EthicalUX tackles strategy first, design second

When you speak to everyone, you risk being heard by no one. That simple mantra drives the design process at EthicalUX, a Squamish, BC-based digital strategy company.

Many companies make the mistake of launching Web sites or digital campaigns without much thought as to how that content flows or the overall picture it paints of their business, says Jesse Korzan, Ethical UX’s partner and creative director. He says the firm tries to be different from other agencies.

“We’re more transparent, more collaborative, and we work with our clients to understand their business so we can become invested advocates for it,” he says. “Especially with the way things have changed with responsive design and the proliferation of mobile devices, we think there are a few ways –process, technique or philosophy – that things should be done.”

Last year, True Collection hired EthicalUX to produce a traditional Web site for its exclusive travel boutique. During the course of its consultation with the client, Korzan says they discovered that the company’s brand and business strategy were outdated and not effectively serving its customers.

“It was apparent the direction they were going to take with the site would be short-sighted and dated, so we recreated their brand and their business strategy from scratch,” says Korzan. “If we went with what they wanted (initially), we wouldn’t have helped them (achieve) their business goals.”

The company also worked with Santa Cruz Bikes for the launch of its new brand of mountain bikes – Juliana Bicycles – designed for women, by women. They came to Ethical UX looking for a digital brochure of the bike and its specifications, but Ethical UX’s Innovation Partner, David Olsson, had other ideas.

“They had a really great brand story, so we did a story design model for the Web site,” Olsson explains. “You get the product information you need, and you get the attitude and meaning behind why they’re doing this. The interaction is a bit different. It’s playful and delightful, and different from what the company and its customers are used to.”

When Canadian comedian Shaun Majumder asked EthicalUX to create a Web campaign to promote The Gathering, an annual cultural festival he hosts in Newfoundland, Koran and his partners admit they had a challenge. Working with a “skinny budget,” Korzan and his partners created a site that diverts from the normal navigation of tabs and pages, and instead features content presented in tiles – all on a single page.

“They didn’t have the money or the architecture for a content publishing system,” says Olsson. “But they had a resource who understood HTML, so we came up with this concept of tiles – a feed-based pattern – that looks and works as great on a phone as it does on the desktop, without compromising the tone of the aesthetic.”

In many cases, clients approach the company looking for a traditional Web site, says Korzan, but they don’t have a solid understanding of what they want to accomplish with that tool. At EthicalUX, clients are interviewed at length, giving the team clear insight into their business and its goals. That’s what the team believes will ensure its own long-term success.

“We want to understand why you’re excited about your business,” he says. “What motivates you to do it, who you’re selling to, (and) how marketing is driving your numbers.”