Internship Netvlies Internetdiensten

Mustad Hoof Academy

This project was executed during a full-time UI/UX internship at Netvlies Internetdiensten (Breda, The Netherlands), for one of Netvlies' existing clients: Mustad, the largest provider of farrier-products worldwide. The idea of a 'Mustad Knowledge and Advice Base' was born during one of the already established strategic sessions in which both Mustad and Netvlies participated. Such a Knowledge Base would be an online place/community where the target group (farriers) could collect advice, inspiration and knowledge from other farriers, experts by experience and professionals. Even though the idea of a Mustard Knowledge Base was initially discarded for Mustad's main website, as its premise didn't match with the needs of the target group as well as other implementations, Mustad's Product Owner did believe that a Knowledge Base could be a very valuable addition to offer parallel to the main website. Thijs van de Meerendonk (a fellow Communication- and Multimedia Design intern) and I were asked to collaboratively realize a conceptual design for 'Hoof Academy': the Knowledge and Advice Base provided by Mustad.

Research on existing online communities and knowledge platforms was executed, as well as qualitative interviews with farriers around the world. Based on the findings that were collected, both Thijs and I separately ideated a concept which was visualized in wireframes. As a next step, the wireframes were transformed into a conceptual design, integrating Mustad's existing brand identity. Both concepts were reviewed by two Product Owners from Mustad, a marketeer from Netvlies and a strategic expert from Netvlies, using a sticker-method. Both designs are presented on the wall and both designers in turn provide a brief explanation of their work. Each participating individual receives a number of stickers that he or she can place at elements of the designs that he or she likes and would like to have implemented in the final proposal. After all stickers are assigned, each participating individual is ought to give an explanation for their choices. This method is often user within Netvlies to efficiently reach concessions. Based on this sticker-session, Thijs and I collaborated again to deliver a final design proposal, which was presented to the board of Mustad, where both Product Owners from Mustad put in sincere effort to convince the board of Mustad of the added value of realizing this Knowledge and Advice Base in the name of Mustad.

AFFILIATION
Bachelor Communication- and Multimedia Design (Avans Hogeschool)


ACTIVITY

Full-time internship at Netvlies Internetdiensten (Breda, The Netherlands)


COURSE NAME
Client project


CLIENT

Mustad


COACH
Michel Witter (Avans)
Freek Gerritsen (Netvlies)


PERIOD
S2 (2016/2017)


TEAM
Thijs van de Meerendonk


KEYWORDS
Agile, Scrum, Interaction Design, Interface Design, UX Design, Marketing Strategy, Digital Design, Knowledge and Advice Base, Pitching


GRADE
9,5/10

[1]

Weiser, M., & Brown, J. S. (1997). The coming age of calm technology. In Beyond calculation (pp. 75-85). Springer, New York, NY.

[2]

Bakker, S. (2013). Design for peripheral interaction. Eindhoven University of Technology, 184.

[1]

Weiser, M., & Brown, J. S. (1997). The coming age of calm technology. In Beyond calculation (pp. 75-85). Springer, New York, NY.

[2]

Bakker, S. (2013). Design for peripheral interaction. Eindhoven University of Technology, 184.

[1]

Weiser, M., & Brown, J. S. (1997). The coming age of calm technology. In Beyond calculation (pp. 75-85). Springer, New York, NY.

[2]

Bakker, S. (2013). Design for peripheral interaction. Eindhoven University of Technology, 184.