Optimising website performance: Responsive redesign to drive a 49% increase in engagement time and 30% increase in engagement rate.

My Role

As the sole designer, I spearheaded the revamp of Microtube Technologies' marketing website, focusing on user experience and interface design. Using insights from heuristic evaluations and data analytics, I uncovered the root causes behind low engagement rates and translated those findings into actionable design improvements. I conceptualized and drove the redevelopment of responsive, user-centric interfaces, crafting a cohesive and engaging digital experience that aligned with business goals

Scope

•UX Design •UI Design •Market research •Data analysis •Redesign

Tools

•Figma •Google Analytics 4 •Wordpress (Elementor)

Time Frame

Q1 2024

Overview

Microtube Technologies is a pioneering tech company at the forefront of wearable technology innovation. Specialising in the integration of haptics within extended reality environments, they are dedicated to bringing imersive realism and lifelike touch to digital experiences.

The Problem

Users struggled to find key information and had a low avg. engagement time per session

The existing website’s overwhelming and inconsistent design created a fragmented user experience, making it difficult for visitors to navigate or focus on key information.
Without a clear and visually prominent call-to-action, users often missed the next steps, leading to low engagement and conversions.
Ineffective content flow and unclear copywriting added to user confusion, diluting the brand’s message and resulting in missed opportunities to connect with potential customers.

but wait... What are we trying to achieve?

Stakeholder interview

To gain deeper clarity on the website’s goals and priorities, I conducted a stakeholder interview early in the project. This conversation helped uncover key business objectives, align design direction with the organization’s broader vision, and ensure that every design decision was grounded in real strategic needs.

Given the niche nature of their core product, the primary objective was to ensure users could easily understand what the company offers and how it addresses specific business challenges. Instead of driving direct sales through the website, the focus was on encouraging users to initiate contact for personalised follow-ups—creating opportunities for meaningful conversations, potential sales, and future project collaborations.

Feedback from the sales team revealed a key insight—while information was readily available on the website, many potential customers still struggled to grasp the company’s offerings and product features. This lack of clarity often led to missed opportunities, as users failed to fully understand how the product could solve their business challenges and deliver value.

The Solution

Website Redesign for Clearer Communication and Visual Clarity

To address the pain points and improve user understanding, the website was redesigned with a strong focus on clear information delivery and thoughtful visual hierarchy.

Simplifying information
Multimedia elements such as visuals and diagrams were integrated alongside written content to break down complex information, making it more engaging and easier to digest.
Decluttering the Interface
Unnecessary links, icons, and visual distractions were removed to create a clean, focused layout—allowing users to absorb key messages without friction.
Establishing Visual Consistency
A cohesive design system and style guide were developed to ensure consistent visual language across all pages, reinforcing brand identity and creating a seamless browsing experience.

The Impact

Improved avg. engagement time per session
The redesign led to measurable improvements in user engagement. Within three months post-launch, the average engagement time per session increased by 49%, rising from 51 seconds to 1 minute and 16 seconds—a strong indicator that users were spending more time exploring the content.
Improved targeted engagement rate
The overall engagement rate also saw an uptick, improving from 77.5% to 80%. More notably, the HEXR product page—where the main offering is featured—saw a dramatic jump in engagement, climbing from 37.2% to 67%. This highlighted the success of the redesign in guiding users toward the most critical part of the website and ensuring they better understood the company’s core product.

The Process - How did this happen?

Heuristic Evaluation

To identify key pain points and usability issues, I conducted a heuristic evaluation of Microtube Technologies’ existing website. This assessment helped me take a step back and critically examine the site’s design, structure, and functionality from the user’s perspective. The evaluation provided a clear foundation for prioritizing areas for improvement in both user experience and visual design.

Key takeaways:

Standardizing design elements to create a more consistent and cohesive user experience across all pages.

Tidying the layout by removing visual clutter, allowing users to focus on key content.

Improving access to help documentation, so users can easily find support when needed.

