A decision-support website for a science-driven environmental strategy firm
Solora Technologies is a data-driven environmental and waste-to-energy advisory company. The redesigned site brings environmental data, policy insight, and technology evaluation into one clear, approachable experience—making it easier to understand options, align stakeholders, and move projects forward responsibly.
Designing a decision-support website for a science-driven environmental strategy firm
The redesign of the Solora Technologies website was undertaken to help an early-stage but highly specialized firm clearly communicate who they are, what they do, and how they support complex environmental decisions. Operating at the intersection of waste management, clean energy, environmental analytics, and regulatory strategy, Solora needed a digital presence that reflected both the rigor of its work and the advisory nature of its role.
The core challenge was not visibility alone, but credibility. Solora works with municipalities, investors, Indigenous and community leaders, and policy stakeholders—audiences that are conservative, risk-aware, and operating within highly regulated environments.
I served as a co-project lead, contributing across information architecture, content strategy and writing, vector and diagram design, and interactive components. My primary focus was clarifying Solora's positioning and reinforcing credibility with municipal and investor audiences.
An advisory firm competing on clarity, coordination, and evidence
Solora Technologies works upstream—helping clients understand waste flows, evaluate viable pathways, interpret environmental data, and navigate regulatory and market complexity before major capital commitments are made. Unlike many firms in the waste-to-energy space, Solora does not operate facilities or promote a single technology.
The redesign was completed within a four-week timeline for a company less than a year into its public-facing presence. Solora did not yet have a complete website, and much of the foundational information had to be gathered through internal interviews, investor presentations, and working documents.
Success was defined qualitatively: the site needed to clearly explain what Solora does, how services fit together, and why they differ from technology vendors and large global operators—giving each audience enough confidence to schedule an initial call.
Understanding Solora's landscape and needs
Research methods included persona refinement, internal interviews with Solora's CFO and IT Director, competitive audits of established operators and emerging technology firms, and early sitemap walkthroughs with the client.
Rather than treating the website as a marketing artifact, we framed it as a decision-support tool. Municipal leaders, investors, regulators, and technology partners all interact with Solora at different points in the same ecosystem, and the site needed to reflect that interconnected reality.
Interviews that were catalysts
During the first week, we focused on understanding the company's needs, services, and desired audience. Discussions with the Director of IT and CFO were crucial in establishing a foundational understanding. There were many re-framing moments that changed the direction of the project.
Re-framing moment: Broader audience ecosystem
Initial personas focused on a municipal waste manager and a technology business development lead, but client conversations revealed a broader ecosystem including environmental technology vendors, Indigenous community leaders evaluating land-based solutions, and investors navigating clean-energy opportunities in Canada.
Re-framing moment: Advisory, not operator
Early assumptions that Solora directly operated waste-to-energy facilities were corrected through interviews. This clarification became a cornerstone of the redesign: waste-to-energy needed to be framed as a potential outcome of informed planning, not the starting point.
Four distinct audience groups with shared decision needs
Client conversations revealed a broader audience ecosystem beyond our initial assumptions—including municipal stakeholders, technology vendors, Indigenous community leaders, and clean-energy investors.
A clear positioning gap in the market
Competitive analysis revealed that large global firms emphasize scale and execution but under-serve early-stage feasibility analysis. Smaller companies communicate clearly but narrowly, with limited strategic depth. Design-forward technology sites convey innovation but lack audience clarity. Few competitors clearly articulated how environmental analytics and regulatory intelligence guide decisions before technology selection.
Insights that shaped direction
Regulatory constraints are universal
All audiences, regardless of role, are influenced by regulatory and feasibility constraints. These considerations drive every decision in this space.
Analytics are core decision drivers
Environmental analytics and regulatory navigation are not secondary services—they are the foundation of how decisions are made.
Technology is an outcome, not a starting point
Waste-to-energy should be framed as a potential outcome of informed planning, not the entry point for engagement.
Effective storytelling follows a clear arc
The narrative structure that resonated: problem → guidance → coordination → outcome.
Site structure designed around decision-making
The homepage establishes context and trust, while service pages guide users into detailed explanations. Each service page follows a consistent internal structure—problem context, Solora's strategic approach, regulatory considerations, and anticipated outcomes—mirroring how environmental projects are evaluated in practice.
