Connexions Norfolk
How we helped Connexions Norfolk develop one of the best 14-19 prospectus solutions in the country
http://www.helpyouchoose.org
Introduction
Help You Choose is the Connexions Norfolk website aimed at helping young people between 14 and 19 with the key career decisions they have to make at this age. It provides a host of resources to help young people make the right choices in Year 9, 10, 11 and 12.
The challenge
The challenge was finding the best way to engage the young people the service is targeted at. Attaining and retaining the attention of teenagers is no mean feat at the best of times, and it can be twice as hard on the web.
The solution
We adopted a continuous improvement approach to make sure the site remained fresh and relevant in an ever changing environment. Initially we set the foundations with the deployment of a comprehensive content management system: CommonSpot from PaperThin, which provided a solid yet flexible and expandable platform upon which we have built over the past six years.
After being online for a full year the Help You Choose website received a facelift and a host of enhancements. Cyber Media and Connexions Norfolk analysed how the site was used over the past year and collaborated with young people from Norfolk to identify areas that could be improved.
The site’s functionality was enhanced enabling users to do more; and usability was improved allowing users to find their way and perform tasks, such as finding opportunities, quicker and easier. Clearer headings and more content areas were introduced, along with enhanced graphics, giving a more contemporary look and feel and future proofing the site.
Connexions Norfolk used to print a prospectus at the beginning of every academic year listing all colleges, courses, open days, etc. Due to the demands of print production this not only took a lot of time and effort to produce, but was also quickly outdated once printed as data change constantly throughout the year. A key addition, therefore, to the site was a facility that allows Connexions Norfolk to produce on demand a PDF version of the prospectus with the latest information available. This helps Connexions Norfolk to ensure data accuracy throughout the year, whilst realising significant savings in time and cost.
The admin system was also updated, now allowing users to add content in advance for publishing at a future date, i.e. the next academic year. Other features include statistics reporting, xml downloads, automatic email notifications, localisation for each college, and a quick change facility allowing colleges to quickly flip between academic years.
The outcome
We’ll let Connexions Norfolk take it from here:
“Most recently, Cyber Media worked with us to deliver Norfolk's 14-19 Prospectus website. They turned a very ambitious specification into an appealing and easy to use website. The end result definitely exceeded both our expectations and those of our partners. Everyone who sees the website is impressed - some 14-19 Education experts have even stated that it's one of the best 14-19 Prospectus solutions in the country.”
Chris Barnes
Website Coordinator
Connexions Norfolk
