AstraZeneca Congress Hub

The Challenge

This project wasn’t just about designing a platform—it was a competitive pitch. AstraZeneca was choosing between three agencies to bring this vision to life. To win the pitch, we needed to demonstrate an innovative, user-centric approach that aligned with AstraZeneca’s goals while showcasing our ability to tackle complex challenges effectively.

My Role as the Art Director, I led the UI design, direction, and prototyping efforts.

My responsibilities included:

• Establishing a cohesive visual direction that aligned with AstraZeneca’s branding.
• Designing an intuitive and visually appealing user interface.
• Collaborating closely with stakeholders and developers to ensure the design met business and technical requirements.
• Conducting user testing and refining prototypes to address user feedback.

The Process

Research and Stakeholder Workshops: The first step was an extensive discovery phase. We organized workshops with AstraZeneca stakeholders to understand their vision and the needs of their target audience. During these sessions, we uncovered key insights:

• Attendees valued intuitive navigation to quickly access sessions and resources.
• Networking was a critical component, requiring seamless integration of real-time communication tools.
• Scientific materials needed to be easily searchable and accessible to diverse user groups.

Armed with this understanding, we mapped out user journeys, identifying potential pain points and opportunities for innovation.

Competition and Differentiation: Competing against two other agencies, we needed to stand out. One challenge we faced was addressing AstraZeneca’s concern about replicating the energy of an in-person congress. To tackle this, we proposed features like an interactive session calendar, dynamic networking tools, and real-time updates. Our pitch emphasized these features as cornerstones of a vibrant, engaging user experience.

Wireframing and Rapid Prototyping: Using Adobe XD, I created low-fidelity wireframes to outline the structure of the dashboard. These wireframes highlighted:

• A streamlined layout for accessing congress materials, session schedules, and networking tools.
• Interactive elements, such as RSVP buttons and session previews, to enhance engagement.

High-fidelity prototypes soon followed, incorporating AstraZeneca’s branding and demonstrating how users could navigate the hub effortlessly. To impress stakeholders during the pitch, we developed clickable prototypes that showcased the hub’s core functionalities.

User Testing and Iteration: Winning the pitch was only the beginning. Once we began development, we conducted user testing with a diverse group of healthcare professionals and media representatives. This revealed specific challenges:

• Some users found the session filtering system overly complex.
• Networking tools needed clearer instructions for first-time users.

I worked closely with the team to address these issues, simplifying filters and adding onboarding tips for networking features. Iterative testing ensured the platform met user expectations.

Collaboration with Developers: Translating the polished designs into a functional platform required close collaboration with developers. One major hurdle was optimizing the platform’s performance to handle high traffic during live events. By providing detailed design specifications and iterating on solutions, we ensured:

• Quick loading times for all assets.
• Responsive designs that worked seamlessly across devices.
• Smooth integration of real-time interactive features.

Outcome

Our efforts paid off. AstraZeneca chose our agency to bring their vision to life, and the Global Virtual Hub launched to widespread acclaim. Attendees praised the platform for its intuitive design and dynamic features, while AstraZeneca achieved its goal of delivering an impactful virtual congress experience. This project not only demonstrated our ability to innovate but also solidified a lasting partnership with AstraZeneca.

Takeaways

This project exemplified the importance of user-centered design and cross-functional collaboration. Leveraging tools like Adobe XD for wireframing and prototyping allowed us to iterate quickly and deliver a polished, effective solution. The experience reinforced the value of aligning design efforts with technical execution and stakeholder vision to create meaningful digital experiences.