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Milwaukee® Tool Refreshes ONE-KEY™ Program Website

Milwaukee One-Key debuts new website seen on iPad MacBook, and Google Pixel devices,

We’re excited to announce improvements to our website: https://onekey.milwaukeetool.com 

Over the past several months, our team has come together to improve how we communicate our app and connected products.  

Working closely with our brand marketing team, the goal was to deliver more structured, comprehensible messaging priorities, while also improving the overall design, architecture, and performance of the website. 

We’ll cover the enhancements of this design refresh here and provide context into our rationale for making the changes.   

What’s Inside:  

User-Centered Design 

We enlisted the support of a User Experience (UX) Designer and Strategist to help iterate our website and are eager to continue to work alongside this individual, testing and making incremental improvements to our website as more users like you have the opportunity to interact with the site.

"Fundamental to our redesign was understanding our users and organizing information in conventional formats," says Senior UX Designer Dave Duhl-Coughlin. "This helps users scan and retain information better, and helps us collect and leverage data about our user's experience more effectively."

ONE_KEY_1_1444_edited

If you’re familiar with user experience (UX) practices, we’ve previously incorporated a UX research definition into a previous article about one of our UX researchers. To reiterate: “User experience research seeks to uncover and fully understand users’ needs, desires, as well as the unique challenges they encounter while using a product.”  

In this case, we wanted to know what could be improved about the One-Key marketing website: The strengths the website had and (more importantly) the weaknesses the website had, any points that led users to scratch their heads. 

Users Gave Us Great Feedback on Where We Could Start Our Improvements 

As the result of the previous website messaging, users who partook in our usability tests formed misconceptions about our product, such as: 

  • A misunderstanding about Bluetooth® tracking and how it works. That is, many users who partook in our usability tests had the false impression One-Key (particularly One-Key compatible tools, TICK™s, and Bluetooth Tracking Tags) used global position system (GPS) tracking.  
  • A misunderstanding about whether or not the app cost anything. To be clear, One-Key remains a free app!  
  • Not having a clear understanding about the One-Key platform and its collective features. 

TrackingTagConnecting-1

Equipped with this feedback, we went back to the drawing board to figure out a better layout of information that is more digestible, less frothy, and boiled down to the essentials, to deliver a clearer message that gives a new user everything they need to know about what One-Key is (and nothing they don’t). 

Improved Homepage with Restructured Layout 

Refreshing the homepage was a massive undertaking.  

To make sure you don’t get lost along the way, here’s what we’ll speak to in this section:  

Updated Header, Opening Paragraph, and Streamlined Design

We started at the homepage, calling back to an old favorite “Customize. Track. Manage.” headline that describes, simply, what you can do with One-Key—and we’ve boiled down the lead paragraph to explaining what One-Key is in broad strokes, as well as key features.

LandingPage  

 

  • What it is? A connectivity platform for jobsite management. 
  • What features does it have? 1) A free, fully customizable app that offers compatibility on connected Milwaukee® smart tools for greater control,  2) A Bluetooth® tracking network, the largest in the industry, that helps connect jobsites, as well as the people and equipment at those jobsites.  

Visual Elements Reinforce a Simple Message 

To reinforce the newfound simplicity of messaging, we’ve added some key visual cues:  

  • We’ve added an animation to visually reinforce Bluetooth connectivity.  
  • We’ve added One-Key inventory screens both on desktop and mobile devices to do two things: 1) Unlike generic illustrations, these real app screens demonstrate what the product actually looks like (what prospective users can expect to see), and 2) they also reinforce the cloud-based, full accessibility of the One-Key product, which can be accessed across all your devices (on web, on iPads, as well as Android and iOS smartphones).   
  • We’ve added App Store and Google Play download buttons to the top of the page (previously buried at the bottom in the footer) to immediately communicate to prospective users that One-Key, indeed, is a free app that can be downloaded and used across all their devices. 

