Insight
Information. It's a very powerful tool, and especially rewarding when used for good. That's why we were so excited when the pioneering people at The Data Lab approached us about their latest initiative - The Cancer Innovation Challenge.
A collaboration between universities, businesses and researchers, the goal was to advance cancer data science, support development of new tools and help Scotland become a world leader in cancer care.
No small feat! Not to mention, one with a tight budget and tight turnaround. We were tasked with planning, building and launching a website… in four weeks. It had to be:
"Easy to use, customisable and collaboration-friendly"
We chose Drupal for the content management system, adding a Multiply-made theme that answered all our client’s needs, from streamlined content creation to oversight and coordination tools.
What we did
From start to finish, we harnessed the power of teamwork. This let us develop a confident, colourful site that clearly represented our partners and efficiently handled all required functions, from funding applications to content creation.
Design & UX
Working with our clients, we created conceptual routes to serve as a starting point for the site’s look and feel. Then we delved into user experience, developing fully designed wireframes for each layout style to show how the creative would work on every page. This process led to an intuitive and seamless user journey from home page onto deeper level content.
Content Management
The Cancer Innovation Challenge hub was designed using a modular Drupal theme that we developed in-house. It makes content management simple by incorporating flexible layouts, with an array of templated block types that can be organised, added and excluded as required. Modules include social media channel integration, blog and contact form functionality. The site also enables approved admin users to fully manage content elements across the site.
Performance Optimisation & Analysis
The site includes Google Analytics & Webmaster Tools tracking. We also applied SEO on-page and technical best practices to help gain early visibility in search engines.
The Finale
Since launch, the Cancer Innovation Challenge website has become a vital hub that houses all sorts of project-related information, and also given data scientists a platform to apply for research funding. After going live, the site attracted over 4000 visits in 2 months and attracted a grand total of 33 funding bids. It also put cancer research in the digital spotlight by reaching the top spot in Google UK searches, and boasts a 30% clickthrough rate for all relevant search terms.
Thank you so much! The website looks great and we’ve had very positive feedback.
Steph Wright - Project Development Manager