GE Water Site Re-Design. GE partnered with Centerline to do a complete user-centered redesign of their Water & Process Technologies’ website. The previous site was not geared toward new customers, lacked a demand gen component, and presented the visitor with a disjointed experience that spanned multiple digital properties. Through in-depth user research, stakeholder interviews, a comprehensive information architecture, extensive content planning, wireframe creation, and visual design, Centerline was able to create a site that provided GE with a seamless online experience that surfaced the right information to the right audience and could more successfully drive leads. Quantifiable Results. GE Water & Process Technologies’ new website resulted in an average of 250 warm inbound leads per month (up from zero prior to site launch), 60,000 visitors per month, and 134 new deals in the pipeline per month. This redesign lead to an overall 7-digit return for GE Water & Process Technologies.   The process included: Research and User Interviews, Persona Creation, Information Architecture, User Experience Planning, Design and QA.

1. DESIGNING A USER-CENTERED
WEB EXPERIENCE
DRIVEN BY CONTENT
GE Water Site Design Case Study

2. SUMMARY
Centerline Digital partnered with GE Water & Process
Technologies to design a content-driven website.
Our goals were to simplify how users surface relevant
content and design paths to lead generation.
The project included user research, an extensive content
audit, restructured architecture, holistic content strategy
and a flexible, responsive design layout.
The new site drove an approximate 200% increase
in inbound leads per month.
Visit Site >>

3. THE CHALLENGES
We faced three primary challenges
at the start of the project.
1
Migrating and gleaning
content hosted on a parent
site that housed content from
multiple divisions

4. 2
Integrating an extensive
document library that needed new
guided marketing context and
lead generation opportunities
THE CHALLENGES
We faced three primary challenges
at the start of the project.

5. 3Unifying a disjointed web
experience that bounced users
across multiple sites
THE CHALLENGES
We faced three primary challenges
at the start of the project.

6. USER RESEARCH
Stakeholder and user
interviews to glean key
insights and craft
user personas
a
AUDITING &
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
b
WHAT WE DID
Product portfolio audit,
content audit and analytics
review to craft a
re-envisioned site
architecture
CONTENT & UX STRATEGY
c
DESIGN
Final delivery of design
templates, style guide and
development specs for
implementation
d
Creation of user flows and
a content strategy to
demystify choice and
cultivate lead generating
opportunities

7. a. USER RESEARCH
We conducted 25 interviews with GE customers, stakeholders and
distributors, then synthesized our findings into four user personas that
helped guide the site architecture and content strategy.
Gain a deep understanding of user habits, needs and propensities to build
a clear picture of the environment influencing the buyer’s journey
GOAL
PROCESS
Gain a deep
understanding of
user habits,
needs and
propensities to
build a clear
picture of the
environment
influencing the
buyer’s journey
Crafted customized
discussion guides
based on
secondary research
and audience
segmentation
1
Facilitated
interviews to gain a
deep understanding
of existing
perception/usability
barriers and how
users consume
information
2
Synthesized
marketing goals in
the context of user
data, bringing
research to life
through persona
creation
3

8. a. USER RESEARCH
Personas serve as strategic touchstones throughout the design
and content creation lifecycle, always keeping users
at the center of our process.

9. b. AUDITING & INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
Next, we conducted a content and architecture audit, then mapped
GE’s existing content to their product portfolio, revealing gaps and
obstacles in how users access critical content.
Build a navigational structure that seamlessly guides users
to the information they need, quickly and easily
GOAL
PROCESS
Gain a deep
understanding of
user habits,
needs and
propensities to
build a clear
picture of the
environment
influencing the
buyer’s journey
Conducted a
content audit to
understand depth
and breadth of
information
1
Performed analytics
analysis to
understand existing
paths through
content and vet
consumption
patterns against
interview findings
2
Conducted site
architecture audit
to identify gaps and
dependencies in
structure and web
narrative
3
Mapped a new site
architecture based
on personas,
analytics data and
marketing goals
4

10. b. AUDITING & INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
The hierarchy of content shapes how users consume positioning and
product messaging, thus influencing how they unfold a brand’s value.

11. c. CONTENT & UX STRATEGY
Based on our research and personas, Centerline defined the information
needed on each page of the site, then designed the experience
framework to guide users through the content.
Design intuitive user paths through content to capture audiences at
various stages in the buyer’s journey, from awareness to purchase
GOAL
PROCESS
Gain a deep
understanding of
user habits,
needs and
propensities to
build a clear
picture of the
environment
influencing the
buyer’s journey
Defined user goals
and communication
needs for each
unique design
template, then for
each piece of
content
1
Designed interface
wireframes that
incorporated user
needs, content
logic, usability best
practices and
marketing
objectives
2
Wrote detailed
development and
interaction design
specs to assist our
client in managing
a third-party
development firm
3

12. c. CONTENT & UX STRATEGY
An applied content & UX strategy means every piece of content
serves a distinct purpose, and the design of an interface
remains subservient to user needs and content goals.

13. d. DESIGN
Finally, Centerline created a suite of design templates:
a culmination of applied research, content
strategy and GE branding.
Create a vehicle of credibility for the GE brand through a
polished, accessible interface with an intuitive content structure
GOAL
PROCESS
Gain a deep
understanding of
user habits,
needs and
propensities to
build a clear
picture of the
environment
influencing the
buyer’s journey
Became immersed
in client’s brand and
design requirements
1
Brought wireframes
to life with visual
design and
iconography
2
Created a style
guide to augment
client’s existing
brand guidelines,
ensuring brand
consistency as the
site grows over time
3

14. d. DESIGN
The branding of an interface greatly influences how users perceive
the credibility of the messages contained within it.

15. RESULTS
A simplified user experience that seamlessly
guides users to solutions and products
Fully integrated content from the GE parent site and
information library, along with appropriate context to
guide users along an exploratory path
The newly launched site includes:
Carefully placed and non-intrusive lead
generation opportunities
1
2
3

16. RESULTS
...which resulted in:
1
2
3
increase in new, qualified leads per month
new deals added to the sales pipeline per month
Resulting in an overall return
58%
25
7-digit

17. Visit Site >>
gewater.com

18. Client Team: GE Water & Process Technologies
Steve Pepe, Director of Digital Marketing
Yesh Desai, IT Program Manager
Patricia Garofalo, Global Communications Leader
Centerline Team:
Nora Jones, Executive Project Manager
Cait Vlastakis Smith, Sr. UX & Content Strategist
Kristen Collosso, Interactive Designer
Meryn Thunen, Project Coordinator
Project Team

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