Work by Haydon | Rivergum Homes

Project type

Web

Focus

Digital sales platform & design system

Role

Senior Product Designer

Client

Rivergum Homes

Rivergum is South Australia's largest medium-density home builder, known for award-winning, thoughtfully designed homes. Their 2015 website lacked lead capture functionality and struggled with content management.

The objective was to enhance website functionality, improve user experience, and increase lead generation, aligned with brand repositioning around Plan Lab™, a state-of-the-art projection studio offering immersive, full-size digital floor plans and elevations.

A phone mock-up, leaning on a green cushion.

Design approach

Discovery and strategic alignment

The project began with discovery exercises focusing on business goals, audience definition, and existing website hurdles. I worked with the client to define "moments that matter" in their customer interactions and established design principles specific to the project.

As part of a broader rebrand, I collaborated closely with brand and creative teams to ensure design alignment throughout the process.

Discovery and strategic alignment

As part of a broader rebrand, I collaborated closely with brand and creative teams to ensure design alignment throughout the process.

Workshop and idea prioritisation

Leading an internal session with creative directors, strategists, and copywriters, we developed "How Might We" statements centered on clarity, attention to detail, and taking clever to the extreme. Through collaborative ideation, we generated over 100 ideas spanning function, content, and in-person experiences, moving beyond purely digital solutions.

Ideas were prioritised using a modified DVF framework, adding a "Clever" dimension to score alignment with Rivergum's brand messaging. I presented the highest scoring concepts to the client as the foundation for the website redesign.

Workshop and idea prioritisation

Customer experience immersion

To understand the full customer experience, I conducted an on-site tour of Rivergum's offices and Plan Lab.

This immersion helped me understand their operations and customer journey, informing how to translate the in-person experience to digital.

Customer experience immersion

To understand the full customer experience, I conducted an on-site tour of Rivergum's offices and Plan Lab.

This immersion helped me understand their operations and customer journey, informing how to translate the in-person experience to digital.

Design and brand integration

I led the design of the project within a small design team, collaborating with another designer on select pages.

Working alongside brand creatives, I integrated the new brand identity into the website while contributing design elements back to the broader brand system, including a custom cursor-style button later adopted as property sold stickers.

A screenshot of draggable testominal cards on a website.

Interactive testimonial cards with drag functionality for browsing customer stories.

Design and brand integration

I led the design of the project within a small design team, collaborating with another designer on select pages.

Interactive testimonial cards with drag functionality for browsing customer stories.

Design system development

I developed a scalable design system covering home filters, navigation breakpoints, forms, buttons, icons, and cursor variations with all interactive states.

The component architecture was designed for development efficiency and future expansion.

Sample of a system design showing buttons and variants.

Sample of a scalable design system defining navigation, interactive states, and reusable components across the platform.

Design system development

I developed a scalable design system covering home filters, navigation breakpoints, forms, buttons, icons, and cursor variations with all interactive states.

The component architecture was designed for development efficiency and future expansion.

Sample of a scalable design system defining navigation, interactive states, and reusable components across the platform.

The website launched with ongoing support for site updates and new microsites for property developments. The project was nominated as an honoree at the Webby Awards 2025.

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