
To me the BDO project was a significant milestone, encapsulating the entire UX process and offering valuable insights into evaluating and applying tools and methods.
In-team collaboration
Effective communication is crucial within the team. Cultivating critical thinking, addressing biases, and embracing diverse ideas led to the creation of various solutions, enabling the selection of the most suitable approach for each project.
Usability testing
While advocating for usability testing can be challenging, its importance is often underestimated. By integrating various testing methods, we could assess and refine designs before implementation, ensuring the project's readiness for success upon launch.
Relationship with the client
Maintaining a close relationship with the client was pivotal. Consistent communication, regular sync-ups, wireframe presentations, and a structured feedback process were essential elements that propelled the project forward with momentum.
Final Design Desktop Home Page and Listing Page
Final Design Mobile Home Page