Early in the design phase, we let our creative juices flow freely, resulting in some pretty avant-garde concept designs. They were slick, forward-thinking, and were an instant hit during internal reviews. These designs brought to life a vision of what connected vehicle apps could be, pushing boundaries in data visualization and interaction design. However, we had to face the music: Ford felt these designs strayed too far from the core brand identity.
This was a pivotal moment, and we knew it was back to the drawing board. Retaining Ford’s essence while modernizing the app was the new brief, a task easier said than done. We iterated again, keeping Ford’s classic elements in the mix but weaving them into a more user-centric, intuitive layout. In the end, we struck a balance, maintaining Ford’s legacy feel while introducing nuanced features that resonate with today’s tech-savvy audience. It’s not just a redesign; it’s a respectful evolution of a trusted brand.