Ann Arbor-based consultancies Q LTD and The Understanding Group (TUG) recently collaborated on the architecture and design of a new responsive web site for the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the world’s leading resource for concrete standards and education, based in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

To set the foundation for this important and extensive initiative, the ACI leadership team chose information architects TUG to lead the strategic analysis and architecture planning, with design firm Q LTD selected to create the visual design and responsive templates. ACI’s internal web development team built the site based on the specifications provided by TUG and Q LTD.

“By improving the site architecture and user experience along with the revitalized brand, we’re able to elevate ACI’s presence in the digital world,” explains Bob Royce, President and Cofounder of TUG. “ACI serves diverse audiences, each with their own information needs. Our work is about helping each audience have a delightful user experience when they visit concrete.org.”

Done right, information architecture goes much deeper than just sitemap and wireframes, Bob emphasizes. “Information architecture is about creating a comfortable place that helps people find where to go and to accomplish their goals when they get there.”

Once the site architecture was complete, Q LTD created a fresh, contemporary visual design and developed responsive page templates – providing code that allows the web site to scale gracefully across a range of devices. “As mobile usage grows it is critical that web sites deliver an optimal user experience on all devices,” says Christine Golus, Managing Director at Q LTD.

Planning for ACI’s extensive new web site began with discovery and analysis on the part of TUG. “It starts with understanding. We spend time getting familiar with the site, along with the people who use it and the goals it is meant to achieve,” says Dan Cooney, information architect at TUG. “We translate this information into a plan for clear content and information architecture, before focusing on the how.”

The new web site was introduced at World of Concrete 2014 in conjunction with the launch of ACI’s new logo and rebranding, also developed by Q LTD.

Experience the new ACI web site and brand at www.concrete.org.