PaR Systems is a global leader in innovation, quality, productivity and safety in manufacturing. Their diverse client based includes big names like NASA, General Mills, Nestle, the United States Government, Boeing, 3M, Best Buy, among many other Fortune 100 companies. Over the last decade, PAR Systems experienced quick growth by not only demand from its customers, but also through acquisitions of similar innovative companies. This merging of companies and inclusion of a large and vast portfolio of products and services caused the company to have a disjointed brand and marketing strategy. As part of a local Minneapolis, MN agency, I led the effort in discovery, content strategy, and design of a cohesive user experience.
It was clear after a few stakeholder interviews that this project was beyond a simple rebrand and redesign effort. PAR Systems had seven websites with over 40 international stakeholders. In order to consolodate the sites, meet the goals of the business and to reflect a position of leadership, I asked a good friend to join the project and utilize the methodologies championed by Kristina Halvorson in her book Content Strategy for the Web.
Our first steps included a massive inventory of all the websites, content that was both offline and online, interviews and alignment of business goals. In order to align all stakeholders on the same page, we had to do high-level sitemapping that removed the stakeholder from the silo of their business and actually reflected how each business could compliment or be cross-promoted to the other. We conducted a series of interviews and discussions over a two month period. This inlcuded travel to various locations across the country and being able to provide a succinct report back to the board in order to finalize a strategic direction.
Once a taxonomy and sitemap was agreed upon, each business was then grouped into a larger set of business lines and then followed a pattern of the offline sales flow. The main conversion being that each lead would be in touch with a personal accounta manager and engineer that was able to vet out each lead.
The new website has streamlined the company’s hundreds of product platforms under one, branded umbrella. As PAR Systems moves forward in the digital realm, they have the ability to follow a governance plan set out in their content strategy that will be scalable if they choose to do further acquisitions. The results of providing a more clear and succinct site is an increase in average sessions, more quality leads getting to the right department and an increase in organic traffic enabling marekting to find new avenues to reach out to.
UX Strategy
Content Strategy
Information Architect
Visual Designer
Usability Testing
Process Management
Shaymein has almost two decades of experience running and coaching interactive and design teams to work smarter, better, and more collaboratively. Shaymein is currently the Lead User Experience Designer for Honeywell's Aerospace Commercial Drone team in Golden Valley, MN.
