National Highways approached us with the challenge to create a new website that would provide users with the latest information on road works, traffic, and travel across the UK. Our main objective was to build a user-friendly website using the latest version of Umbraco, an open-source CMS, ensuring the highest standards of accessibility, security, and usability.
Discovery
To kick off the project, we initiated a comprehensive discovery phase in close collaboration with National Highways to identify their target audiences, their requirements and goals. This stage helped us create wireframe prototypes and designs that reflected the brand and vision of National Highways. We also analysed the types of content that National Highways would need to provide and determined how best to organise and present it. The result was a website with intuitive navigation, clear content, and engaging features.
Umbraco CMS development
Based on the discovery phase, we created a new Umbraco platform that included customised templates and components to meet the specific needs of National Highways. We also built a publications library that allowed National Highways to share reports, guidelines, and resources with their users. This library ensured easy search and retrieval.
Additionally, we integrated with several APIs to provide real-time data on road works, traffic, and travel across the UK. This allowed National Highways to present this data in a user-friendly and accessible way.
To enhance the user experience, we built ‘form builders’ that allowed users to provide feedback, report issues, and request information. We also integrated a 3rd party search Search 360 engine that provided fast and accurate search results based on user queries.
We then implemented an editorial workflow allowing National Highways to manage the content creation, review, and publishing process seamlessly. This workflow ensured consistency and quality.
Accessibility and security
To ensure the website was secure, accessible and compliant, We conducted automated penetration testing with industry-standard tools to identify vulnerabilities and threats, and provided recommendations for mitigation. Additionally, we ensured full cookie compliance control, and that the website met the latest WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines for accessibility and usability. We also implemented ReachDeck Toolbar (Browsealoud), an assistive technology tool that helps users with reading and comprehension difficulties. Finally, we set up a new Umbraco hosting instance on Microsoft Azure, which provided high performance, scalability, and reliability.
What we did
- Conducted a comprehensive discovery phase that identified audience types, requirements and goals.
- Developed wireframes and designs that reflected the brand and vision of National Highways
- Created a new Umbraco CMS platform that included customized templates and components.
- Built a publications library that allowed National Highways to share reports and resources.
- Integrated with several APIs that provided real-time data on road works, traffic, and travel.
- Built form builders that allowed users to provide feedback and request information.
- Integrated a 3rd party search engine that provided fast and accurate search results.
- Implemented an editorial workflow that allowed National Highways to easily manage content creation and publishing.
- Ensured website security and compliance using automated penetration testing and full cookie compliance control.
- Met the latest WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines for accessibility and usability.
- Set up a new Umbraco hosting instance on Microsoft Azure
In conclusion, creating a new website for National Highways using the latest version of Umbraco required a high level of expertise, collaboration, and innovation. This project was successfully delivered using a pragmatic Agile approach that ensured quality, speed, and value.
Take a look: nationalhighways.co.uk