Waste Management Consulting
Anchors the framework, reflecting how engagements typically begin.
Technology Evaluation
Emphasizes Solora's technology-agnostic advisory role.
Environmental Analytics
Data-driven justification paired with strategic insight.
Energy Transition Strategy
Long-term transition planning anchoring differentiation.
Mid-fidelity wireframes balancing speed with clarity
Given the compressed timeline, we developed mid-fidelity wireframes that intentionally included page-level language to help the client react to both structure and messaging. Laura and I authored the copy across all pages to ensure consistency and alignment with the project goals.
Conveying trust, rigor, and modern environmental leadership
A style guide was developed with a restrained, earthy color palette supporting accessibility and professionalism; clean, modern typography with clear hierarchy; imagery emphasizing infrastructure, systems, and environmental context; and consistent spacing and layout patterns reinforcing clarity.
Simplifying the complex through customized diagrams
I designed a custom waste-to-energy process diagram that clearly outlines each stage of the system. I created the vectors from scratch and structured the flow to make a complex process approachable for visitors unfamiliar with waste-to-energy concepts. The result was an engaging, informative diagram that reinforces Solora's expertise without feeling overly clinical.
Static and interactive components designed for decision support
1. Solora's Framework Accordion
Designed as an accordion to make Solora's multifaceted approach easier to absorb. Each pillar represents a distinct but interconnected area of expertise, and the expandable format allows users to explore at their own pace.
2. Audience-Specific Data Buttons
Clickable, audience-specific buttons so each group can quickly see what is relevant within Solora's Data Analysis service. Instead of interpreting broad technical language, the interaction presents tailored value based on role and decision context.
3. Modern Services Carousel
A scannable overview of what Solora offers without overwhelming the homepage. Each card pairs a service title with a concise overview, allowing visitors to quickly assess relevance before committing to more detail.
4. Sustainability Showcase
Clickable buttons tied to the UN Sustainable Development Goals to make Solora's sustainability commitments clear and tangible, reinforcing their role as a values-driven partner at both national and global scales.
5. Intake-to-Outcome Step Outline
Shows clients what to expect from engagement through final delivery. By visualizing each step, the component sets expectations, reduces uncertainty, and positions Solora as a mature, organized partner with a clear engagement standard.
Managing feedback while preserving coherence
Client collaboration was structured around weekly check-ins at the beginning of each week. During these sessions, the team shared progress, outlined what had been completed, and clearly identified the type of feedback needed. Most client feedback focused on structural accuracy and content clarity.
As feedback was incorporated, I was intentional about preserving the simplicity and coherence of the site architecture. Updates were evaluated against user flows and audience needs to ensure that new inputs strengthened clarity without introducing fragmentation or scope confusion.
Communicating positioning, trust, and process
The final design communicates Solora's positioning as a strategic, science-driven partner through a deliberate combination of structure, language, and visual hierarchy. Services are framed around strategy, analytics, and transition planning—making it clear that technology is an outcome of informed decision-making, not the starting point.
Trust and credibility were central considerations. Content is presented in clean, data-forward layouts that reflect how municipalities and investors review reports. Regulatory awareness is woven throughout rather than isolated, signaling procedural competence and risk awareness.
A credible, scalable digital presence
The final design positions Solora as a strategic, science-driven partner through structure, language, and visual restraint. Environmental analytics, regulatory awareness, and market context are embedded throughout the site, reinforcing evidence-based decision-making.
Shared narrative
Aligned the Solora team around a shared language for their services.
Outreach-ready
Site ready for investor outreach, municipal discussions, and partnerships.
Modular & scalable
Structure supports future reports, services, and proprietary technology.
Decision-oriented
Serves as both a credibility signal and an educational tool.
From designing interfaces to designing decision systems
This project reinforced that designing for technical and policy-heavy domains is fundamentally about decision support. Stakeholders do not want complexity removed—they want it structured, justified, and navigable. Credibility comes from acknowledging constraints and trade-offs as much as opportunities.
The work also marked a shift in my practice from designing interfaces to designing decision systems. Rather than optimizing for engagement alone, I focused on trust, feasibility, and long-term outcomes—designing an experience that supports alignment across municipalities, investors, regulators, and technology partners.
