When we started thinking about redesigning our website, the goal wasn’t just to make it look new or refresh it for the sake of change but to create a website that felt strong and modern, while still unmistakably Pixelmatters.

We wanted it to represent who we are today while keeping the core identity that has always defined us. It was about the balance between refreshing our presence and staying true to ourselves, making sure we clearly state who we are without too many bells and whistles.

As Pixelmatters has grown and evolved, this felt like the right moment to ensure our digital presence reflects our current work quality and values, so our website needed to resonate with both our audience and team.

As usual, the process was collaborative from the beginning, with designers, engineers, and stakeholders all actively involved throughout. From the very first kick-off meeting (in a bunker let's say? 😄) to regular alignment sessions, collaboration was the foundation of the process as without this strong kick-off, we wouldn't be sure of the north star guiding this project.

Everyone had the space to discuss ideas or explore new directions, and even though there were moments where different ideas were on the table, those discussions (or should I say ✨creative debates✨?) always had a positive outcome.

We paid attention to every little detail because we knew they would make a huge difference in how people experienced the website. I’ll even dare say that sometimes we maybe paid a bit too much attention, but at the same time, is there such thing as too much?

The subtle touches like animations, micro-interactions or transitions might seem small, but they added a sense of delight that we really wanted to bring forward to elevate the experience.

Despite the above, UX was always on top of our minds as we wanted to balance impact and innovation with accessibility and usability. At times, it meant going all the way and letting the creative freedom burst out, to then take one step back when we felt it was too much. Those moments of restraint helped us stay grounded in creating a website that not only looked good but also had a solid experience.

This balance was one of our biggest challenges: it was easy to get carried away with creative ideas, but we always came back to the question “does this make the user experience better? Is this really worth it? Are we just pleasing our little design creative brains?"

Oh and the whole 3D was definitely a topic. As rough experiments developed, what started as a detail on the Homepage quickly evolved into being a prominent style on the website.

To create this 3D we had to bang our heads a little bit, I guess? We used Spline, a tool that was new to us at the time, which made the process both exciting and challenging. The work went through multiple iterations, each pushing the vision further until it became integral to how the website feels today. What we thought was good, wasn't good enough (ha! see what I did there?) and once we looked back it was clear the first versions were a mess. We're quite happy with it now, though!

We didn’t want the 3D to be forgettable nor static, so we used it intentionally to add depth and a reminder of our brand, making it memorable and consciously using it because it made sense, not for the sake of it.

The collaboration didn’t stop at design as the handoff with developers was close and continuous. Instead of just documenting specifications, we worked side by side, discussing behaviors, interactions, and compromises in real-time, otherwise it wouldn't have been easy. This is something that we always strive to do at Pixelmatters.

Frequent meetings with the engineering team ensured alignment with the design vision and guaranteed that everyone knew the level of interaction and polish we were aiming for.

Some early ideas were dropped, such as small easter eggs that were fun but didn’t truly support the overall vision. Looking back, while I (and the team) really liked some of those ideas, we can safely say that dropping them was the best call as it kept the website more focused and intentional.

Pages like the About us and What we do were particularly tricky, going through many explorations and iterations, with plenty of ideas that didn’t quite land. Yet, each round taught us something, and eventually, we found the balance between creativity and usability.

This redesign wasn’t really about having a prettier website, but about building one that reflects who we are now. Every detail, every interaction, and every visual choice was purposeful. It’s a reflection of our identity, one that will continue to evolve as we do.