The challenge
A transatlantic law firm wanted to future-proof its digital presence. Their existing website was underperforming in both visibility and usability. It lacked relevance for key target sectors and showed signs of ageing infrastructure and content fatigue.
They partnered with 1968 Consulting to run an in-depth discovery phase, following the digital audit, before starting a full redesign. The goal was to gather the right insights, assess the competition, understand the current state, and align technical decisions with long-term business goals.
Our approach
Our discovery phase covered 59+ artefacts including strategy documents, technical audits, spreadsheets, and competitor data. It focused on three key areas:
1. Website redesign objectives and strategy
- Reviewed business goals such as increasing brand “fitness scores” (trust, quality, financial strength, delivery)
- Identified core sectors to prioritise: transport and logistics, retail, and technology
- Uncovered gaps in content relevance and user engagement
- Flagged SEO weaknesses and low-performing content areas
- Raised potential for developing split UK/US websites to better serve regional audiences
2. Competitor analysis and market positioning
- Analysed 12+ peer firms (e.g. DLA Piper, Shoosmiths, Addleshaw Goddard, Withers)
- Benchmarked on domain authority, readability, homepage structure, and mobile UX
- Included “share of search” data to reveal the clients’ brand perception
- Compared commercial vs private wealth sector positions to identify white space and competitive threats
3. Technical and content infrastructure
- Evaluated CMS platforms: WordPress, Statamic, Umbraco, and Drupal for usability, flexibility, and developer suitability
- Created a full content matrix mapping current site pages by performance and relevance
- Reviewed personas including:
- in-house general counsel (needs authority and clarity)
- high-net-worth individuals (needs discretion and trust)
- clients in complex or “mature” legal scenarios (needs reassurance and guidance)
- Highlighted the need for scalable taxonomy, modular content blocks, and clearer content hierarchy
The outcome
By the end of the discovery phase, the client had a full strategic blueprint for its new digital platform. The insights gathered informed:
- A clear vision of future-state website goals
- Prioritised user journeys by audience segment
- Competitive advantages to replicate or leapfrog
- A shortlist of technically viable CMS platforms
- The groundwork for a leaner, more powerful content strategy
This discovery work meant they could move forward into the design and build phase with confidence, clarity, and alignment across stakeholders.
In their words
“The depth of insight from the discovery work helped us make informed decisions from the start. We’ve avoided costly mistakes and now have a clear sense of where we’re going—and how to get there.”
Key takeaways
- Strategic discovery reduces risk and increases stakeholder alignment
- Persona-led design sharpens both content and UX effectiveness
- Competitive benchmarking highlights both threats and opportunities
- CMS choice should balance ease of use with long-term flexibility
Want to run a discovery phase before your next digital project?
Talk to us at 1968ltd.com to get started.