Good web design is a key ingredient in any successful website, but how do we achieve this and how does it fit in with the technical build of a site? Our web designer, George takes us through his process:
Websites can be an incredible information tool for your organisation. Using data and mapping strategically can help both customers and internal departments get the most from the information you hold.
We’ve pulled together a handful of the projects we’ve worked on recently to demonstrate the kinds of things that can be done:
Using mapping to help the purchasing process
Ocea UK manufactures automatic swimming pool covers for indoor and outdoor pools for both the domestic and leisure market. Their products help to retain heat, keep pools cleaner and make them safer when not in use. Ocea sell their products through an extensive network of dealers across the UK.
We developed a new website for Ocea recently and with the business route to market being via a dealer network, one of the key features needed to be the ability for customers to find their local showroom.
Our solution was to present this information in a map form. Using data from Drupal to communicate with the API from Google, we were able to custom build a map that integrated with locations of Ocea dealers. Not every product is sold through every dealer so we also developed a tagging system which allows the customer to search for the desired product, and/or by a particular geographical location. The result is a very user-friendly tool which quickly assists the user with their queries.
To see the map in action, visit https://oceauk.com/dealers To read a full case study on this project click here https://www.olamalu.com/case-study-page/ocea-uk
The latest global reports at the click of a button
The Policy Practice Project supports positive change across low- and middle-income countries. They undertake political economy analysis, strategic and policy work, and operational research. They lead programme designs, reviews, and evaluations and use their wealth of knowledge to advise programmes and organisations how to ‘think and work politically’.
We worked with The Policy Practice Project to develop a global, custom SVG map that allows users to acquire information via projects about particular countries of interest. When the user activates a search via country, the website returns a number of projects via a tagging system and gives the user a full list of what is available for that country.
Take a look: https://www.thepolicypractice.com/policy-practice-projects
Enabling a close up to miniature portraits
We worked with the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge to develop a comprehensive viewing tool to enable art researchers to get close up and immerse themselves in a collection of portrait miniatures in detail that could not be easily achieved in a gallery.
Portrait Miniatures were particularly popular during the Elizabethan and Stuart ages. A portrait of someone special was painted at a size that was intended to fit the palm of a hand and often carried around in a locket or small frame. Carrying such a portrait miniature signified wealth and status and indeed were produced by very accomplished artists who were able to paint such detail on such a small scale.
Because of the age and fragility of the collection of art pieces, these tiny paintings are usually housed in dark, cool galleries or storage facilities to preserve them. It’s difficult in such conditions for researchers to access the portraits in the way that they need to, so Fitzwilliam asked us to develop an online library from a wide variety of collections with the inclusion of digital tools that would allow close ups of the paintings through a variety of different light reveals.
Using a toggle on and off system, the viewer is able to see the different layers of the paintings through different light sources including natural, infra-red, X Ray and ultraviolet all of which allow the researcher access to the intricate details of the painting, composition and build of the image at every level without actually having to touch it. As an added bonus, researchers can also download files.
Visit the website: https://unlocking-miniatures.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/collections/
Check out the viewer tool : https://miniatures-mirador.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/?manifestId[]=https://miniatures-iiif.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/FM%203865/manifest.json
Easy access to large volumes of interlinking information
The Centre for Digital Built Britain is a partnership between the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and the University of Cambridge to understand how the construction and infrastructure sectors could use a digital approach to better design, build, operate and integrate the built environment.
With a wealth of helpful resources, tools and data, the CDBB wanted to make information as accessible as possible so that users could easily access and find what they need quickly. In essence, this means creating a digital version of a librarian, categorising, grouping and linking up information. The CDBB tool gives the user a visual way to navigation through the information, see interlinkages and relationships and see what’s missing so that researchers can identify valuable questions to investigate.
Take a look at the website: https://www.cdbb.cam.ac.uk/cdbb/app/explorer#/
Can we help?
Do you want to better use data in your website? We are Olamalu, Drupal experts and experienced web developers. We’re a friendly and down to earth team based in West Oxfordshire, who work together to achieve brilliant outcomes. We’ve been developing websites and designing tailormade tech solutions including how best to optimise data and mapping for a huge range of different challenges for over 10 years.
We work with many of our clients as an ongoing technical partner, but we also offer a consultancy service to solve a specific strategic challenge.
June 2023