14.10.2024 Websites

Website renewal – How we renewed our website and what we learned

Our website renewal started with a comprehensive strategic process in which the entire office participated to clarify J&Co Digital’s mission, vision, and values. After several workshops and analyses, our mission became clear: we want to make websites better.

J&Co Digital’s core strength lies in building technically sustainable and accessible websites. We also aim to create websites that are interactive and user-friendly. Games and gamification have always been a central part of our thinking and became an important part of our strategy. We believe that gamification increases user engagement and enriches their experience on the website.

Based on our discussions, four service areas emerged: web services, games and gamification, 3D visualizations, and JCARE, the maintenance and support services for the entire lifecycle of the website.

User Interface and Visual Design with a Focus on User Experience

After the strategic work, we began designing a new look for the website that would clearly convey our mission.

The logo remained the same, as did our yellow color, which, by the way, is named after Hanko – a color representing the sun, light, and positivity. We also added several new shades to the palette.

When designing the structure of the website, we paid special attention to the user experience and different customer segments. We created customer journeys and analyzed how to ensure easy access to content. Based on wireframes, our UI/UX designer Janica created high-fidelity wireframes that also included the visual appearance of the website.

This is how we work in all our client projects as well: we create an interactive clickable prototype using Adobe XD, which allows us to test and develop the service before the technical implementation. An iterative process, in which our clients actively participate, ensures that the website meets both the users’ and the business’s needs.

Emilia Etzell – Process developer and project manager

The entire strategic process and the website renewal work were led by Emilia, Head of Projects, who has played a key role in the development of J&Co Digital’s processes.

Emilia has extensive experience in project management, and under her leadership, the strategic work and website renewal were carried out systematically and efficiently.

Thanks to Emilia’s strong contribution, the project progressed seamlessly from one phase to the next, from clarifying the strategy to creating the prototype of the new website.

Hackathon Sprint and Website Development

Once the prototype of the website was created, we moved on to the next phase: a two-day hackathon sprint in which the entire office participated in building the new site.

Everyone had their role during the sprint, whether it involved programming, developing new WordPress modules, creating 3D animations, producing content, or optimizing for search engines. Over the two days, we managed to create an almost finished web service, built on our own JCORE® theme.

JCORE® is a WordPress theme we developed that serves as a strong foundation for building new websites. We have been refining our theme for several years to ensure it is as functional and development-friendly as possible.

The hackathon was an inspiring and energetic two-day sprint where we worked closely and for long hours, enjoyed pizza, drank Nocco, and maintained a strong sense of productivity. The days were structured with regular stand-up meetings, where all team members gathered to share their progress. This ensured that everyone was aware of what others were doing and that collaboration flowed smoothly. This close teamwork enabled us to build the website efficiently and with a strong sense of community.

Final touches and Publication

After the hackathon, we fine-tuned various aspects of the website for a few days to ensure that all the details were polished.

Shortly thereafter, we launched the completed site in three different languages. The website provides comprehensive information about our services and how and why we do our work.

The entire company’s mission, vision, and values are clearly reflected throughout the website’s content and visual appearance. In content production, it became evident how important it is to define the mission, vision, and strategy based on strategic work—these help maintain clear frameworks, and every team member knows what is said on the site and why. This unified approach ensures a successful project and a strong, consistent message.