Pinkman
Pinkman
Conducted extensive research and globally revamped the studio's main website
Conducted extensive research and globally revamped the studio's main website
Context
Pinkman stands among the top 3 design studios in Russia, actively involved in crafting product designs for major corporations like Yandex, VK, MTS, VTB, Sberbank, Tinkoff, and numerous others. The studio has a staff of over 150 people, including both designers and developers, achieving ambitious business goals every day.
Pinkman stands among the top 3 design studios in Russia, actively involved in crafting product designs for major corporations like Yandex, VK, MTS, VTB, Sberbank, Tinkoff, and numerous others. The studio has a staff of over 150 people, including both designers and developers, achieving ambitious business goals every day.
Business goal
The studio has experienced substantial growth in recent years, evolving into a group of companies specializing in web interfaces, mobile applications, computer graphics, and branding. Considering that the website, first of all, is a point for attracting new clients, it required a significant update, as it was outdated and no longer fully reflected the essence and capabilities of the studio.
The studio has experienced substantial growth in recent years, evolving into a group of companies specializing in web interfaces, mobile applications, computer graphics, and branding. Considering that the website, first of all, is a point for attracting new clients, it required a significant update, as it was outdated and no longer fully reflected the essence and capabilities of the studio.
The previous studio's website was not localised into English, so the screenshot of the old site is in Russian, but you can still catch the general look and feel.
The previous studio's website was not localised into English, so the screenshot of the old site is in Russian, but you can still catch the general look and feel.
Design challenge
Aside from a global redesign of the studio's website, can we also find an easier way to showcase the studio's capabilities and expertise than tidy but resource-intensive case studies?
Aside from a global redesign of the studio's website, can we also find an easier way to showcase the studio's capabilities and expertise than tidy but resource-intensive case studies?
Task 01
Global redesign of the studio's website.
Global redesign of the studio's website.
Task 02
Find a way to demonstrate the studio’s expertise in more effortless way than tidy case studies.
Find a way to demonstrate the studio’s expertise in more effortless way than tidy case studies.
Design team
Our team of two (Product Design Lead and myself) were given 1 months to complete this task. First of all, we divided the work into stages according to the Double Diamond principle and set out to fulfil the first stage.
Our team of two (Product Design Lead and myself) were given 1 months to complete this task. First of all, we divided the work into stages according to the Double Diamond principle and set out to fulfil the first stage.
Benjamin Vekk
Benjamin Vekk
Product Design Lead
Product Design Lead
Alina Koroleva (me)
Alina Koroleva (me)
UX/UI Designer
UX/UI Designer
Discovery
We analysed over 20 global design studios around the world to build a knowledge base on the subject: what do other studios emphasise that they do in the same way? This stage was also important to form questions for in-depth interviews with clients and studio directors.
We analysed over 20 global design studios around the world to build a knowledge base on the subject: what do other studios emphasise that they do in the same way? This stage was also important to form questions for in-depth interviews with clients and studio directors.
We conducted 24 interviews (17 with studio clients, and 7 with Pinkman stakeholders), we highlighted several important findings:
We conducted 24 interviews (17 with studio clients, and 7 with Pinkman stakeholders), we highlighted several important findings:
01
01
Demonstrating experience through case stadies is very costly for the studio, as it requires a lot of resources (maybe even a separate team).
Demonstrating experience through case stadies is very costly for the studio, as it requires a lot of resources (maybe even a separate team).
It is also important for clients to see real people, but this imposes its own risks for hunting people from the studio.
It is also important for clients to see real people, but this imposes its own risks for hunting people from the studio.
02
02
It's more important for them to quickly scan the site to understand the there's ''life in the studio'', its capabilities and expertise in a relevant industry.
It's more important for them to quickly scan the site to understand the there's ''life in the studio'', its capabilities and expertise in a relevant industry.
Only those respondents who worked as designers in the past and grew into managerial positions read cases in detail
Only those respondents who worked as designers in the past and grew into managerial positions read cases in detail
03
03
A seemingly obvious fact, but nevertheless — when scanning the website, the client does not decide whether to hire a studio, but decides whether to start discussing the project with them.
A seemingly obvious fact, but nevertheless — when scanning the website, the client does not decide whether to hire a studio, but decides whether to start discussing the project with them.
Therefore, a convenient way of sending a request is also very important. As is its quick processing.
Therefore, a convenient way of sending a request is also very important. As is its quick processing.
Definition
I held several brainstorming sessions with studio stakeholders to get their perspective on key quotes from client interviews and thus discuss the general vector of further concepts for the site: do we show people, do we show showreels, how do we show cases, etc.
I held several brainstorming sessions with studio stakeholders to get their perspective on key quotes from client interviews and thus discuss the general vector of further concepts for the site: do we show people, do we show showreels, how do we show cases, etc.
Design
We set aside a separate week to work on concepts where we did super low detailed concepts for the homepage of the site, portfolio, contact page and so on.
In total we had more than 40 concepts of different pages, which we discussed with the studio's stakeholders.
We set aside a separate week to work on concepts where we did super low detailed concepts for the homepage of the site, portfolio, contact page and so on.
In total we had more than 40 concepts of different pages, which we discussed with the studio's stakeholders.
Idea
At some point, a humorous but resulting very cool idea came out of the pen - Pinterest for the studio.
Initially we even laughed to call it Pinterest, referring to the name of Pinkman Studios.
We showed the idea to the team and got the green light to work out the details. We ended up calling the feature just Board.
At some point, a humorous but resulting very cool idea came out of the pen - Pinterest for the studio.
Initially we even laughed to call it Pinterest, referring to the name of Pinkman Studios.
We showed the idea to the team and got the green light to work out the details. We ended up calling the feature just Board.
Why we desided the Board is a good decision:
Why we desided the Board is a good decision:
01
Effortlessly shows “life in the studio” as required by respondents in in-depth interviews;
Effortlessly shows “life in the studio” as required by respondents in in-depth interviews;
02
Solves the issue of showcasing the wide studio's capabilities without requiring special execution;
Solves the issue of showcasing the wide studio's capabilities without requiring special execution;
03
Can shows people without the risk of them being hunted into other companies;
Can shows people without the risk of them being hunted into other companies;
04
Doesn't require a large resource from the studio to maintain.
Doesn't require a large resource from the studio to maintain.
Solution
Here's the final design of the Board below.
As I mentioned above, the Board was conceived as a kind of news feed for the studio, as an additional opportunity to tell or show the inner kitchen. Here we can show screenshots of digital products we are working on, internal or external conferences, events, office life and so on. We have agreed that once a week we will collect a few photos or screenshots from each team with their work or any other interesting events in the studio.
Below you can see the final design of the Board.
Finishing the rest
Reflections
The board was originally conceived simply as a feature of the site, not intended to increase performance. However, it did improve performance - after a series of A/B tests, we noticed a remarkable increase in the metrics below:
The board was originally conceived simply as a feature of the site, not intended to increase performance. However, it did improve performance - after a series of A/B tests, we noticed a remarkable increase in the metrics below:
+21%
Avg. time spent on website.
Avg. time spent on website.
+36%
Number of requests for illustrations and creatives.
Number of requests for illustrations and creatives.
4.5/5