W3 SilverAward for Non-Profit
Introduction
The objective was to revamp the website to solidify CCBC's standing as a leading advocate for Canadian Children's literature, embarking on a digital transformation journey with the Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC). This project sought to enhance the digital experience and CCBC's influence within the community, with the outcome being a strengthened position as a key advocate for Canadian children's literature.
Project Timeline
17
Weeks
Tools
Project Overview
Background
CCBC wanted to create a new, easy-to-use center for fans of Canadian children's literature. They aimed to become the main source for everything about Canadian children's books, bringing together teachers, parents, and creators. The goal was to strengthen their influence and reach a wider audience.
Objective
The objectives were to position CCBC as a leader in Canadian Children's literature, streamline resource accessibility for parents and educators, and craft a digital experience aligned with CCBC's strategic growth initiatives.
User Segments
The website was designed with these user segments in mind: Educators, Creators, Publishers, Parents.
Solutions
We started by updating CCBC's website to better match their goals and vision. Through discussions, we understood what makes CCBC unique. We then redesigned the site, making it easy to navigate. The goal was not just to have a website but to make a lively space that brings together teachers, parents, and creators interested in Canadian children's literature.
Key Milestones
Phase 1
Strategy
1 | Project Kick-off
2 | Discovery
3 | Website Strategy
4 | Measurement Plan
Phase 2
Design
5 | Information Design
6 | Creative Concept Design
7 | Content Strategy & Development
8 | Wireframing
9 | Design System & Mockups
10 | Prototyping & UX Testing
Phase 3
Development
11 | Website Development
12 | Content Migration
13 | Quality Assurance Testing
14 | Website Launch & Analytics
Phase 4
Support
14 | Support & Maintenance
Process
Delving into CCBC involved stakeholder interviews. This not only fostered a deeper understanding of the organization and its audience but also provided crucial insights into the support and guidance sought by stakeholders.
Discovery
Establishing a robust foundation for strategic and technical decisions was imperative. This phase included the creation of a comprehensive measurement plan, identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor user flows. The focus was on ensuring parents accessed resources, educators discovered new books, creators successfully published their works, and outstanding Canadian literature reached a broader audience.
Strategy
Information Architecture
Navigating the complex web of stakeholders and diverse user segments with disparate goals required meticulous mapping of information structures. This step laid the groundwork for a user-centric approach to meet varied objectives.
Creative Concept
The crux of our approach was to infuse the digital experience with the spirit of childhood. We crafted a creative style centered around doodles and characters inspired by Canadian literature, drawing from an extensive study of hundreds of books. This concept unfolded like a story, with illustrations guiding the user experience.
Wireframes
Precision in user experience optimization was achieved through meticulous page layout. This ensured smooth navigation within and between pages, aligning with the overarching project goals.
Design System
The journey continued with the creation of high-fidelity designs that were not only visually appealing but also fully compliant with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.0 AA). Rigorous checks were conducted for factors like color blindness, legibility, and typography to ensure an inclusive and accessible experience.
Website & Product Development
Transforming designs into a reality, we built a secure, performant website capable of handling a large volume of content, including thousands of hosted books. Best practices in SEO were seamlessly integrated, and a custom CMS was designed for efficient day-to-day management.
Crafting a compelling narrative required not only laying out content strategically across the website but also identifying and developing missing elements. This phase reinforced CCBC's mission and vision, fostering a stronger connection with the audience.
Before
After
Prototyping & User Testing
The prototyping phase involved meticulous user testing, ensuring the website was not just visually appealing but functionally robust.
The project culminated in rigorous user testing to fine-tune every aspect before the grand launch. This final phase marked the transition from transformational vision to a tangible, user-approved digital reality.
Go-to-Market
Outcomes
10,000+
New users since launch
68%
Organic traffic
The updated website, with better accessibility and user-friendly design, greatly boosted CCBC's online visibility. The numbers not only confirm our success but also highlight the positive impact on our mission to support Canadian children's literature.