Website relaunch
ZIV – die Fahrradindustrie
In collaboration with Sven Ingmar Thies, I designed a new website for ZIV, the German Bicycle Industry Association, enhancing the experience with easy access to key resources and updates, aligned with ZIV’s mission to promote cycling and the bicycle industry.
Client:
ZIV – Die Fahrradindustrie
Company:
Thies Design
Year:
2023
Tools:
Adobe Xd, Procreate
Briefing
ZIV, the German Bicycle Industry Association, needed a fresh, modern website with user-friendly navigation.
The goal was to create a clear hub for market data, industry news, and association activities, reflecting the innovative nature of the bicycle industry through engaging visuals and an organized layout.
Scope.
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Create a modern, user-friendly website for ZIV (German Bicycle Industry Association) to streamline access to industry resources and updates, while reflecting ZIV’s mission to promote cycling.
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Modern Design: Fresh, visually engaging layout.
User-Friendly Navigation: Simplified navigation for easy access to key resources.
Content Hub: Organized sections for market data, news, and activities.
Filter Options: Advanced filtering for quick content sorting.
Expandable Content: Clean layout with expandable sections for detailed info.
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Competitor Research: Analyze best practices in design and usability.
Information Architecture: Create a clear content structure.
Sketching Visual Design: Develop visual design concepts.
Final Visual Design: Align design with ZIV’s brand.
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Content creation (all content was provided by the client) and development (design was handed off to a freelance developer).
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3 months.
A glimpse of the progress.
Throughout this project, a variety of steps were taken to ensure a detailed design process. While key activities like information architecture and competitor research were integral to shaping the direction of the project, unfortunately, these materials weren’t saved properly and can’t be shown here.
However, what follows is a glimpse at the available design work, offering an insight into the progress.
Sketching.
During the ZIV website redesign, I used Procreate to sketch and explore design ideas. This iterative process helped refine the design and align it with ZIV’s goals, trying to improve the user experience.
Bringing it all together.
The redesigned ZIV website features a clean layout, making key information like market data, technical standards, and industry news easily accessible.
Its streamlined navigation helps users quickly find what they need, while the design reflects the innovative bicycle and e-bike industry, keeping visitors engaged.
Looking back, moving forward.
A Shift in Design Approach
Looking back a year later, with more experience in UX/UI design, I realize I would have approached the ZIV website redesign quite differently. At the time, my focus leaned heavily on graphic design, aiming to create something visually unique. Now, with a user-centered perspective, I would prioritize user experience over aesthetics, incorporating user research to understand the target audience’s needs. This approach would have resulted in more informed design decisions and a website better aligned with user expectations.
The Value of Proper Documentation
One regret I have is the loss of critical project documentation, such as information architecture and competitor research. These were key components in guiding the project but were not preserved properly, limiting my ability to showcase the full process. This experience taught me the importance of maintaining thorough documentation throughout a project to ensure transparency, preserve valuable insights, and enable future learning.
Looking back, this project was a significant step in my growth as a designer, and the lessons I learned continue to shape my approach to new challenges.