For the second time in ten years, Revs Institute came to Big Sea for a new website. Having invested in high-end photography and cutting-edge 3D tours of each car, Revs needed a site that showcased sleek visuals without sacrificing user experience.
Drivers, start your engines.
To better understand the client’s needs, we conducted stakeholder surveys and facilitated workshops to identify key website audiences and user journey flows.
Our team identified the following primary objectives:
To achieve these goals, we had to develop a site with strong search engine optimization (SEO), clear information architecture, and concise messaging. We needed to balance these practical goals with design-specific objectives. In short: the site needed to be gorgeous.
Big Sea’s cross-functional web development team began with a full content audit and overhaul, cleaning up outdated content and consolidating short pages into more comprehensive resources. With updated information architecture locked down, we completed content design and copywriting for key pages.
Meanwhile, our team collaborated on solutions for displaying dynamic information about every car in Revs’ extensive collection. We created an immersive experience for enthusiasts and researchers alike — mirroring the “portal into another world” vibe of the museum itself.
Previously, it involved many confusing clicks to drill down into Revs’ incredible breadth of content. This was causing users to drop off or reach out for help using the website. It was also causing confusion regarding what exactly Revs Institute was.
To solve this, we made it easier to plan a visit to the museum for those looking to see Revs in person. Then we created clear paths into both the digital collections of automobiles and automobile ephemera — incredible artifacts like hood ornaments, photographs, race clothing, and magazines. We also consolidated messaging to clearly highlight the Revs mission and purpose.
“The team at Big Sea was collaborative, timely, efficient, and listened to our specific needs. They were very clear in the timeline, costs, steps needed, and specific outcomes. I was most appreciative of their willingness to design and implement solutions that fit our needs, and not use a cookie-cutter approach. Without hesitation, I would recommend Big Sea to any organization that needs web design work.” — Mark Vargas, COO & Director of the Library and Archives
Revs Institute
As our team engaged with Revs’ existing content, we became obsessed with a “wouldn’t it be cool if” concept: interactive before-and-after photos of every car in the collection.
Revs Institute focuses on preservation, conservation, and restoration. This meant that the cars in their current state are remarkably similar to the way they look in photographs from decades (and in some cases over a century) ago. With help from Revs curating specific classic photos, we were able to introduce this design element into every car detail page.
Revs Institute now boasts a beautiful website that helps car enthusiasts plan a visit to the museum in Naples, Florida or engage with online resources that transport them to a bygone era. It’s an escape, a delight, and an asset to the team at Revs Institute. We’ll call that a win.
