Our Client
The American Institute of Architects advocates for the value of architecture and give architects and 94,000 members the resources they need to do their best work. AIA.org is an instrumental component of AIA’s ability to reach their audience. And with a highly varied audience internal and external, AIA needs to be methodical in program/product decisions for AIA.org.
Their Challenge
Evolve into a stronger website for members and architects alike while maintaining AIA’s brand strength and not reinventing the wheel (redesigning). AIA grew into their website organically as many organizations do. However, this impacts how they create new content, how their content is managed, and how architects are reached.
The Solution
Listen to their users. Users in this case were engaged and non-engaged members, non-members, and students. Internally we listened to executives, representatives from every department, many chapters large and small, and member groups. All of this culminated in a one year roadmap for strategic direction and improvement.
Project highlights
Ask the Customer / Ask the Client
Vindicati conducted guided discussions with over 200 people to uncover and evaluate patterns. With an organization as large as AIA, patterns were grouped into public facing user experience, content management experience and marketing experience. Interviews and focus groups were facilitated over a six month period.
How This Helped
By listening to a large sample of participants, Vindicati set a strategy for improvement that was based on analysis of website data as well as tone and patterns from participants. AIA could understand major needs as well as low hanging fruit for improvement. This clarity helped the organization agree to an approach and improve methodically.
Finale, sort of
Using our recommendations, AIA is working with Vindicati to improve their website from the inside out. Incremental improvements will allow them to test simple personalization efforts, improve search, rethink content and how it supports members as well as improve content management.