Circuit City redesign case study

In 2003, Circuit City decided to redesign their e-commerce web site. Through formation of objectives, finding a design agency, creating a style guide, overseeing the design and deploying content on the site, Rick was instrumental in creating a web site that would become ranked third on the web in e-commerce usability.

While employed as the Design Manager of the Circuit City web site, Rick was placed on a task force to form objectives with the Director of Ecommerce in 2003. After we formed objectives, Rick recommended we hire a design agency to assist with the design and information architecture of the web site.

Rick was responsible for having initial calls with over ten interactive agencies, where he discussed goals and high-level plans for the new site. After interviewing and settling on a design firm, the technology director and Rick met with the agency and hashed out a timeline for the project.

Over the next eight months, Rick worked directly with the account management staff and design staff to evaluate and provide feedback on the information architecture and design of the web site. After participating in usability testing on site prototypes and taxonomy testing with real customers to learn how customers wanted products organized, we settled on a design and planning for deployment began.

Rick coordinated re-formatting over 300 pieces of content with the design team that he managed, copywriters and programmers who were coding a content management system in parallel to development efforts. Concurrently, Rick partnered with the interactive agency to determine what content should reside in a style guide for the new site, and was instrumental in its construction.

Part of the re-formatting process included redesigning e-mail marketing communications, which fell under Rick's group. He led a team consisting of the designer, marketing managers and Circuit City's e-mail deployment company to complete the redesign.

Rick also worked closely with the company that handled formatting and posting a digital version of Circuit City's weekly circular. Each screen that displayed the circular needed to be redesigned to accommodate the new look and feel, and while this redesign occurred, enhanced functionality was added.

After the site launched in November of 2004, Rick designed "brand stores" where product manufacturers would pay for their own branded content on the site. Three visual treatments were designed and Rick worked closely with executives at Hewlett Packard to pilot the program. This program would bring Circuit City Direct millions of dollars in profit each year.

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