Introducing clear status indicators and feedback to boost user awareness and confidence during interactions.

Who am I designing it for?

Before diving into the design, I began by analyzing existing user behavior and purchase data to gain a deeper understanding of our target audience. This research aimed to uncover the specific tasks our customers depend on the product to accomplish—what are their core needs and motivations?

From this analysis, I identified two distinct user archetypes, each with unique goals and pain points, which helped guide the design process.

Early concepts

To quickly generate potential solutions, I facilitated ideation sessions and began sketching initial screen layouts to bring ideas to life. These early sketches served as a foundation for visualizing different design approaches. Through multiple iterations and continuous feedback, I refined these concepts into a more effective, user-friendly design that better aligned with user needs and business goals.

Redesign recommendations

Based on insights from the heuristic evaluation and valuable feedback from existing customers, we undertook a comprehensive redesign of the website. The primary objective was to align the site more closely with the business goals, ensuring that users could easily understand the company’s offerings and how they could solve their business challenges. By addressing user pain points and simplifying the content, we enhanced the site’s effectiveness as a marketing platform, guiding visitors toward personalized follow-ups.

Feedback session

Given the time constraints in recruiting external users for post-redesign usability testing, I took the initiative to organize an internal feedback session with colleagues. This allowed me to gather diverse, actionable insights quickly while leveraging the team’s familiarity with the product.

During the session, participants navigated the new site, focusing on key areas like content clarity and overall user experience.The feedback revealed several strengths, such as improved visual consistency and better information accessibility, making it easier for users to understand the product.
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However, a few minor issues were identified—such as the need for content adjustments and the speed of animations—which were promptly addressed
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While external user testing is ideal, this internal session provided meaningful input that directly contributed to refining the redesign and ensuring it aligned with the project’s core goals.

In summary ...

Refining Content Clarity
By highlighting key product details, value propositions, and application scenarios in a more descriptive and accessible way, I ensured users could easily grasp what the company offers and how it solves their problems
Establishing Design Consistency
I introduced a cohesive design system that not only tidied up the layout but also improved navigation. This made the site visually consistent and guided users effortlessly from one section to the next, creating a smoother, more enjoyable experience.
Delivering Significant Results
‍The redesign led to notable improvements in user engagement, as measured by key performance metrics:
- Engagement time per session increased by 49%, signaling that users were spending more time interacting with the content.
- Engagement rate on the key product page surged by nearly 30%, which demonstrated that the redesign effectively guided users to the main product offering and sparked their interest.

Challenges faced

As I was working with WordPress—a tool I had recently started using—I had to adapt my design vision within the limitations of the platform. This meant balancing creativity with the technical realities of implementing design changes effectively. Despite the learning curve, I successfully leveraged WordPress’s features to bring the design to life, gaining valuable experience along the way.
Due to constraints in recruiting external users for usability testing, the redesign was primarily guided by a heuristic evaluation and best UX practices. While this approach laid a strong foundation, I recognized that it lacked the depth of insights that could have been obtained through direct user feedback. This meant making educated assumptions about user needs, which, while effective, could have been further refined with more personalized research.

Learnings

One of the most eye-opening realizations was that high engagement doesn’t equate to better conversions. Despite an impressive initial 77.5% engagement rate, I observed that users spent significant time on pages—like the contact and careers pages—without completing key actions. This reinforced the importance of not just capturing attention but also guiding users seamlessly toward conversion points. It became clear that engagement metrics are only part of the puzzle; it’s about driving users toward meaningful interactions.
Another pivotal insight came from the nearly 30% boost in engagement on the HEXR product page. This demonstrated the power of aligning content with what users actually want and expect. By tailoring content to meet specific needs, users were more engaged and focused on high-value areas. This reinforced my belief in prioritizing high-impact pages and content that resonates directly with user needs, ensuring that every design decision contributes to driving the right actions.

Product Value and Information Accessibility