Introduction
The Excedrin Migraine site was outdated and usage was low. Novartis tasked my team to modernize their site and find a way to drive traffic to the updated site.
UX Impact
In order to drive more traffic to the site, we promoted a “Community” where people with migraines and their families can get tips, and hear stories from others in the same situation. We also featured promotions throughout the site and pushed their social media presence to increase awareness. A mobile app was also developed to store coupons and help users find Excedrin retailers while on the go.
Understand
We researched several of Excedrin’s competitors to see what they were doing well. A voice of customer workshop was conducted with 10 individuals who suffer from frequent migraines. I conducted a card sorting exercise to inform the IA, and they were asked a series of questions about how they deal with migraines and if they any websites to help cope with the symptoms.
- Users said that they would use the Excedrin site if it could provide tips for dealing with migraines, or to get coupons for discounted medicine.
- Users told us that the color red can be very abrasive when they have a migraine.
- A website that shares other peoples stories can help their family understand what they are going through by offering a different point of view.
- Mobile application would be extremely helpful for active users.
Design
Based on the information we learned in the VOC session, a series of mood boards were created to identify what direction the client wanted to take the site design. Each board had a theme based on feedback from customers.
The Claim: Excedrin’s claim that you would feel relief from a migraine in 30 minutes or less was the basis for a bold style that won’t be kept waiting
Community: This is where the idea for the Excedrin community started to take shape. Provide the customer with a forum to share their stories so they know they aren’t alone.
Lifestyle: Relying on the tried and true Excedrin name, this board talks about the lifestyle of people who suffer from migraines. Migraines aren’t going anywhere, but either is Excedrin.
A style guide was created based on a combination of the Claim and Community concepts and after several rounds of iteration we had our initial site design.
Evaluate
With the initial site designs, we were able to re-engage our pool of migraine sufferers and have them look at our prototypes. The look and feel was a big hit, however they felt the only thing they would use the site for is to download coupons. We had created a tips section but it wasn’t enough, the users needed a forum to talk about their experiences. The Excedrin Community page was designed to allow customers to submit their migraine stories, share tips and tricks for coping with migraines, and yes, download coupons. The valuable insight we received from users turned a basic website into an experience.
Ryan Courter 