As a digital technology agency, it’s often assumed that we only build websites. Websites are, of course, a core part of our business, but they aren’t the whole story. Our experience and expertise enable us to create some very useful technical solutions for our clients, often helping them to make huge strides forward in their organisations.
Here are some examples of those solutions that go beyond websites:
1. Building a digital display screen network for Christ Church College, Oxford
With a large physical site and a substantial population of students, academic staff and visitors, the admin team at Christ Church wanted the ability to communicate with the on-site population in situ whilst they are moving around the site and not just rely on the college intranet or social media. The solution - a digital display screen network built by us.
Key features
The digital display screens can instantly display whatever message is required – this could be way-finding to an event, information about a lecture, news and a whole host of other announcements. Different messages can be displayed on different screens so that zones of relevant and timely messages can be created.
The tech
We developed the system using Drupal CMS with VueJS as the display technology. The content is owned by the central admin team and works via the college intranet to create a multi-channel approach.
2. Creating a virtual tour for Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford, wanted to ensure that every student who was interested in the college didn’t miss out on the chance to visit and get an insight into what studying there would feel like. Trinity didn’t want distance or dates that didn’t work to be the barrier, so we developed a virtual tour.
Key features
A mix of media, with the primary tour being led by students in a series of short videos. This is mixed in with different facts and hotspot locations around the college, giving the viewer the feeling that they are actually there.
The tech
The system is designed to allow editors to create locations and hotspots around the college via Drupal on their main website platform. All of this is served through a VueJS application, which creates the tour itself.
3. Developing intranets for many different organisations including Corpus Christi College Oxford and the Oxford Department of International Development
Intranets are very useful indeed. Put simply, they are internal websites, but they can play a vital role within any organisation, improving the flow of information, communication and better connecting departments. An intranet can also undertake specific tasks.
Key features
Intranets can do whatever an external-facing website can do – but from behind the safety of a secure login. We’ve developed intranets that have been used to fulfil several different roles:
- Executing the internal communication strategy, helping to grow the internal brand through a variety of content, including video, podcasts, editorial and animation. Their ability to showcase what other teams and departments are doing can help to improve connectivity and create opportunities to maximise both internal and external activities.
- Safely storing and sharing information, documents, forms, policies and procedures, records and minutes of meetings, important strategy and legal documents, all housed within the right access controls, which means that teams are fully supported with everything they need wherever they are. This is also a useful feature for the onboarding of new staff members and the provision of some training.
- Harnessing the key administrative functions of an organisation in a variety of different ways, such as by team, function, geographic location or by staff/student/faculty in an academic set up.
The tech
Upon the basic setup of secure document storage and sharing, a whole raft of other processes and functions can be plugged in. These could be other external systems that you integrate into your intranet or bespoke pieces of functionality developed just for you. Some examples include:
- Room booking systems – finding a room for a particular date and time, requesting it and then having it approved (or not!).
- Catering services – ordering food and refreshments for meetings or events, as well as day-to-day communication with the kitchen – for example, notifying that you are in and requesting an order from a list of options. This helps the kitchen to manage demand and reduce food waste. This system could be further expanded to provide information for the kitchen to use to liaise with their suppliers and wholesalers. It could even plug in to staff rotas to marry up with demand, thus creating a complete, holistic system for the catering department and indeed any department.
- Event booking – managing event information by releasing a set number of tickets, sending reminders and allowing cancellations so that people on the waiting list can be offered a ticket. As well as providing all the information needed by event participants in one easily accessible location.
- Timesheets – no need for clunky spreadsheets or bits of paper. An intranet can enable the individual to complete their timesheet digitally on a form where it then gets sent for approval (if required) and on to finance for processing, and can further link in to the payroll system.
These are just a few examples of technical solutions we’ve created that go beyond standard websites. If you think we could help you solve a challenge or create something bespoke that could really help your organisation thrive.
We are Olamalu, technical experts and website 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 tailor-made tech solutions for nearly 16 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.