Below the Fold: Executive Summary  

Below what immediately appears on a user’s screen, we’ve reorganized the page layout to cogently prioritize the high-level information a user needs to understand about the One-Key product. 

executive-summary

  • One-Key Product Overview Video: We’ve incorporated the original One-Key product overview video for those who prefer learning about the product visually.  
  • Trusted by Industry Leaders: We’ve moved up our “Trusted by Industry Leader” section of our webpage, which previously appeared lower on the page, to prioritize our strong industry reputation. 
  • Executive Summary: Next, we’ve incorporated a high-level executive summary (think of this like you’d expect a 5-paragraph essay to incorporate in its introduction what is to be discussed, so there’s no disconnect). This section represents how we’ve moved to message the app to end users at a high-level. That is, at a high-level, the One-Key app represents 4 categories: 1) Our connected smart tools (that can be managed and, in some cases, customized); 2) our tool tracking hardware and software; 3) the accessibility of our platform (access anywhere), an free app that can be used on web, iPads, as well as Android and iOS smartphones; and 4) data and integrations, Milwaukee Tool’s commitment to leading the industry in data management by leveraging industry partnerships, integrations, leading-edge pilot programs, and more.  
  • Below what immediately appears on a user’s screen, we’ve reorganized the page layout to cogently prioritize the high-level information a user needs to understand about the One-Key product. 
Lisa Martensen, Group Marketing Manager - One-Key

By testing the old site with our users (and through empirical testing), we found there was a lot of room to build a better site. We believe this new site is easier to use, easier to understand, and easier to navigate. Behind the scenes, it will help us understand what pages and sections of the site are resonating with visitors, and to add new functionality to meet our visitors and users’ evolving needs and expectations.

Lisa Martensen, Group Marketing Manager - One-Key·Milwaukee Tool

Body Section: The Meat of the Message 

If you think of the middle section of the homepage as the body section of an essay, it focuses on expanding three key points (expounding on the “Customize. Track. Manage.” header promise to explain what we mean):  

  1. Customize: In the ‘Customize’ section, we’ve incorporated a subhead we’re quite proud of: “Customize your connected experience.” We believe the One-Key platform provides end users with whatever experience they need it to be. For example, some users may want to get as granular as setting a division, while others may just want to use it to store all their paperwork. How you use One-Key is up to you, and you can customize the experience to your needs, your growing business, or even use it to optimize the work you do when you take advantage of One-Key customization features on compatible smart tools.  
  2. Track: The “Track” section was a crucial part for us to expound on when seeking to solve the misconceptions many users have with One-Key tracking. To do this, we’ve added an explainer section, reiterating that One-Key supports the industry’s largest Bluetooth community, and then explaining what that means: We explain that our Bluetooth network helps end users crowdsource equipment locating, then we explain 1) compatible smart tools have Bluetooth functionality built into them, 2) these Bluetooth modules allow for end users to connect to their tools, and 3) end users can add Bluetooth tracking functionality to any item by adding a One-Key Bluetooth tracking tag to that otherwise untracked item. Additionally, we’ve incorporated a support article we’ve written, which discusses how Bluetooth tracking works, which end users can read to get a deeper understanding than the high-level overview we’ve offered here. Below this explainer section, we’ve also incorporated a section to show the tool tracking hardware we currently offer (e.g., Bluetooth tracking tags and asset ID tags). 
  3. Manage: Finally, the “Manage” section of the page explains how One-Key can be used to streamline construction inventory and project management by offering a fully customizable experience, multi-user permissioning to accommodate teams of all sizes, and data connectivity, integrations, and pilot programs to empower interdisciplinary collaboration.  

Closing Section 

The final section of the website includes a final wrap-up of what has been discussed, encouraging users to “build a more connected jobsite” by signing up or downloading the app from the App Store or Google Play, followed by user reviews, and an interactive product lineup section that can filter by product type.  

The homepage redesign was a massive undertaking which involved significant reworking and reorganization, as is evidenced above by how much time it took to explain everything that has been changed.  

Now that we’ve discussed the homepage, what else has been done?  

Enhanced Navigation and Wayfinding 

The One-Key website has grown tremendously over the last three and a half years, but despite this growth, few users have known the full breadth of this site.  

We’ve helped to bring this breadth to the forefront by incorporating dropdown menus in our navigation that help clarify just how far the rabbit hole goes, as it were. 

enhanced-nav

For example, for “Connected Tools & Equipment,” rather than just having a stationary button that users press that directs them to a full listing of our products, there’s now also a dropdown menu that shows categories, which can be helpful to illustrate at a high-level the breadth of product line we offer with One-Key compatibility.  

