Design

Case Study: Fresh and Elegant Site Design

Background

Founded in 1908, the Harvard Club of Boston has been a haven for social, intellectual, and athletic endeavors for over a century. The Club has two locations: a clubhouse in Boston's Back Bay area and a downtown clubhouse in Boston's financial district. In particular, the Harvard Club operates a full-service hotel and four restaurants, hosts numerous special events, and offers its own catering service.

Enhancing Brand Through Design

The former Harvard Club website served its constituents' basic functional needs, but the site’s design did not convey the Harvard Club’s 5-star rating. To address this discrepancy, The Harvard Club charged Isovera with developing a new design that would attract members, better reflect the richness of what the Club offers, and add value to the organization’s brand. The organization wished to communicate its rich history via the modern medium of the Web.

Unifying Stakeholders in a Design Process

Like many organizations, the Harvard Club has numerous stakeholders who influenced the site’s design. To keep these parties productive and focused on a common goal, Isovera facilitated strategy sessions and led a working group that processed ideas and feedback. The project team was able to provide an opportunity to hear and vet ideas and opinions, while maintaining the focus necessary to create a cohesive design, meet a strict deadline, and optimize the site’s user experience around the organization’s objectives.

The resulting new design took full advantage of technology to deliver a high impact, satisfying experience. The process also included reorganizing the site’s content into a more intuitive structure that enhances usability. Accessibility of the site was also assured by systematically testing the site across various web browsers and implementing selected guidelines for users with disabilities.