Context
Bradford Licensing LLC, founded in 1986, is a global licensing company representing some of the world’s top brands. In early 2022, the company decided to rebrand to emphasize its international scale and modernize its image. Alongside the rebrand, they wanted to prioritize user experience and usability for their website.
As the Lead UX Researcher & Designer, I had autonomy to lead research, strategy, and redesign efforts under the supervision of the Creative Director and Content Strategist. The goal was to create a website that would better engage licensors and licensees while supporting Bradford’s new brand identity.
Problem: Current Site
The original Bradford website had significant usability issues, negatively impacting engagement and business outcomes:
Confusing Navigation: Users struggled to locate key information efficiently.
Poor Digital Identity: The website didn’t reflect Bradford’s global presence, affecting credibility.
Lost Opportunities: Usability issues caused high bounce rates and missed business inquiries.
Mission
My mission was to transform Bradford Licensing’s website into a modern, user-centered experience that supports their rebranding while increasing engagement and driving business outcomes.
- Understand the audience: Identify the goals and pain points of licensors and licensees.
- Reorganize the structure: Improve information architecture for clarity and ease of use.
- Redefine style: Modernize visual identity to convey Bradford’s mission and international presence.
My Role
Researcher & Designer
Chloe Minieri
Lead UX Researcher & Designer · Bradford Licensing Website Rebrand
I led the research, strategy, and design for Bradford Licensing’s website rebrand. My goal was to enhance usability, streamline the information architecture, and modernize the brand’s digital presence while meeting the needs of licensors and licensees.
Research Overview
Structured research to uncover users’ goals, frustrations, and needs. Each method was selected to inform specific aspects of the redesign.
| Method | Participants | Purpose | Desired Findings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survey | 50+ | Understand common pain points, usage patterns, and information users seek | Identify top content needs and areas for improved discoverability |
| Interviews | 12 | Uncover goals, motivations, and barriers of licensors and licensees | Detailed understanding of user needs to guide IA and content strategy |
| Tree Testing | 120 | Test existing sitemap to identify navigation issues | Validate information architecture for efficient content discovery |
| Usability Testing | 15 | Validate prototypes for intuitive navigation and mobile experience | Ensure clarity, engagement, and responsiveness across devices |
Research Findings
Poor Information Architecture
Overlapping content & confusing navigationPolyhierarchical navigation caused users to take indirect paths to key pages, slowing task completion and frustrating visitors.
Mobile UX Issues
90% of mobile users struggledThe site wasn’t optimized for mobile, making it hard to read content or navigate, contributing to high bounce rates.
Inefficient Use of Whitespace
Text-heavy & overwhelmingDense content led to information overload, making it hard for users to identify the most important messages quickly.
Lack of Company Message
Users unclear on brand missionVisitors didn’t immediately understand Bradford’s identity, offerings, or value, reducing trust and engagement.
Restricted Learning
Users couldn’t see all relevant infoUsers struggled to immediately discover who Bradford represents, past work, and value, limiting conversion opportunities.
Call to Action is Hidden
Users unsure how to contactKey calls-to-action for inquiries and engagement were buried, leading to missed opportunities from both licensors and licensees.
Design Approach & UX Goals
After synthesizing research findings, I explored how the new Bradford website could better reflect the brand identity and meet user needs. Design decisions focused on simplifying navigation, highlighting key content, and modernizing the visual style to align with Bradford’s global presence.
Centralize Information Architecture
Restructured the site to reduce redundant pages and clarify pathways, helping users quickly access the most important information without friction.
Convey Bradford’s Mission Early
Ensured visitors immediately understood who Bradford is, what they represent, and why engaging with the agency is valuable for licensors and licensees alike.
Improve Mobile Experience
Optimized layouts, readability, and navigation for mobile users to reduce friction, improve engagement, and ensure key content is visible on any device.
Final Design & Website Launch
The redesigned Bradford Licensing website represents a complete transformation of the company’s digital presence. The new design modernizes the brand identity, streamlines the information architecture, and prioritizes usability and accessibility across all devices. This user-centered redesign ensures that visitors can quickly understand Bradford’s mission, discover represented brands, and engage meaningfully with the agency.
This was the first project where I led the entire process—from research through design and launch. I am proud of my dedication throughout and grateful for the supportive supervision and collaboration of my team, which helped bring this project to life.
The website is now live: https://www.bradfordlicensing.com/. Since launch, the redesign has led to a 26% increase in website traffic, demonstrating the effectiveness of a research-driven, user-centered approach that appeals to both licensors and licensees.
What I Learned
Leading the Bradford Licensing website redesign gave me the opportunity to take ownership of a project and make a positive impact. While initially intimidating as my first end-to-end project, it taught me crucial lessons about leadership, collaboration, and project management:
Leadership is More Than Delegation
Leadership required making crucial decisions that guided the project’s direction, staying adaptable to changes, and ensuring adjustments were made as needed to keep the project on track.
Teamwork is Essential
Despite having ownership, I relied heavily on my team’s diverse perspectives and expertise, constantly soliciting feedback and implementing their recommendations to strengthen the project.
Project Management Matters
Prioritizing, delegating, and communicating effectively were critical throughout the project. Clear communication helped articulate my vision, ideas, and expectations to both team members and stakeholders.