This project included a complete refresh of the Trust's image, incorporation of extra features such as online document repositories, photo galleries and online forms, as well as ensuring that access keys were incorporated for those with disabilities.
Further plans are to incorporate a membership system in the future to enable members to pay to join online, and also to improve the automation of their major sponsored event - the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust Sponsored Bike Ride. Training of the team to enable them to update the site themselves was a key part to this project.
Why a Content Management System?
The users managing the site on a day-to-day basis were self-admittedly non-techie and had no experience with coding at all. All the update requests were previously being sent through to another company who, initially, were working for free but becoming less inclined to assist the charity. Combined with an increasing reliance on the internet for information, supporters of Suffolk Historic Churches Trust were asking for information to be available on the website, the pressure was mounting to do something about their website.
During the initial meeting it was clear that Rachel had done her homework and looked into the ISSBA website we had designed, and liked the idea of being able to manage content using a "What You See Is What You Get" or WYSIWYG (pronounced whizzy-wig) editor similar to those used in common Office applications. Also, being able to control the permissions so that members of the committee who were involved with the website could have access to edit features but the general public could not, was appealing. In the future, Suffolk Historic Churches Trust hope to train more people to use the system, so the varying levels of permissions which allow users to be assigned rights to create, but not publish content for example, will be extremely useful.
Other features which were required by the site included online forms for enquiries and submission of applications, as well as a photo gallery to cover the main Trust events - including the annual Sponored Bike Ride which raises signifncant amounts of money for the charity each year.
Training
A considerable aspect of this job was training the people who would be updating the system, and being on hand to "hand hold" for the first few weeks after the site went live. To us, it doesn't matter if we have to go through something time after time, we're here to help!
Click here to view our porfolio entry for this project
Click here to view a press release from Suffolk Historic Churches Trust
