Joel Dean Edwards

In 2010 I became obsessed with Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) on the web. At the time Javascript library Raphaël JS was the only way to have SVG work completely cross browsers.

I decided to create an ‘SVG path generator’ proof of concept using Raphaël. It would allow the user to click and create a shape that would produce a real SVG object live in the DOM as well as provide you with the Raphaël JS version of the code so you could recreate the shape for cross-browser use.

In 2011 I gave a presentation at MelbJS about the possibilities of combining SVG, CSS, and JS to create interactive scalable vectors across browsers all the way down to Internet Explorer 6.

The SVG paths gained a fair bit of interest from industry leaders who I present it to including John Allsopp, the founder of Web Directions.

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I was given the unique opportunity to design a new website for Lempriere Capital, as they wished to update their brand, but were not ready to commit to a rehaul.

This left the brief a little more open when it came to designing the website, enabling me to explore some design patterns that were loosely connected to the old brand, but executed in a more modern way.

After completing the website based on the old brand, Lempriere Capital liked it so much that a lot of design my patterns were retained in their rebranded collateral. This meant there were almost no update to the website design once the new brand was launched.

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Following the rebrand of Children's Cancer Foundation by Three's a Crowd. I was given the task to create their new look website, where their main goal was to drive the message home and increase donations to the cause.

Focusing heavily on the first-time visitor UX I wanted to clearly illustrate the cause, the impact of each level of donation and what they have already done to help children with cancer fight back.

I also worked alongside a Salesforce agency to design a series of forms that could be used for a range of fundraisers including simple ‘Donate’ pages, community-based fundraisers and special events. I was also tasked with replicating the same concept for their The Million Dollar Lunch, though these forms would include things such as the seating system that the floor staff would use on the day.

The site was recognised for its user experience and design on the American blog ‘Brick by Brick’ alongside brands like Tesla Motors and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Three’s a Crowd had recently updated the Ormond College brand and they needed a website to reflect this. One of the most difficult challenges I faced was the mountain of content and web pages they had accrued over the years but were not willing to forego.

This was the first time I had really pushed the idea of a modular content block theme. The idea being we could make modules to fit each webpage requirement for the client without having to redesign and redevelop those pages every time there was a requirement change. This also gave the University the power to leverage its own content and bring out the site’s full potential without relying on an agency.

My inspiration for their Homepage was the old school bulletin boards that were posted around Universities allowing returning visitors to find new content at a glance. I segmented their users into the 4 main returning user groups: future students, alumni, donors and event planners. The site would remember who you were and return you to the right segment upon your return giving the user a personalised experience.

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When meeting with Genazzano around designing a new website, it became immediately obvious to me that a simple website with a little modern technology and personalisation could make a major impact on prospective parents deciding on their children’s future school.

In designing a new website for Genazzano I ran some workshops with their executive staff community which proved to be very beneficial as their list of requirements then became more refined and succinct. This then expanded their targeted audience from only including future students to current/alumni students and parents.

I successfully pitched a strategy that would make their website more personalised for each individual user. Using simple cookies and HTML building blocks the website was tailored to the user based on their browsing behaviours. For example, if parents were looking into the early learning program, the homepage would suggest related content and banner images would become more targeted at that age group.

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Three's a Crowd created a custom ‘non-combat uniform’ eCommerce store for the Australian Defence Force prior to my commencement with them. They wanted to bring this same experience they had created on the desktop to all mobile devices as well.

I was tasked with designing and creating responsive front-end templates that would still function in Internet Explorer 7 but respond down to mobile devices and save as a shortcut on their home screens, providing the user with a web app style of experience. This proved to be a challenging task to allow an outdated browser built before responsive standards to coexist with modern code without altering the core build.

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At Spark Green, I had the opportunity to design a projection calculator for EISS Super. This would prove to be a challenging task considering I did not have a great understanding of how Super actually worked.

This challenge turned out to be beneficial as it gave me a unique way of approaching how to convey to the user what the impact of contributing more super would actually mean for their life in retirement.

I accomplished this by making the calculator more personal using adlib forms and verbiage that centred around the individual user. Further driving home the point of contributing more super, I used interactable live charts and financial breakdowns to demonstrate various scenarios for users.

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Kallo wanted to integrate into a new platform from Mapovis which would allow the use of live maps to check available housing lots and have filterable search listings similar to how REA’s platform worked.

Mapovis would allow the user to filter, view and enquire for individual houses/lots on your own branded master plans. This was a major feature property developers always requested on their websites but rarely could afford the amount of custom development it would require.

Cassette was one of the first companies to utilize the platform and Kallo was featured in the introduction video.introduction video.

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I was fortunate enough to be able to design Franzé Development’s second site at Cassette after I had already built their previous site when I worked at Lettuce Digital, which gave me valuable insight.

Franzé is known for their stunning projects and even more so for their ability to come into a project that is in trouble and help it get to the finish line. So their website needed to be able to showcase their amazing work and reflect what kind of company they were.

I accomplished this with full-bleed images, use of white space of content block to let each project feel like a journey.

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The first of its kind, a B2B off-the-plan property marketplace and I was part of the original team presented with a unique opportunity to build this one-of-a-kind system from the ground up.

My role was to design and develop highly intuitive user interfaces with a focus on translating real-life tasks, such as contract negotiation, into a digital format. This role included a vast range of tasks such as designing each page template, transaction workflows, email notifications and even a playing-card style property favourite system with the ability to write notes on the back of the cards themselves.

One of the most innovative features I developed was for live property launches, which integrated a live video feed and instant chat on the property profile page. This enabled prospective agents to live-stream events while using a chat box to ask questions in real-time if they couldn’t attend in person. As this was hosted on the property page, it also allowed the agents instant access to all of the lots/apartments for the property. This meant they could instantly start adding them to their portfolio and showing their clients.

Investorist still retains a majority of the original user interface that I designed and developed. They currently have more than 7000 companies located across 25 countries.

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Squillace were award-winning Architects and Interior Designers renowned within their industry for their creative and innovative architectural designs. They wanted a website that would reflect their unique architectural approach.

This was the first-ever responsive site made by the team at Extension and was back in the early days of the great ‘responsive’ revolution. My role at Extension was to work alongside the Extension graphic designers to teach them responsive design. Built before such frameworks as bootstrap or foundation existed, it was responsive design as well as content, delivering a ‘snack bit’ version of the site for mobile users to absorb on the move.

Extension were so impressed with the website, they insisted on making a video so they could market it, which I featured in.

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