One site fits all

Project type: Web design
Location: Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

Why Design was commissioned by Cambridgeshire based group REH to develop a bespoke content managed website that could be duplicated across their company portfolio. The companies that would benefit from the system were: Airblast (blast room manufacturers) [2], Polysafe (level crossing manufacturers) [3], Phantom Screens (fly screen reseller) [4] & Workplace (commercial property lettings) [5].

Initially we needed to ascertain the common requirements for each site. Each company would include a number of specific pages such as a home page, contact page or video demonstrations. However, the majority of the site would be content managed, allowing the administrator for each business to update product information, case studies, news, FAQ’s and download menus. They would also be able to edit the navigation allowing them complete control over adding and removing new pages.

Master templates were then designed for the first business. The design was specific to the business' audience following their corporate guidelines. Site templates were built and the bespoke content management system (CMS) was developed [6]. We involved the clients at every stage, particularly throughout the development of the CMS, because a bespoke system allows the client to adjust elements to suit their specific needs.

“Delighted with the new website – the designers listened to what we wanted, resulting in a design that is sharp and easy to navigate. We’ve had more positive customer comments in the first 3 months of being live than we received in 8 years with the previous website!”
{Micheal Austin, Managing Director, Polysafe.}

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Using the latest technology allowed us to take the first site and redesign it for the remaining businesses. So whilst each site utilised the same CMS it could still be designed to follow the new design guidlines. The bespoke CMS also allowed us to adapt certain areas specifically for each site. For example, ‘products’ from the manufacturing site became ‘properties’ for the commercial property site yet still followed the same format.

Finally, the bespoke CMS has allowed the group to make various additions to the system after launch, each of which can be easily rolled out across each site. The most recent of these was a page search engine optimisation section allowing the administrator to add and remove individual keywords and descriptions to pages or set up groups and apply them to selected pages.

View the Phantom Screens website
View the Workplace website
View the Polysafe website

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