Role: UX Strategy + Photography Art Director
Collaborators: Creative Science Labs (Design Agency), Senior VP of Marketing, Project Manager, Johnny Shyrock Photography
Collaborators: Creative Science Labs (Design Agency), Senior VP of Marketing, Project Manager, Johnny Shyrock Photography
A Dynamic Shift for Washington DC Venture Capital
Revolution is a Venture Capital firm in Washington, DC started by Steve Case (founder of AOL) with notable leadership like Ted Leonsis (CEO of Monumental Sports and owner of the Washington Wizards, Mystics, and Capitals), and at the time, Ron Klain (former Chief of Staff to Al Gore and Joe Biden). Revolution’s website, outdated and inflexible, needed a re-imaged experience to better attract the high-caliber entrepreneurs they sought. In a dynamic industry where impression is paramount, Revolution needed a digital transformation that reflected their commitment to innovation.
Revolution’s Interactive Strategies team partnered with Creative Science Labs (design agency) to work side by side to create a new and dynamic web experience for Revolution
The cornerstone of the solution was a shift away from static content to a more dynamic experience. I worked with Creative Science Labs to develop a UX strategy, leveraging APIs and plugins of the time to enable dynamic content integration. We also needed to make sure the site catered to the two primary archetypes who’d be visiting – media personnel, and potential future investment companies.
Some of the main features implemented to create the new Revolution experience were:
An Engaging Homepage: A dynamic homepage featuring a hero carousel and highlighted news about invested companies kept visitors informed and engaged upon arrival.
A Dynamic Content Feeds: Real-time news feeds kept visitors informed about Revolution's portfolio companies, pulling in press releases, news mentions, and upcoming events.
An Interactive Companies Explorer: A user-friendly tool was created to empower visitors. This feature enabled search and filtering of Revolution's investments by fund, stage, sector, and location.
An Interactive Companies Explorer: A user-friendly tool was created to empower visitors. This feature enabled search and filtering of Revolution's investments by fund, stage, sector, and location.
Bespoke Fund Pages: Dedicated landing pages were designed for each investment fund. These pages detailed specific investments, showcased managing team member profiles, and outlined investment philosophies, providing deeper insights into Revolution's approach.
My Contributions
Bridging the Gap Between Static and Dynamic: Achieving a balance between dynamic and static content was a unique challenge. In my role as Digital Production Manager, I worked closely with Creative Science Labs, who essentially functioned as an extension of Case Entities, to orchestrate the information architecture for the site. The biggest challenge was figuring out which parts of the site would be dynamic vs. static, and how to pull the feeds into the site. The API's and plugins we implemented enabled dynamic content feeds, as well as more user-friendly control to Revolutions Communications and PR team.
I also worked closely with their designer on the wireframing process, helping ensure stakeholder requirements were met in the userflows. Given that we had a range of visitors (media outlets, entrepreneurs, potential employees, and more) coming to the site, we set to reduce cognitive load by ensuring the in-page navigation was dynamic and user-friendly.
Capturing the Spirit of Revolution: In order to authentication capture the spirit of Revolutions visual identity, stock photos wouldn't cut it. I spearheaded the effort to commission photoshoots with Johnny Shyrock, and led pre-production, creative direction, and collaboration with the Revolution team to ensure a range of photos showcased both the serious and fun sides of the company. The commitment to authenticity extended to portfolio companies showcased on the site, by acquiring photos that authentically reflected their brands.
Impact
A Decade Later, Still Kickin: In 2024, a decade after its launch, the website's core structure remains robust and adaptable. The dynamic foundation enables Revolution to keep pace with evolving web trends. But the impact extends further. This dynamic platform provided the springboard for future initiatives like the "Rise of the Rest" tour, spotlighting entrepreneurial talent beyond Silicon Valley.
A Model for Dynamic Success: Revolution's website became a testament to the power of dynamic web design. It wasn't just aesthetically pleasing; it actively supported the organization's goals, attracting talent, fostering a vibrant online presence, and ultimately, revolutionizing the way they showcased innovation.
You can check out the Revolution experience yourself here!
