Based in Montreal, Playmind is a creative studio for video game design and digital experiences.
Several times awarded since its creation in 2004, the studio specializes in the design of virtual reality games and interactive and immersive experiences (Paybox or Playbooth) that are at events (Igloofest), theme parks (La Ronde) or corporate events. Playmind also designs its video games and some on demand.
In 2021, the company organized a call for tenders to find a partner to refresh its website: create an attractive platform with easy navigation and accessibility on all media. Happy winners, we embarked with pleasure on the adventure as early as July.
The redesign of Playmind's website responded to the client's desire to convert more visitors into users. The studio also wanted to integrate a presentation of its latest projects, the team, and the company into the new site.
Our mission: to design a site that is easy to use, offers a pleasant user experience and highlights these content elements. It involved rethinking the site’s ergonomics to ensure intuitive navigation, enrich the content of the pages, refresh the platform’s look, and make it navigable on desktop as on mobile devices.
Ultimately, we wanted to offer the client a turnkey site, allowing them to make content changes and updates themselves!
The first step of this mandate was to conduct in-depth research on the company, its competitors and the market in which it operates. With this information in hand, we could familiarize ourselves with industry codes and practices and integrate them into our three areas of intervention for this mandate: design, development and launch protocol.
Design
We designed the site’s new structure to clarify and enrich the content and to offer visitors a fun navigation. In particular, we imagined a new way of presenting content by prioritizing the services offered, the Playmind team and their working methodology. We also created a portfolio section and a blog section to improve the client's visibility and authority in his sector while increasing traffic to his site.
In terms of aesthetics, Playmind already had a bold visual identity. We retained the brand's visual impact but adapted it to professionalize the site while making it playful. We created an aesthetic that immerses visitors in the game world with bold contrasts, bright colours, and fun navigation involving scrolling banners and light and colour displays that change depending on navigation.
Development
Once the client validated the mockups, we started the development of the new online platform. We've created an easily editable structure so Playming can update it themselves.
Among the actions to improve the visitor experience, we have set up a popup function on the portfolio page that allows more detailed content to open and close with a single click on the page already opened.
We have also designed effects to create fun navigation:
• On the home page: a fade effect between different images of a slide obtained by using the HTML canvas;
• On the products page: the page background changes colours as it scrolls;
• On the products page: at the bottom of the page, the mouse cursor turns into a bubble with a call-to-action text to access the contact form.
• On the games page: we bet on a dark light effect using bright visuals and white text on a dark background.
We then integrated the new content into the structure, including photos of clients using the company's products for a better projection of visitors.
Site launch
Once we built, tested, and approved the new website, we set the launch date with the client. We had previously backed up the old website and its data as a precautionary measure.
We then transferred the information from the new site to the new server. We proceeded with SEO optimizations, including metadata integration and 301 redirects to redirect the old site's traffic to the new one.
Once online, we checked the operability of the pages, and in October 2021, we gave the client a brand-new optimized site.
A playful design We designed the site’s new structure to clarify and enrich the content and to offer visitors a fun navigation.
We also created a portfolio section and a blog section to improve the client's visibility and authority in his sector while increasing traffic to his site.
Lumos is a Montreal based company, catering to a broad Quebec audience with light installation services and the rental of lights and lighting equipment.
Their services fall under three separate categories:
• Rental solution: to rent high end lighting equipment
• Residential services: Selection and installation of high end lighting for your home
• Event services: Selection and installation of high end lighting for events, restaurants and offices
Their website highlights the scope of work they can provide, the quality of their equipment and their expertise in the lighting industry.
