Giving the community the tools that they need
- Client: Environment Canterbury
- Date: March 2016
- Roles: Discovery, Design, Front & Back-end Build
- Product suite: Silverstripe
A necessary shift in focus
The redesigned site focuses on the user needs first, with the tools they use front and center. We began by interviewing the key user groups and stakeholders to understand and analyse their goals, needs and pain points. The organisation had been internally focused for so long, they weren't aware of what the community really needed.
Modern, simple and mobile
From a content management perspective, the key issue with the previous site was that it had become a dumping ground for each department. Finding current and correct information had become increasingly difficult.
We gave them a modern, easy to navigate, visually-rich and mobile-friendly design. The header area of the homepage began with the branded messages leading to current topics of interest, global navigation that is always present so that all sections are accessible as the user scrolls down the page. The content was simplified and prioritised according to the user's needs – with the tools being first, then key content areas, and finally quick access to the latest reports and related social media.
The key success factors
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User-centric focus
By changing from an internal focus to an external one, we were able to accommodate for a wide range of audiences (both internally and externally) and their differing needs.
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A changed perception
Helped overcome the negative perception held by the external audience that ECan is a government organisation who were only concerned with their own interests and not those of the people in the Canterbury Region.
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Brand alignment
We designed the site to align with the recently launched brand campaign of the local government that shows the community how dedicated they are to working with them as partners.
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Simple & mobile
Users could now easily access all sections of the site and complete their varied tasks with the necessary tools either at their computers or on the go. No more constantly calling the call centre for help.
Check that river flow? Easy as!
The site was launched on the government approved platform – SilverStripe. We gave it the simple, clean interface it needed. We made it easy to access key content, and provided a structure that will allow them to grow in an organised fashion without damaging their user experience.