SaaS success story
Impact Hub Zurich
Reimagining the company’s digital space with a strategic overhaul for enhanced content management and seamless user interaction.
About Impact Hub Zurich
Impact Hub is a global organization with a significant presence in Zurich, serving as a hub for a diverse community of creatives, startups, tech enthusiasts, NGOs, companies, and change-makers. It focuses on various themes, including climate and sustainability, and hosts numerous events and meetups, ranging from workshops to yoga and stand-up comedy.
Additionally, Impact Hub Zurich provides rental services for event spaces and networking locations, including temporary office spaces and meeting rooms.
Timeline
500 working hours from the project’s launch till its final release
project's launch
July 2023
Development
July 2023 – September 2023
Go live and ongoing support
October 2023 – till now
Project’s scope
The client approached us with an outdated website, needing help to handle the growing buzz around their events and the complexities of their content management system. It fell short in facilitating visual upgrades and event management, necessitating a manual, time-consuming process for content editing. This antiquated setup accumulated a fair amount of technological debt, leaving the site vulnerable to security threats – a critical issue for operational integrity and user trust.
Our mission was to revitalize and modernize the website, including the migration of a wealth of content comprising 1000 blog entries and 2600 past and present events. Each piece needed careful handling, from event descriptions to photos and booking links.
A key aspect of our approach was partnering with a UX/UI designer tasked with reimagining the website’s visual appeal. Our challenge was to bring these fresh, user-centric designs to life on WordPress and elevate the website into a more dynamic, secure, and visually captivating space.
Efficient Event Management with Intuitive Timeline Display
Implementing a robust system for listing and managing events, including developing a timeline model which provides a clear and intuitive display of events scheduled for each day.
Blog Post Listing for User-Friendly Navigation
Establishing an efficient and user-friendly framework for listing blog posts, ensuring content is easily accessible and navigable for users.
Synchronized Bilingual Content
Bilingual content with a seamless synchronization mechanism between the languages to maintain consistency and accuracy across the platform.
Simplifying Event Bookings
Integrating a system for online reservations, allowing users to book their places at events easily.
Content Page Updates
Guaranteeing that all content pages on the website were thoroughly covered and updated, aligning with the new design and functionality standards set for the revamped site.
Designing Modular Graphics
Crafting a separate, unique graphic design for various programs that users can participate in involves working with modular designs to create a distinct and appealing look for each program.
Development
Challenges and solutions
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01.
The high volume of posts and events
The website had a significant volume of blog posts and events, each with its own unique structure, which was further amplified when dealing with different language versions. To address this issue, we adapted the content to be compatible with WPML (WordPress Multilingual Plugin), empowering efficient management and synchronization of bilingual texts. It guaranteed that all data, regardless of volume or complexity, was accurately and seamlessly integrated into the new system.
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02.
Tight deadlines and daily priority shuffling
Working within a strict timeline called for an agile approach to project management, emphasizing constant communication. To manage this issue effectively, we established a dynamic workflow system. In this setup, our priorities were evaluated and adjusted on a daily basis, ensuring that we were always focusing on the most critical tasks at hand. This flexible approach, combined with a close and collaborative relationship with the client, lets us quickly adapt to any shifts in project requirements. Consequently, we were able to maintain a balance between meeting tight deadlines and preserving the high quality of our work, guaranteeing that the final product was delivered on time and up to standard.
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03.
Automated data transfer via API for event reservations
The client needed a solution to automate the transfer of event data to their external reservation system, thereby eliminating the cumbersome task of manually entering data into a separate content management system. To address this problem, we developed a direct synchronization system integrated with their API, which enabled automatic data transmission directly from WordPress. As a result, event information is updated in real-time, assuring accuracy and consistency.
Summary
Business enhancement
Streamlined event management system
The upgraded website boasts a streamlined and user-friendly system for managing event listings. This new setup entitles editors to easily and quickly add events, significantly reducing the process to less than a minute. Additionally, the website is equipped with an English translation feature and a bilingual link map, significantly improving its accessibility to a broader, more diverse audience.
Gutenberg-based builder with live editor
A significant improvement in the project was the integration of a Gutenberg-based builder, complete with a live editor and an extensive library of components. It simplified the process of creating new subpages, fostering a website that is not only dynamic but also continuously evolving. The flexibility of this tool enabled various team members to update the site simultaneously, whether it’s adding new programs, updating member details, or publishing fresh blog posts. This collaborative capability allowed the website to remain current, vibrant, and reflective of the organization’s ongoing activities and offerings.
Educational tutorial library
Alongside the website’s makeover, we introduced an extensive library of tutorials focused on the new site features. Its goal was to streamline the learning process for the client’s team, ensuring they can easily navigate and utilize the full spectrum of the website’s enhanced functionalities.
SEO and performance optimization
The website experienced a major boost in its optimization, greatly enhancing its performance in search engine rankings. We put a special emphasis on speed and efficiency, leading to impressive scores of over 90 on page speed tests. This translates into quick load times, a feature particularly noticeable on mobile devices.
Outcome
Our collaboration with the client transcended the typical boundaries of a professional engagement, blossoming into a profound and enduring partnership. It has evolved into an ongoing dialogue, facilitated by a dedicated channel on Slack where we engage in weekly conversations. We provide the client with regular updates, brainstorming sessions, strategy discussions, and occasionally, we simply catch up on the latest news.
Since its launch, the website has exhibited exceptional performance, serving as a pivotal component in the company’s narrative and effectively propelling its growth. With its assistance, the client’s team has streamlined their content work, achieving new heights and expanding their horizons. The website is scalable, editable, and adaptable, which is crucial in the rapidly changing world of digital presence.
