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Company: Indigo Multimedia Limited
Project: Connexions County Durham – Help4Teens
Dates: Sep 2007 to Nov 2007
How did the project start?
We were approached by Connexions Durham to develop a comprehensive resource for young people aged 13-19 across County Durham. They wanted us to create a site that would provide clear and helpful information on everything from jobs, training and education, to money and life. As the site was targeted at such a specific audience, it was important for us to get the look and feel just right and provide platforms for presenting the information in an engaging way. We also built a comprehensive content management system which gives partners, staff and young people the ability to update the content regularly.
What options did you consider?
To meet the client’s requirements we developed a number of innovative features. A virtual library, allows users to choose a character, walk around and browse the bookshelves, this level of participation is aimed at encouraging young people to explore the huge range of guidance information available in a fun way. The virtual library is dynamically linked to Connexions Library Information Centre where staff regularly update and add new content.
What help and expertise did you receive?
The look and feel of the site was developed following extensive user research, it was really important to involve young people in the development of the new site. By using focus groups we were able to understand what young people needed from the site, what they liked and disliked. They told us they wanted us to create a site that they could feel involved in when using. Features allow users to change the colour, font and look of the site, meeting their needs for a level of personalisation and reflecting our commitment to developing a site that reflected their input and ideas.
Did you face any challenges or learn any lessons?
One of the main challenges was ensuring we met the needs of Connexions Durham and those of the target audience. By involving young people and staff in all the design and development processes we were able to find innovative solutions to suit everyone’s needs. Much of the content is signposted through fun quizzes and polls, keeping the playful feel and allowing Connexions to gain valuable user feedback on their service provision.
What are the outcomes and how has it improved your business?
Help4Teens really strengthened our existing relationship with the Connexions Service across the UK. To date we have now provided web development, video and CDROM based projects for a number of Connexions Services including Cambridge, Nottingham, Derby and Leicester.
What are your plans for the future?
We will to continue to provide clients such as the Connexions Service, with innovative and customer focused solutions. As the variety of our clients base demonstrates, our passion, flair and in-house skill mean we offer much more than design and programming. We help shape strategy and thinking and as one of our clients said, “This can mean the difference between the success and failure of a project”.
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