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DM2131: Collaborative Client Project 2 - WheelEasy
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Overall Explanation
The DM2131 Collaborative Client Project involves a group endeavour focused on client-based tasks. Our assignment was to create a website mockup and incorporate social media elements for 'Wheel Easy,' a used car dealership in North Devon. Initially, they provided a brief outlining their requirements and existing materials. I assumed the role of project manager, driven by my desire to enhance my leadership abilities and my natural inclination to facilitate communication within the team. Unfortunately due to a lack of communication from the client, we all found this project challenging as we had to take up this task with our own initiative with little further analysis of what the brand wanted and how much creative freedom we had. As the project manager, this was particularly hard as I found myself heaped with responsibility for a task with no clear direction.
Project Aims
The provided document outlined the objectives for redesigning the website, emphasising the need to prominently display all available cars, ensure user-friendly navigation, implement mobile responsiveness, integrate contact options, social media feeds, and a newsletter. Additionally, the project aimed to align with Sustainable Development Goal 8, focusing on inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all [1]. The company insisted on retaining its existing logo and banner, presenting us with the challenge of adapting our brand elements to harmonise with their established style. This posed a significant challenge for my group and I as our creativity felt already restricted. Our overarching goal was to establish 'Wheel Easy' as a premier, trustworthy, and reliable dealership in North Devon, fostering its emergence as a leading brand in the region as well as remaining simple and easy to navigate due to the average demographic of the area and the target audience of the brand
Research
Target Audience
Initially, 'WheelEasy' identified their target audience as local car buyers, car enthusiasts, and value seekers, encompassing a broad range of potential consumers. Though this only takes into account the psychographic and doesn’t cover any precise demographics like age. To better refine the audience, I conducted research on the company's location and discovered that the average age in North Devon had increased by three years, from 45 to 48 years old. [2].Recognizing the importance of accommodating this older demographic, I aimed to ensure that the website was easy to navigate and comprehend, considering that older individuals may find complex web layouts confusing and subtle colour palettes difficult to discern. Despite prioritising simplicity, it was crucial to maintain a modern and high-quality appearance to convey professionalism and trustworthiness to visitors.
Competitors
After conducting thorough research, I discovered that WheelEasy faces competition from prominent brands like WeBuyAnyCar, as well as from thriving local businesses like Mill Road Motors. To pinpoint ways in which WheelEasy can differentiate itself, I delved deeper into the brand's offerings on its website. I discovered that WheelEasy not only sells cars but also buys them, highlighting its unique selling proposition (USP) of offering both simplicity and versatility in car transactions. Consequently, I ensured that this key feature was prominently featured on the front of all website pages.
SDG
The project was also required to align with SDG Goal 8, which focuses on sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all. Notably, the company's practice of selling second-hand cars contributes to sustainability by promoting the purchase of pre-owned vehicles over new ones. Additionally, their service of accepting customers' cars for resale or exchange encourages sustainable behaviour among customers, as it offers them a convenient way to dispose of their old cars and acquire new ones. Given the opportunity, I would have liked to further explore these sustainability initiatives with the client. With improved communication and resources, I could have collaborated with our team's CAD to design a layout that caters to the needs of staff while also providing adequate storage for the cars.
Client Communication
After my initial research, I contacted the client using the phone number on their website and discussed potential times for a detailed conversation about the future vision of the company and how my team and I could make a positive impact on the start of their career. Unfortunately, after a few weeks of rescheduling video calls, the client chose to continue the project with a more experienced agency. I had hoped for closer collaboration to better understand their vision and felt disappointed that I couldn't lead my team on this project. Despite this setback, I inspired my team to create a final product that met the brief. In hindsight, I would have organized a team meeting to discuss the brand direction if we had full creative control, but we focused on staying true to the initial brief to ensure we met all objectives.
Group Communication
To stay updated on each other's work and ensure a consistent approach, I set up a group chat on Snapchat as a general quick messaging service as we all had access to it, as well as creating a Trello board for uploading our work. The Trello board also served as the handover document for the client and allowed us to view each other's work, comment for adjustments, and provide general feedback to ensure steady progress. We also communicated via email, forwarding client messages through Outlook. Overall, our team communicated well, but I would have preferred more calls or meetings to discuss the project's direction after the client pulled out.
Development
In pursuit of maintaining fidelity to the brief, I chose to use Figma to create a versatile design space for the company. This would have allowed the client to provide suggestions via comments or watch my design process in real-time. My Figma board included the website's mockup app layout, a newsletter on their featured cars created with Mailchimp, and several social media post templates. These templates showcased reviews, the showroom, featured cars, cars on sale, and set out adaptable borders and styles. This approach made it easier for the client to reproduce content in the future using the provided formats.
