The Challenge
Guide and lead the definition, launch, and expansion of an extraordinary organization’s new web presence.

The Solutions
Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin provides immersive, experiential learning opportunites and entertainment for many thousands of visitors each year. Offering such attractions as a fresh and saltwater aquarium, the S/V Denis Sullivan, and elaborate exhibits dedicated to science, technology, water stewardship, and overall education, Discovery World is a truly unique destination with something for everyone.

Molstad Consulting worked closely with Discovery World senior management, art directors, developers, and content experts to define a new information architecture and overall website framework that would serve to increase public understanding and drive visitor action in a measurable and scalable way. The massive effort was broken into multiple phases with a focus on quick wins and revenue-driving features. Prototypes of interfaces and key templates were created to serve as context for decisions and blueprints for developers.

The site features detailed content supported by targeted imagery, Flash animations and video specifically tailored for each of the primary audiences. In addition, the development of a state-of-the-art ecommerce/order management system was managed utilizing agile methodology resulting in the ability for users to purchase tickets and buy/renew memberships online. The vast and diverse selection of Discovery World programs and published and managed via a customized, integrated blogging system. In addition to streamlined content management for the staff, site visitors can also take advantage of social media feature, search, tagging and bookmarking of content.

A web analytics methodology has been established which has measurably improved business intelligence and increased conversions. Business goals have been mapped to key audiences, and in turn, to specific metrics. Molstad Consulting regularly monitors site performance, summarizes insights gained from optimized analytics tools, and assists senior staff in prioritizing web initiatives. Email marketing campaigns are also regularly reviewed ensuring their alignment with the website and organizational marketing goals.

Discovery World now enjoys greater visibility than ever before into their site usage and marketing performance due to targeted web analytics and modernized site structure/coding standards.

All communication, tasks, and schedules were (and continue to be) orchestrated via Basecamp and Molstad Consulting’s proprietary methods for online/remote collaboration.

The Results
Discovery World now has a web presence that provides them the page real estate, scalable information architecture, design cohesion, and marketing intelligence befitting a highly visible and ever-evolving organization. The site serves as the foundation of all internet marketing efforts. Insights gained from web analytics has removed the guesswork from web initiative prioritization and keeps web team members focused on key audiences and visitor tasks.

Ecommerce, Flash, Information Architecture, Molstad Consulting Case Studies, User Interface Design, Web Analytics, Web Project Management, Web Strategy Consulting Basecamp, Ecommerce, Flash, Information Architecture, Market Research, Online Collaboration, User Interface Design, Web Project Management

The Challenge
Completely overhaul and improve the company’s online identity, both graphically and functionally, and enhance the home search experience.

The Solutions
HomeSale Realty’s previous site was quickly becoming too small to contain the content and functionality necessary to represent the fastest growing real estate brokerage in Wisconsin. The property search confused most users and was getting little traffic.

Molstad Consulting conducted a requirements analysis, fully documented the findings and prototypes and led a multi-disciplinary team in designing the new front-end and back-end interfaces.

Public site visitors now enjoy a much more robust and user-friendly property search of the entire Multiple Listing Service and can sign up to be automatically updated via email when properties that match their search criteria become available. A home search can begin right from the homepage by clicking on a county taking the user to a screen to see the number of listings available in each community. From there the search can be narrowed using extensive new search criteria options.

Each property allows a home buyer to view a dynamic notification of open houses, virtual tours and multiple property photos with a unique caption for each. They can also map the property, request a showing (sent directly to the listing agent) or click an agent’s photo or name to jump to that agent’s custom online vanity page.

The back-end automatically downloads all available MLS property data into the system on a nightly basis and allows the staff to manage the brokerage’s available properties, open houses, virtual tours, agent profiles and property update accounts. They enjoy instantaneous updates to the public site which previously had to be run through a separate agency.

Each agent has a separate login to manage their own properties, open houses and profile.

The public site also features an extensive “Newsroom” area giving the media and public easy access to notifications of HomeSale’s many and frequent accomplishments. These include HomeSale’s television commercials featuring Pat “Mr. Miyagi” Morita integrated into a custom-designed Flash video player.

The Response
“Without any extra clicks, the home buyer gets what they’re looking for the instant they land on our homepage.”

- Roy Scholtka, President of HomeSale Realty

Information Architecture, Molstad Consulting Case Studies, User Interface Design, Web Project Management Information Architecture, Market Research, User Interface Design, Web Project Management, Wireframes

The Challenge
Create an information space and central task area to bring together five offices, 200 agents, and piles of disparate documentation.

The Solutions
Along with HomeSale Realty’s impressive growth and success has come the challenge of maintaining efficient communication and uniformity of process and documents between multiple offices.

Molstad Consulting interviewed key decision makers, analyzed HomeSale’s methods and business practices and developed a portal-based, scalable information architecture to accommodate widely varied user needs, tasks and access levels.

A Web-based content management system was implemented giving particular staff members instant access to update the content they’re responsible for. With their agents constantly on the go, this content needed to be version-controlled, and immediately accessible. The role of publishing content has been shifted to its creator.

The intranet features a single sign-on gateway to essential real estate forms, listing data sheets, training and marketing materials, as well as their public site administration tool to manage listings, agent profiles, open houses and more.

Truly a company of friends and family, HomeSale wanted to create a closer bond with its community of staff and agents. The intranet helps accomplish this via a central area for discussion, social events and announcements.

The intranet has already taken on a life of its own and has the flexibility to grow in step with the ever-evolving HomeSale organization.

Information Architecture, Molstad Consulting Case Studies, User Interface Design, Web Project Management Information Architecture, Market Research, User Interface Design, Web Development, Web Graphic Design, Web Project Management

The Challenge
TroyResearch is an Internet-focused consumer opinion market research firm. From online focus groups to custom surveys to hybrid Internet/traditional methodologies, they use Internet technology to help their clients stay in touch with their customers quickly and cost-effectively.

TroyResearch operates a massive back-end system to administrative their online services and client data. Maintaining and adding to this system was becoming more and more complex and difficult to manage resulting in higher costs and extended deadlines.

The Solutions
Molstad Consulting introduced new methods of documentation and project management, including functionality specifications and wireframes, serving as prototypes of interface elements as well as a context for decision making. This documentation became the blueprints for TroyResearch developers on multiple projects, giving them a clear picture of user needs and programming requirements.

Featured projects include:

General Market Research Tools

• Allows for expansion of Troy Research market research services into other industries
• Created multiple new online, dynamic reports, with expanded calculations, allowing radio stations and other clients to conduct a more efficient and detailed statistical analysis of their survey data with a focus on usability
• The new reports allow for crosstabbing, trending, frequency tables, participation reports and multi-filtering

Information Architecture, Molstad Consulting Case Studies, User Interface Design, Web Project Management Information Architecture, Market Research, User Interface Design, Wireframes