Timeline
2024
Role
Team
Newton · Tonic (Copy) · Legacy (Dev)
Tools
Figma · Webflow · Mural
01The Brief
How might we...
How might we design a graduate website for a Times Top 100 Employer that speaks directly to what candidates actually value — rather than what the company assumes they want?
02Context
A gap between assumption and evidence
Newton had earned a strong Top 25 finish in the Times rankings — but lacked evidence to steer their next website push. Internal teams were pulling in competing directions, designing by assumption. The gap between what Newton believed graduates needed and what they actually experienced was the real brief.
03Insights Discovered
Reputation without resonance
Graduate interviews surfaced a clear message: Newton's reputation was known, but the website couldn't tell the story. Candidates wanted to feel what it was like to be a Newton consultant — not just read what the role involved. Three themes kept surfacing: career trajectory, culture, and the calibre of the work itself.
04Process
Evidence first, design second
Three phases: a candidate research sprint into an insight report, stakeholder alignment workshops with Newton's HR and marketing teams, then a co-created design sprint. Each phase produced a deliverable that directly fed the next.
Candidate research synthesis
Interviews with 12 recent graduates were synthesised into a candidate insight report — identifying the language, proof points, and emotional triggers that drove application intent most reliably.
Stakeholder alignment workshop
A facilitated session with Newton's internal teams resolved competing content priorities and aligned the narrative structure before any design work started.
Prototype validation
High-fidelity prototypes were tested with 8 graduates ahead of handoff — validating tone, transparency of the application journey, and visual hierarchy.
05Solution
Designed for decisions
A graduate-facing website restructured entirely around what candidates actually need to know to feel confident applying — told through Newton's people, not its corporate credentials.
Candidate-Mapped Architecture
Navigation and content hierarchy rebuilt around the decision funnel — surfacing culture, growth paths, and day-in-the-life content at the moments candidates need them most.
People-Forward Visual System
Photography, type, and colour recalibrated to feel ambitious but human — positioning Newton as a first-choice employer without the corporate distance.
Responsive Prototype Handoff
Fully annotated responsive prototypes handed off to the dev team — eliminating ambiguity and ensuring the design held at every breakpoint.
06Outcome
Evidence translated into brand
The site launched ahead of Newton's milkround cycle with strong internal stakeholder confidence. The insight-led approach directly informed Newton's wider employer branding strategy, and the site continues to be the primary candidate-facing experience.
Top 25
Times Top 100 Employers finish maintained in the year following launch
12+
graduate interviews directly shaping the final site architecture and content
