User-Centric Design, Accelerated by AI, Unlocks Digital Experience for Women’s Bond Club

The Women’s Bond Club (WBC) is a living history of the progress women have made in the financial industry, both in New York City and beyond. Founded in 1921 by Betty Cook, one of the first female bond traders on Wall Street, the WBC was the first organisation in New York to focus on the growing number of women in finance. Its members are experienced professionals and the organisation’s strength comes from convening some of the industry’s brightest minds, building bonds that support personal and career growth.

Protiviti had previously partnered with the WBC to implement website enhancements including improvements to the member profile pages, resulting in improved member data quality and engagement with 63% of members accessing their profile and updating content. Following this collaboration, the organisation then set out to redesign its entire website. WBC recognised that its existing website lacked the vibrancy and user-friendliness expected in today’s digital landscape and knew that its online presence reflected the association’s mission, purpose and values. For the redesign, Protiviti’s digital team worked closely with over 20 stakeholders at the WBC including board members and committee members across marketing, technology, community outreach and more.

Partnership defines a comprehensive strategy

Involving the WBC’s key stakeholders in every decision made throughout the process was the core of this project’s strategy. By incorporating iterative learning and design methodologies, the project team actively sought feedback, deliberated potential outcomes, and quickly implemented necessary adjustments. Regular updates on design and development progress were provided to ensure seamless alignment with the envisioned WBC member experience. This proactive communication fostered a dynamic and collaborative relationship with the client, ensuring that all concerns were comprehensively addressed.

A well-defined scope and roadmap to maintain project focus, preempt scope creep, and safeguard against over-engineering solutions were also critical components of this project. All decisions were documented using a driver, approver, contributors, and informed (DACI) framework, which ensured unanimous buy-in from all key decision makers. This structured approach guaranteed that final approved design elements seamlessly transitioned into development, averting any conflicts in code implementation. Accessibility and visual appeal were top considerations -- from color palettes to image selection, every detail was crafted to create a seamless and engaging user experience.

Artificial intelligence (AI) was integrated into the process to help accelerate the process of website content creation by providing the AI tool with the specific WBC persona, incorporating organisational details and marketing content. By feeding the AI with relevant information, it was empowered to generate website content copy aligned with the WBC's identity and objectives. Additionally, AI was used to expedite some of the web design development. Iterative refinement of the generated responses ensured accuracy and completeness. Testing in a development environment allowed the team to gather feedback and further iterate until achieving the desired outcome, thereby accelerating the overall web content, design and development process.

Navigating the challenges of implementing change

As with any website redesign project, challenges were uncovered as the team worked to implement the requirements defined by the WBC’s leadership. In this case, challenges included: 

• Modernising the Engagement Management System (EMS): While the WBC’s EMS platform offered notable benefits for association management, its complexity posed challenges. Customisation required substantial technical expertise, resulting in a steep learning curve for users. Integrating the platform with other systems presented difficulties, and maintaining the EMS was time-consuming. Solutions were tailored to meet the client's need for efficient website updates within their scheduling constraints.
• Working within budgetary constraints and tight timelines: The project was subject to a tight delivery timeline of approximately three months, considerably shorter than projects of similar scale in web development. With limited budgetary scope, the project focused on essential upgrades and synchronised design and development implementation.
• Engaging stakeholders across multiple approval levels: The design process involved a structured hierarchy of stakeholders, including WBC board members, committee member leads, administration, and other contributors. This tiered approach ensured comprehensive input and secured buy-in at various organisational levels.

Making meaningful connections

Once the new website launched, current and potential members were able to more effectively make the meaningful connections for which the WBC is known. Benefits include:

• Access to up-to-date rich content: Members and non-members alike gained access to regularly updated, high-quality content which now serves to enrich their understanding of the organisation’s mission, foster professional growth, and encourage active participation within the community.
• Enhanced community volunteer opportunities: The new website provides visibility and engagement with community volunteer initiatives. Members can easily discover and participate in meaningful volunteer opportunities, making a difference in their communities while strengthening bonds within the club.
• Exclusive member knowledge, resources, and events: Members enjoy exclusive access to a wealth of knowledge, resources, and events tailored to their professional interests and aspirations. This privileged access enhances professional development and fosters a sense of belonging within the community.
• Networking and relationship building: The platform serves as a dynamic networking hub where members can connect with industry peers, mentors, and thought leaders. Through facilitated networking features, members can forge valuable relationships, share insights, and explore collaborative opportunities.
• Market value proposition to non-members: The new website effectively communicates the value proposition of the Women's Bond Club to non-members. By showcasing the benefits of membership, such as access to valuable resources, networking opportunities, and community engagement, the club attracts new members, fostering growth and diversity within its ranks.