Schindler Ahead
UX, Co-Art Direction, Design, Development
Schindler is one of the largest mobility companies in the world. They are uniquely positioned to digitally transform the industry.
The Goal
To launch their digital platform, Schindler Ahead, Schindler needed a microsite and matching brochure to explain the benefits of digitizing the mobility industry, and promote their current and future products.
We needed to position a company, whose legacy dates back to the 19th century, as a leader in today’s digital economy. Digitization presents a unique opportunity to analyze gigabytes of equipment data, enabling Schindler to provide superior mobility experiences to a global customer base.
The Result
The site we designed explains the benefits of digitizing and connecting elevators, escalators, and devices paired with them for Schindler’s three key customer personas: Building Managers, Facility managers, and Passengers.
“Ahead” content and branding launched at Hannover Messe, the world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology. The microsite had more than 125,000 views in its first week of launch, with visitors hailing from more than 17 countries.
35% of visitors click to explore The Digital City, making it the most trafficked portion of the Ahead microsite.
Video clickthrough of the WebGL experience
User Experience
Initially approached to simply transform the brochure design into a website, we proposed to enhance the experience using WebGL. I wanted to promote Schindler as a technology company, by using advanced web technology to show Schindler’s products in use. By exploring a commercial and residential high-rise, a transportation concourse, and a shopping center, we explain how Schindler products enhance everyday experiences as well as improve reliability and safety for customers and passengers.
In tandem with a worldwide launch online, the website was also to be used as a sales tool at a convention. We needed to make sure the site functioned on iPads that
the sales team could use to engage with customers in person. Our team devised a server system that could display the sites over self-deployed wi-fi, should internet connectivity be lacking during the conference.
I was in charge of defining the architecture of site, as well as the wireframes. I helped art direct a video prototype to sell the concept and functionality of the site to the client, and lead the development team through many iterations of the project to keep the integrity of the experience as the client continuously adapted their messaging needs.
Original Site Map
Design & Development
WebGL City Landing Wireframe
WebGL Information Card
Along with the key messaging and benefits for the main landing page, we designed a 3D city where users can visit three types of properties in which Schindler technology could be found. WebGL allows a viewer to explore the city, while enhancing the experience with animations and sense of tangible reality that static images sometimes lack. The goals of the website was not only to educate key customers, but to facilitate contacting the sales team, and promote downloading informational product brochures.
I was in charge of making sure the website and the brochure had a unified style, working with an art director on the brochure to co-create assets, as well as art directing animators and designers to deliver assets for the website. I also helped ensure development matched designs, contributing to CSS development, and directing the development until delivery of the responsive site.
Click through of the home page’s background video, canvas, text & SVG animations
