A research project for a member-based instructing association
In late 2008 we helped Snowboard Instruction New Zealand (SBINZ), plan a re-design and re-launch of its web presence. We developed a strategy for improving the online experience for current and potential members.
Responsible for certifying all Snowboard Instructors within New Zealand, SBINZ is an internationally renowned qualifying body producing professional, knowledgeable instructors who teach and ride at very high standards.
SBINZ wanted to raise its profile and saw the Web as a vehicle for communicating to a larger audience (domestically and internationally), growing membership and increasing course participation.
The organisation was unhappy with the appearance of its Web site and felt there were gaps in the information it provided. To meet its business goals SBINZ knew it had to make its Web site offer more and asked for our help to create a strategy for getting there.
The design behind the design
It was clear that a visual re-design alone would simply ‘paper over the cracks’ and not make the long-term improvements SBINZ sought. We helped study the business goals and decide how to make better use of the Web.
Our user research gave SBINZ a strategy and design brief for creating a new and improved Web site. This specification set out the ‘design behind the design’ and a plan of attack for making it happen. SBINZ could then allocate budget where it would be most effective and create a solid foundation for future developments.
Our approach
We identified many aspects of SBINZ’s Web marketing that could be improved and prioritised those to fit the time and budget allocated to the project. The highest priority was improving the information communicated by the site, closely followed by usability enhancements to online services such as ‘becoming a member’ or ‘enrolling on a course’.
Our approach involved the following methods:
- Defining the key messages for SBINZ to communicate.
- Researching the types of Web site users who make up its audience.
- Exploring the needs of each of these user groups and the tasks they would have to carry out to satisfy them.
- Specifying a Web site structure to support those user tasks.
- Discussing our findings with SBINZ to make the strategy fit its operations.
As a result, the umbrella organisation New Zealand Snowsports Instructors Alliance (NZSIA) asked us to perform the same processes for its Ski Division.
“Since Tactic Group re-designed our website we have had nothing but positive comments from our customers. They put a lot of time into finding out the real needs of our web site users and, as such, all of the relevant information is now easy to find. Our customers used to find the booking process a little confusing but now that Tactic Group are involved everything is running extremely smoothly.”
- Matt Phare, Divisional Rep, SBINZ.