Redesigning for Trust

An Energy Website Revamp That Converts

Challenge

The Existing Website Was Not Generating Leads or Course Sign-ups

Despite strong technical offerings and a professional background, the company was seeing almost no inquiries or conversions through its website. After performing a heuristic audit and stakeholder interviews, several key pain points were identified:

Outdated Design

The look and feel of the website made it appear untrustworthy and amateurish.

Confusing User Flow

Users were frequently disoriented by sudden external redirects, inconsistent page structures, and a lack of visual hierarchy.

Redundant Content

Many services were described across multiple pages with unclear distinctions, leading to content fatigue.

Low Credibility Indicators

There were no testimonials, case studies, or proof of expertise, making it difficult for new users to trust the brand.

Solutions

A Streamlined Design System and Reimagined Information Architecture

To address the above issues, I redesigned the site around four targeted improvements:

Consolidating Redundant Content

Before

Repetitive service descriptions scattered across multiple pages.

After

Consolidated services into well-structured individual pages with targeted CTAs and visual summaries.

Streamlined Sitemap

Before

Users were often redirected without context and couldn’t predict where links would take them.

After

Simplified navigation, with a clear and consistent path from homepage to contact or course sign-up in 2–3 clicks.

Enhancing Trust

Before

No client feedback, credentials, or clear human touch.

After

Added testimonials, serving map, and proof of impact—helping visitors build trust faster.

Reflection

Design Alone Can’t Solve the Problem—But It Can Build the Bridge

This project emphasized how much poor structure and outdated visuals can undermine even the best service offerings. Through iterative design and close collaboration with stakeholders, I was able to create a site that not only looks more modern but actually helps users understand and trust the brand.


One key learning was how to translate complex, technical services into a simple narrative that resonates with users. Another was understanding the balance between business goals and user needs—design isn’t just about polish; it’s about focus, flow, and friction removal.

Project overview

Client:Productive Energy Solutions (PES)

A U.S.-based energy consulting firm serving industrial and commercial sectors with energy audits, training programs, and custom engineering solutions.

Although their services were high-value and technically strong, their website did not reflect this professionalism. Users struggled to navigate, understand offerings, or build trust—resulting in almost zero course sign-ups or inquiries.

From the client

"It was a pleasure working with Yilin as she developed the conceptual design and style frame for my new website. She worked diligently and patiently to convince me of why things should be included, and challenged me to fill in the content to bring life to the design."

— Ronald Wroblewski

Team

Yilin, Ron Wroblewski(Client) , ANMOL GUPTA(Dev · UX)

Duration

4 months

My Role

UX Designer · Researcher

Yilin chen

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