“Why One-Key?” Landing Page and Redefined “Why One-Key?” Pages 

The next level down in the website structure, “Why One-Key?”—where we explain on a deeper level not just what One-Key is, but why users would choose to use it—has also been refreshed. 

“Why One-Key?” Landing Page 

To start, we’ve added a landing page for this section of the website, which, similar to what the homepage does for the whole website, we discuss at a high level what will be discussed in each of these subpages.  

WhyOKLandingPage

Prior to this, the “Why One-Key?” pages were all served up via an interactive menu, where individual icons “e.g., ‘Inventory Management’” could be clicked and the page would serve up the contents of those pages. While this earlier iteration provided modern website functionality, it didn’t offer a clear pathway from the high-level information of a simple landing page to the more in-depth content each subpage would discuss. As a result, some users weren’t even aware that the buttons were clickable.  

To fix this, we’ve created a clear path:  

“Why One-Key?” --> “Why One-Key?” pages (Accessible Construction Software; Tool and Equipment Tracking; Connected Smart Tools & Devices; Data & Integrations) 

“Why One-Key?” Pages 

After reviewing our user feedback and collective soul searching, we determined the old version of the website to have too many pages than were necessary.   

Aligning with what our One-Key marketing leadership team has determined to be priorities, we’ve cut down what once were 5 pages to now 4 pages.  

Old “Why One-Key?” pages 
  1. Crew Management
  2. Places Management 
  3. Tool Tracking 
  4. Digital Inventory 
  5. Connected Tools 

The content of the two former pages, “Crew Management” and “Places Management,” has been reworked and incorporated throughout the new version of the site. We felt that these pages, while their content is true, don’t necessitate individual pages, but rather, their content better serves a leaner site structure. 

SmartTools
 

New “Why One-Key pages 

Redesigned Product Page  

The One-Key Connected Tools & Equipment page has been radically redesigned.  

 

ProductPage

We wanted to figure out a better way to display everything a user might need to know in the most visually concise way.  

Here are some of the Cliff’s notes 

  • Scroll bar with product categories: Part of what we want to make known to end users is that we offer the widest range of cordless power tools in the industry, offering a product across the whole lifecycle of a project—meaning, whatever the trade and whatever the project, there’s a solution on one of our cordless platforms (M12™, M18™, MX FUEL™). This is also certainly the case for One-Key compatibility, as we offer the widest range of connected smart tools and devices of any manufacturer. To make the sheer breadth of line apparent, we’ve incorporated a scroll bar that lets users easily navigate between product categories (e.g., wrenches, power tools, hydraulic tools, equipment, lighting, etc.) and drill down into each category to find a solution.  
  • Redesigned product cards: We’ve brought product details to the forefront of each product card to provide end users high-level information on each product. When you hover over a product card, key feature bullet points will populate, and you can scroll through an image carousel, all from within that product’s card. We’ve also incorporated social share buttons, just in case you want to share a specific product with a coworker in your social network. If you want to learn more, you can tap the card or click “Product Details” to redirected to the full product page on MilwaukeeTool.com.  

Redesigned Blog Page 

A similar problem we face with our wide product offerings and making this breadth of line known to users is making the breadth of blog content and resources that have been covered as our content team pushes content out at a similar frequency to our product teams releasing new products. 

Resources

To solve this, we’ve refreshed our blog landing page with clearer organization:  

  • Search Bar: We’ve added a search bar at the top of the page, allowing you to search by keyword. 
  • Popular articles: These are our most read articles of all time, to date. 
  • Articles by category: Similar to our product page, we’ve incorporated a category scroll bar so you can find articles in a specific category of interest, such as industry news stories we’ve covered, or articles related to contech, sustainable construction, and so forth. 
  • Individual categories: Below the category slider that offers more personalization to your search filters, we’ve served up content by specific content categories (e.g., Construction Management And Leadership-related articles, Construction Technology-related articles, and Industry News-related articles.  

Redesigned for a Simpler Experience and Better Education  

We realized that we could do a better job educating on the One-Key platform.  

This redesign represents a significant step toward educating about the One-Key connectivity platform with user needs front and center.   

We will continue to test, audit, and make incremental improvements based on feedback from users.    

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