Bridging the Gap - Strategy, Design, Technology.

Leverage Software

How a redesigned website makes social networking software easier to understand — and sell

Leverage Software is the leader in enterprise social networking. Its software as a service (SAAS) platform powers communities for more than 275 companies and government entities, including Microsoft, HP, Salesforce.com, Charles Schwab, McKesson, Dow Jones and The New York Times. Facing an overdue redesign of its website – and a short deadline – Leverage Software turned to Infield Design.

Challenge: Help Leverage stand out from the competition

With the success of sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, awareness of the power of social networking is at an all-time high. Yet competition from other social networking providers can make it hard to stand out from the crowd.

Infield Design has worked with Leverage for several years on a range of interactive projects, and we understand what makes Leverage’s technology and brand distinctive in enterprise social networking. So when our friends at Leverage needed a thorough and quickly executed redesign of the corporate website, we were excited to get to work.

The people at Leverage wanted to use the site redesign to humanize the brand and present the company as a group of people who will above all support and ensure success for their customers. They shared with us analytics on the relative popularity of community/interactive areas of previous Leverage sites. This information inspired us rethink the site in a way that would demonstrate Leverage’s human face and other brand assets instead of simply promoting features and functions. Specifically, we faced several key challenges:

  • Redesign and refocus the website to provide a more engaging and compelling home for the company, while maintaining branding consistency.
  • Show more clearly what Leverage does and convey its value to specific sectors and personal commitment to its customers.
  • Provide a design that integrates with the preexisting Leverage Software framework, providing a seamless introduction to the company’s enterprise software.
  • Manage an inclusive design process, incorporating feedback from numerous internal stakeholders who represent requirements and priorities of business, engineering, and design.
  • Deliver within a short project timeline: 3 weeks from inception to launch date.

Solution: Let the product speak for itself

Infield Design worked closely with the internal team to develop several priorities for the redesign. Key elements of the project’s success include:

Look sharp. Infield Design created a strong, energetic design that conveys the dynamic nature of grassroots communications online. Its engaging, user-friendly appearance encourages visitors to explore.

Show, don’t tell. The new design makes it quicker and easier for visitors to enter the content-rich areas of the site that showcase the innovative Leverage Software platform. Here, visitors can see and experience the platform firsthand and navigate its compelling interactive environment. Essentially, the site is able to use the Leverage platform to sell the Leverage platform.

Stay focused. By reducing clutter and extraneous content, the new site focuses attention on 3 key markets for social networking software, to more clearly show its value to key sectors: Employees/internal communications, channel partners, and citizens/government. The site features real-world examples of how Leverage customers in these sectors have made a difference inside their organizations.

Arrive on time. With rapid prototyping, multiple design revisions and fast production, Infield Design delivered on time and on budget.