Stewart Filmscreen Website Design & Development
Challenge
Handcrafted by artisans in Los Angeles, CA, Stewart Filmscreen projection screens are the go-to screen when only the best will do. Every single innovative screen they make is built with precision and care, and they have years of experience to back them up on their state-of-the-art screens. Stewart Filmscreen had a big problem. Despite being known for their best in class projection screens, you wouldn't have known it by visiting their website. Discovery Having failed to evolve its website to keep up with digital demands, Stewart Filmscreen was feeling the impact it was having on staying ahead of the competition. Their website was a maze to navigate and failed to communicate their elite reputation as the 'preferred screen'. To help Stewart Filmscreen put their best foot forward online, we took a deep dive into the user journey customers follow when selecting a projection screen. We conducted in-depth user interviews and usability studies with 6 separate user groups: AV architects, AV engineers, consultants, dealers, reps, and end consumers. From these groups, we were able to distill everyone into 3 unique audiences: screen experts, screen amateurs and screen novices. Not surprisingly, each audience had different priorities and was looking for a different experience online. Screen experts knew what screen they needed and expected to be able to find a part number and technical documents for that screen in less than a minute. Screen amateurs had a rough idea of the screen they were looking for but needed a quick way to get questions answered to make sure they were selecting the correct screen. Screen novices wanted an engaging way to be educated on the different options available and needed hand-holding as they discovered the best solution for their screen needs.
Solution
UX Strategy The rich information gathered during our discovery drove the user experience strategy for the site. The first item on the agenda was to define the information architecture of the site. We did this by creating a sitemap and wireframing key user flows. The user flows we developed catered to the different needs of the 3 website audiences. For the screen experts, we created a direct path to products with powerful filter tools built-in, so they could quickly find the product they needed and grab model information and documentation. For screen amateurs, we designed a flow that gave them direct access to available products, with the option to walk through a screen finder if they needed more guidance. We also planned for a built-in chat feature that would allow them to get instant answers to their questions. For screen novices, we created a visually rich path for them to explore available projector screen options with education about what screen model was best for which application. We also provided easy access to the screen finder to give them some extra hand-holding and help them hone in on the best model once they got a better idea on what they were looking for. Build This project required us to do a full redesign for Stewart Filmscreen’s already existing website. The main goal was to establish a more modern and up-to-date look and feel of the site all throughout the pages. The typface that we ended up choosing was intentionally made to portray a friendly and open vibe. We wanted to contrast with Stewart Filmscreen’s reputation of being difficult to work with by inviting users to browse the website and find the answers to all of their questions. We redesigned the detail pages for the various projecting screens, putting them onto a platform where the screen features and key values are highlighted. This way users are able to look into why one screen would be a better fit for their needs, as opposed to this other one they had been looking at. The screen finder was a large and important part of our build. We made sure to make it very visual by using icons versus displaying a lot of text, as to not overwhelm the user. The step-by-step questionnaire helps the user narrow down their selection, offering just a few projecting screens to match their needs. The filters also took a lot of planning; we had to take into account which attributes related to each other and how, and how would the results respond to attributes being checked off. Another part of this project was the “Request a Quote” section. Now, whenever a user requests a quote on the website, Stewart Filmscreen will receive all of the information that the user had put into their search. The same thing happens if a user requests a quote after going through the screen finder process. This gives Stewart Filmscreen a better understanding of what exactly the customer is looking for and helps them determine more accurate pricing. Test & Launch We tested this website on all of the more commonly used browsers and devices to make sure everything was working properly. In addition, we made sure to test the quote request submissions, as well as the logic that was built into the screen finder. Once we were sure nothing seemed out of place, we sent our work over to Stewart Filmscreen so they could test it out themselves.
Results
In the end, the Stewart Filmscreen website aesthetic has significantly improved. Everything ran smoothly when the website launched, and Stewart’s owner has received raving feedback. The company is pleased with the results and feels that this new website will be a key factor in pushing their business to where it needs to be. With the easy to use screen finder and a modernized look, the new Stewart Filmscreen website has made it easy for visitors to find exactly what they are looking for within their first few minutes of being on the site.
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