The Clicks-to-Clients Connection Engine
I led a team to revitalize a digital brand agency with a "Connection Engine" that uses a fun, engaging experience to build meaningful client relationships.
Key Activities
Activity A
Activity B
Activity C
Human Impact
Connection
Enjoyment
Duration
2 months
Role
Project Lead & UX Strategist
Challenge & Vision
Digital brand agency DigiHub wanted to stand out in a competitive market and attract more qualified leads. They launched an internal challenge to innovate new business development strategies. I saw this as a chance to create a more personal and engaging experience for potential clients, addressing both the business problem of client acquisition and the human problem of building lasting connections in a digital world.
Problem
My cross-functional team was tasked with developing a new solution for client engagement. We struggled with an initial lack of team cohesion that hindered our ability to be creative and effective. The first step was to address this human challenge by creating a collaborative environment where our diverse expertise could combine to produce a truly impactful solution.
Goal and Objectives
My goal was to improve on the traditional agency pitch deck with a dynamic website experience to showcase DigiHub’s digital expertise while providing a more engaging introduction to potential clients. To achieve this, I focused on three key objectives:
Design a tool that uses data-driven insights to help the business adapt its outreach to client needs
Transform a transactional process into empathetic interactions that promote enjoyment
Attract more qualified leads and foster a deeper understanding of the business’s unique value proposition
Role and Contributions
I guided a team of three through the entire process, from initial brainstorming to final delivery. My contributions ensured our collective vision translated into a unified and impactful final product through strategy, communication, and project management.
Discover
Understanding the Problem
My first step as the project lead was to unite the team under a common purpose. We conducted a high-level competitive analysis to understand the market landscape, and I facilitated brainstorming sessions to uncover the human-centered problem to solve. Our foundational research led us to pivot from simply creating a new marketing gimmick to designing a fresh "Connection Engine" platform that would build a more personal relationship with clients.
Key Learnings
Pivoting from marketing goals to a human-centered strategy can set a project up for success
Framing a problem around the human need creates opportunities for more impactful and unique solutions
Clear communication and close collaboration help a project evolve from an abstract challenge to a concrete solution
Ideate
Building the Solution
With a clear problem to solve, I led the team in creating Miro user flows and low-fidelity Figma prototypes. Our solution was a "Connection Engine" that starts with an email and delights users with a fun, quiz-like interface. The Connection Engine guides users through a series of questions then generates a tailored output that provides valuable insights and demonstrates DigiHub’s brand personality. This approach was designed to be both an engaging experience for potential clients and a powerful lead-generation tool for the business.
Key Learnings
Focusing on the client journey from their first interaction to the final output ensured that the experience was seamless and enjoyable
Human connection can be more effective at building client trust than strategic recommendations
Effective solutions balance innovation with efficiency and adaptability
Validate
Refining the Experience
We were unable to conduct formal user testing due to project constraints. Instead, I conducted a series of internal review sessions with the broader team and key stakeholders. These reviews helped us validate our solution by gathering feedback, identifying potential issues, and refining the experience. An iterative approach ensured the final design reflected our team's collective expertise and a deeper understanding of the business.
Key Learnings
Leveraging internal expertise is a resourceful approach to validating assumptions when user testing is not an option
A collaborative approach builds consensus and ensures buy-in for the final design
It is always important to address business needs with user-centric principles, even when iterating in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment
Deliver
Proving the Impact
The final Connection Engine collects input from a potential client with the goal of understanding their motivation, fostering organic collaboration, and aligning on priorities; all while using the interface to customize a shareable profile card. The back of the profile card provides context to the customization and explains how we interpret user input. This solution prioritizes starting a meaningful partnership in a fun and engaging way. It provides the potential client with an authentic representation of DigiHub’s digital identity, and provides DigiHub with high-value input from qualified leads.
Key Learnings
A shareable, personalized card can be an effective strategy to build user relationships
Engaging experiences can provide high-value input from qualified leads
A human-centered approach can produce a tangible tool that fosters genuine connection and drives business growth
Measurable Outcomes
The "Connection Engine" was more than just a proof of concept; it was a scalable solution that delivered on its promise to redefine client engagement. My design decisions were validated by internal feedback and strategic projections, demonstrating how prioritizing Enjoyment and Connection is poised to drive measurable business Growth.
$1.6m
potential quarterly revenue after implementation based on DigiHub’s business acquisition trends
80%
potential reduction in time spent on manual qualification, freeing up the business development team to focus on building client relationships
25%
Projected increase in lead-to-client conversion as a result of a streamlined engagement flow that builds trust from the very first interaction
Human Impact
While the numbers tell a powerful story, nothing captures the success of a project like a real person's experience.
Quote Statement
Quote Author
Quote Role
Personal Reflection
Taking ownership of the project's organization and communication allowed me to empower my team members to contribute our best work and overcome the challenges we faced. My leadership contributions were most effective when I helped the team pivot from a pitch deck replacement to a pitch deck supplement, successfully addressing feedback from DigiHub stakeholders that highlighted the need for a compatible tool with existing pitch processes. It was a powerful reminder that truly effective design is born from collaboration and a commitment to creating meaningful, positive change.
Future Considerations
I envision a future where the Connection Engine is seamlessly integrated into DigiHub’s business development process. My team prepared several features to iteratively improve the experience:
Expand the scope of the Connection Engine to include new audiences like procurement specialists and job seekers to improve the tool's ongoing business value
Dynamically generate design assets to make the experience more interactive and demonstrate DigiHub’s unique personality
Produce printed gifts that reflect the Connection Engine and bring them to in-person client meetings to strengthen DigiHub’s presence across other touchpoints