Dedale website

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Dedale website

Dedale website

Dedale, a technology due diligence specialist, needed a corporate website matching its expertise. Goal: gain credibility and visibility with Tier-1 PE funds, including a full rebrand (Software Club to Dedale) and a premium UX for complex technical content.

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My contribution

Design (Figma UI Kit, template wireframes) + Webflow development (CMS architecture, animations) - Dual expertise for an optimized process

The team

2x designers

Year

2025

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Dedale, a technology due diligence specialist, needed a corporate website matching its expertise. Goal: gain credibility and visibility with Tier-1 PE funds, including a full rebrand (Software Club to Dedale) and a premium UX for complex technical content.

Process

1. Discovery & Strategy (Week 1-2)

  • Client Workshop: Conducted in-depth sessions with Dedales team to understand their brand vision, target audience (Tier-1 PE funds, institutional investors), and content requirements (complex tech ecosystem data, case studies, market reports).
  • Competitor Analysis: Researched top market intelligence firms websites to identify gaps and opportunities for differentiation.
  • Content Audit: Mapped Dedales existing content (reports, case studies, team profiles) to define information architecture and user flows for the new site.
  • Rebranding Alignment: Collaborated with Dedales branding team to ensure the new visual identity (Software Club to Dedale) was consistently applied across all digital touchpoints.

2. Design Phase (Week 3-5)

  • Art Direction:
    • Defined a premium, authoritative visual language tailored to financial professionals: clean typography, refined color palette, and structured layouts to convey trust and expertise.
    • Established hierarchy principles to make dense technical content (Fintech/Healthtech/Cloud data) scannable and digestible.
  • UI Kit Development (Figma):
    • Created a modular component library including:
    • Data visualization templates (tables, charts, ecosystem maps).
    • Content blocks for case studies, team profiles, and market insights.
    • Responsive layouts optimized for desktop (primary audience) and mobile.
  • Design Constraints: Anticipated Webflows limitations (e.g., CMS collection structures, animation capabilities) to ensure 100% feasibility during development.
  • Template Wireframes:
    • Designed 5 core page templates (Home, Services, Case Studies, Team, Contact) with adaptive content slots to accommodate Dedales varied content needs.
    • Client Feedback Loops: Presented wireframes in 2-week sprints for approval, incorporating revisions to meet Dedales high standards.

3. Webflow Development (Week 6-7)

  • CMS Architecture:
    • Built 3 custom collections to power dynamic content:
    • Case Studies (fields: title, summary, ecosystem, outcome, featured image).
    • Market Reports (fields: title, industry, key insights, download link).
    • Team Members (fields: name, role, bio, photo, expertise tags).
  • Relationships: Linked collections to enable cross-referencing (e.g., case studies tagged with team members or industries).
  • Conditional Logic: Implemented hide/show fields to simplify content entry for Dedales non-technical team.
  • Front-End Development:
    • Modular Build: Developed the site using reusable components (headers, footers, cards, filters) to ensure consistency and ease of updates.
    • Animations & Interactions:
      • Scroll-triggered animations (fade-in, slide-up) to guide users through content.
      • Hover effects on buttons and cards to enhance engagement.
      • Loading optimizations (lazy-load images, compressed assets) for fast performance (critical for PE professionals).
    • Responsive Design: Ensured seamless experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile, with a focus on desktop (primary user base).
  • Client Training:
    • Created a CMS user guide for Dedales team, covering how to add/edit content, manage collections, and publish changes.
    • Conducted a 1-hour training session to walk them through the backend.

4. Review & Launch (Week 8)

  • QA Testing:
    • Cross-browser testing (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) to ensure compatibility.
    • Content validation: Verified all dynamic content (CMS-driven) displayed correctly across templates.
    • Performance audit: Used Google Lighthouse to optimize speed and accessibility (scored over 90).
  • Client Approval:
    • Presented the staging site to Dedales leadership for final feedback.
    • Addressed minor adjustments (typography tweaks, color refinements) within 48 hours.
  • Launch:
    • Published the site to www.dedale.com with zero downtime.
    • Set up 301 redirects from the old Software Club domain to preserve SEO equity.
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Outcome

1. Business Impact

  • Credibility Boost:
    • The new website instantly elevated Dedales perceived expertise in the eyes of Tier-1 PE funds and institutional investors.
    • Visual alignment with their premium positioning (sophisticated design, authoritative tone) reinforced trust during high-stakes investment discussions.
  • Operational Efficiency:
    • Dedales team can now update content autonomously via the CMS, reducing dependency on external developers.
    • Faster time-to-market for new case studies, reports, and insights (content updates take less than 10 minutes vs. days with the old site).
  • Rebranding Success:
    • The transition from Software Club to Dedale was seamless, with the new site serving as the cornerstone of their rebranding efforts.
    • Consistent branding across all pages strengthened recognition and recall.

2. User Experience Improvements

  • Scannability:
    • Complex tech data (e.g., Fintech ecosystem maps, due diligence frameworks) is now presented in digestible formats (interactive charts, expandable sections, visual hierarchies).
    • Reduced bounce rate as users can quickly find relevant information.
  • Engagement:
    • Micro-interactions (e.g., animated charts, hover effects) increased user engagement, making the site feel modern and interactive.
    • Clear CTAs (e.g., Download Report, Contact Our Team) guide users toward conversion points.
  • Performance:
    • Fast load times (less than 2 seconds) ensure a smooth experience for time-pressed investors.
    • Mobile-friendly design accommodates users accessing the site on-the-go.

3. Long-Term Benefits

  • Scalability:
    • The modular CMS allows Dedale to add new content types (e.g., podcasts, webinars) without redeveloping the site.
    • Template flexibility ensures the site can evolve with their business needs.
  • Competitive Edge:
    • Dedales website now outperforms competitors in terms of design, UX, and content presentation, giving them a differentiator in pitches and proposals.
  • Client Satisfaction:
    • Dedales leadership highlighted the website as a key asset in their 2025 business development strategy.
    • Positive feedback from investors and partners on the sites professionalism and clarity.

4. Lessons Learned

  • Dual Expertise Pays Off: Your ability to design with development constraints in mind saved ~10 hours of revisions and ensured a smoother workflow.
  • Client Education: Training Dedales team on the CMS empowered them to own their digital presence, reducing future maintenance costs.
  • Agile Adaptation: The 8-week deadline required prioritizing MVP features (e.g., core pages first, nice-to-haves later) and daily stand-ups to stay on track.
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