Initially, I created a comprehensive brand guideline featuring the given hex codes for the brand being orange, black, and grey. This palette was a clever choice, as it struck an optimal balance: the bold contrast of deep black and grey against the vibrant orange not only imbued the brand with a visually striking identity but also evoked associations of safety and reliability. This aesthetic echoed the branding strategies of industry giants like Halfords, B&Q, and Home Depot, renowned for their constant commitment to quality and safety standards.
While the client's request to maintain the integrity of the existing logo initially restrained my creative exploration, in hindsight, I recognize the potential value in offering a spectrum of alternative iterations. Diversifying design options not only demonstrates our adaptability and creativity but also empowers the client by providing them with a range of choices that align closely with their vision. Despite my initial hesitation, my colleague proactively seized the opportunity to develop alternate versions that adhered closely to the original design, thereby staying faithful to the client's brief.
In crafting the layout for the app, my focus was unwaveringly centered on clarity and simplicity. Every aspect of the CEO's experience and WheelEasy's array of offerings needed to be intuitively accessible to users. A succinct yet impactful headline—"Buy, Exchange, Sell. With us, It’s WheelEasy."—was strategically placed to encapsulate the convenience and ease synonymous with the WheelEasy experience. This clever play on words not only resonated with customers, suggesting a hassle-free experience, but also underscored the brand's commitment to simplicity and efficiency.
To ensure a seamless user experience, I meticulously integrated clear and prominent contact information into both the header and footer of every page. This strategic placement aimed to minimize user effort and frustration in locating essential contact details. Furthermore, recognizing the pivotal role of social proof in fostering trust and credibility, I incorporated links to WheelEasy's social media platforms (Facebook and Autotrader) where I had sourced reviews to inform our social media posts. This holistic approach not only prioritized user convenience and accessibility but also leveraged the power of social proof to bolster the brand's credibility and reputation.
Alongside the app layout, I crafted some engaging social media posts as well as a newsletter tailored to enhance customer engagement. The newsletter provided an avenue for customers to stay informed about the latest dealership deals, company updates, and invaluable industry insights on car maintenance. I only conceptualized one type of newsletter which displayed the “Car of The Month” as an incentive for regular engagement from car enthusiasts, which was a target audience I had thus far left untapped. This should encourage local enthusiasts to either buy the good deals in order to tune them or simply for an interesting read on a rare car that is locally in their area. The newsletter was short but outlined everything intended on the document about the history of the car, the car specs and the price as well as a link to all the sites too. I made it through MailChimp as it was also initially intended to be created on a platform that the user can comfortably work around and use themselves to create future variants and update their newsletter personally with the help of the services on MailChimp’s easy to use site.
TM24
At the TM24 end-of-year exhibition, my team and I proudly showcased our work at a stand among numerous other creatives and their projects. To ensure our display stood out, I requested a large touchscreen board to supplement our laptops. I felt this would enhance visibility and engagement, maximizing our presence at the business event. While most of my interactions were with fellow students, I also seized the opportunity to connect with industry designers, exchanging contact information for potential future placements and opportunities. During conversations with attendees, including professionals from various businesses, we received invaluable feedback on our work. This included insights on the importance of avoiding overcrowding on websites and utilizing whitespace effectively. I'm committed to incorporating these lessons into my future projects to refine and enhance my skills.
Hand-over Document
My team and I relied on Trello for effective communication and project management. We recognized its suitability as a potential handover document for the client, though ultimately, this wasn't required as they pursued their project elsewhere. Nevertheless, we fully utilized Trello's capabilities, diligently organizing and uploading our work onto the platform. This served as valuable practice for assembling future handover documents, equipping us with essential skills for our individual projects down the line.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this project presented significant challenges for my team and me, particularly as I assumed the project manager role. The transition to this role brought considerable pressure, especially with the client moving on to someone else. However, I believe I managed these responsibilities effectively by maintaining constant communication with both my team and the client. I also conducted thorough research on the industry, competitors, and target audience to ensure a solid start, following the design thinking process. We successfully met all the project briefs and delivered substantial work under the given circumstances. In reflection, I recognize the need to further develop my leadership and soft skills. I could have taken a stronger lead after the client’s departure, leveraging the opportunity to create a compelling brand with greater creative freedom if more time had been available. My design skills have notably improved, particularly in using Figma, where I now feel confident in both creating and presenting my work. Moving forward, I plan to advance my skills in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and other industry-standard software to enhance my digital art capabilities and complement my existing hand-drawn skills. Lastly, this project provided invaluable experience in managing real business partners. I learned about their high expectations and the importance of presenting multiple examples and layouts upfront to gain deeper insights into the brand dynamics I’m working with.
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