MICRA is a collaborative project bringing together 8 Universities in the Midlands to create the UK’s largest technology transfer ecosystem. The organisation’s services encompass new business incubation, investment procurement and product licensing.
Being such a complex organisation, the original website for MICRA was not user-friendly. It was jumbled, difficult to navigate and overwhelming. The incoherent user journey led to potential clients losing interest and leaving the site.
MICRA asked KIJO to simplify this maze of services into clear user journeys and create a new website that was engaging and easy to use. We also agreed to design new branding for MICRA to apply across their materials.
The two key goals for this project were:
To add a visual guide to the separate funnels, we designed icons for each user type which are used throughout the website. These minimalist line-drawings are in-keeping with the navy and red colour scheme, and become brand assets for the organisation.
We wanted to create a header style that tied in with the existing MICRA brand, without being too bland. Rather than using just text, we introduced a red full stop at the end of each title. The result is visual impact in every header and a linguistic impact on each title, sounding snappy and forthright in their communications.
Designing User Journeys has to start with user types. Knowing the core target markets meant we could create clear navigation to the most relevant sections.
To ensure the user journey ends in enquiries, we’ve created a bespoke multi-step form which triggers different fields based on user type. Split into four stages, users begin by selecting a service, using the same action copy and icons as throughout the website. Stage 2 offers a checklist of facilities, companies and technologies, tailored to the user type indicated at stage 1. This helps collect first-party data and tailor mailing lists for future use. Stage 3 offers a simple free text box for users to explain their interest, giving their details in stage 4.
These User Types are distinct audiences, with varying situations, knowledge and needs. As such, the user journeys needed to be as simple and clear as possible.
We decided to use a similar structure to our previous project with BCUAdvantage, and funnel users based on their goal.
A dropdown menu offers options reading:
This active copy is at once consistent across the site and distinct from one another, directing users to the relevant pages straight away. The phrase ‘I want to’ immediately encourages the user to commit to their goals, cementing MICRA as an organisation that has already helped them.
To soften the impact of our red buttons, we introduced subtle animations and micro-interactions. On hover, an arrow appears encouraging users to click through. These little interactions bring the site to life and help people find their way through the user journeys.
