AI Supercity
Overview
Toronto Global is an organization that helps international companies set up and expand their businesses in Toronto. As part of their AI Supercity campaign to attract global AI companies to the Toronto Region, they wanted to create a website where potential clients could learn about AI business and infrastructure in Toronto. The primary aim is for users to explore the articles telling the story of Toronto’s role in AI. The site would have an editorial feel, balancing storytelling with data and facts, and serve as a resource for businesses to learn about the ecosystem of companies in the area.
My Role
User Research
UI & UX Design
Information Architecture
Prototyping
Team
Art Director
UX Designer
Web Developer
Year
2026
Process
01 Balancing Attention, Movement and Control
In order to capture the attention of visitors to the site and encourage them to scroll, explore and read the articles we needed to create something that would draw the users eye and keep them moving down the page. We initially considered methods like scrolljacking for its strong visual impact. However after doing some research and testing we found users were frustrated by the lack of control and had trouble reading the text. We opted for more subtle effects, incorporating subtle movement and animations to draw the user’s attention down the page, with the user maintaining control of their experience and not being distracted from the content.
02 Information Architecture
The amount of information in each section of the website was extensive so we needed to find various ways to organize the content so that users could easily find what they were looking for, whether it was their first visit or a return visit. Users could choose to do a deep dive on the topics or scroll casually and see important points and stats and get a more general understanding.
Feedback from stakeholders revealed it was important for visitors to have the option to find the most relevant information and stats without having to search the entire website. To address that need we added a separate page that summarized the most important information with visually impactful charts and and highlighted key stats so they were easily accessible in one location.
03 Generating Leads
Lead generation was a secondary priority, but stakeholders wanted a clearer picture of who was visiting and where interest was originating. To capture this, a downloadable guide on starting an AI business in Toronto was gated behind an email sign-up. The form also collected more detailed contact information and included qualifying questions to gather higher-quality leads.
Outcomes
The site launched just three weeks ago and the official campaign has yet to begin, so it’s too early to draw firm conclusions. However, initial response has been positive, with a high percentage of visitors clicking through to the story articles, and stakeholder feedback has been favourable. Despite not being a primary focus, the lead form has already generated a number of sign-ups, more than expected at this stage, given the detailed information requested. Return visits to the resource pages and the impact of ongoing content additions will become clearer once campaigns have begun. Results will be revisited post-launch, with site adjustments made accordingly.