On the cover
Our visual identity is just one part of our brand jigsaw. We had to think about how we make ourselves accessible, talk about ourselves as one organisation, and how we can better communicate and interact with our audiences. Digital transformation Redeveloping our website – our window on the world – has been a key priority as part of the brand transformation. Working with the experts at NetConstruct, we set to work to understand how we could improve our digital presence to showcase our expertise, support our members and inspire dance teachers of the future. The first challenge for the Society and the team at NetConstruct was to understand the desired user journey. Many of you will be familiar with the current site, which has become difficult to navigate, as the content
Coming soon The website, launching in spring 2020, is a living and breathing asset that we must use effectively and build upon over the coming months and years to bring new audiences to our relevant and timely content. Further phases of development will introduce streaming of services, digital syllabus downloads, augmented e-commerce offers and international languages.
22 Dance | Issue 489
has grown organically over the years. While the integration and automation of services have not kept pace with developments that our audiences would expect to see. NetConstruct worked with the team at the Society to conduct UX (User Experience) research – an investigation of website users and their requirements, which in turn helped identify requirements for the website, with adaptability and usability in mind. The workshops held with key staff and industry audiences explored the need to improve how content was presented. It was also important that our content was fresh and relevant.
The research found that the Society needed to provide answers to visitors' queries quickly and effectively. Defining key personas helped us to understand who best to prioritise content for. Example personas included: – Dance teacher members – Degree students – Teen dance students This insight has driven our way forward with the build. We’ve focused the structure and the framework of the site to deliver key functions, member only features and fresh content, improving navigation, calls to action such as become a member, and automating services.