Case studies

Background

The folk / jazz / classical trio needed a web presence, live event listings, newsletter subscriptions and an online shop for their musical collaboration, which began with a nationwide cathedral tour.

Brief

Coracle’s requirements included:

• Website in a style matching their eclectic music and visual identity
• Collaboration on logo creation
• Easily manageable events listings, with calendar feed import/export
• CD & merchandise shop
• Audio clips and image gallery
• Password-protected media pages (EPK)
• Shared email inbox
• Integration with existing subscriber base (MailChimp)

Solution

cbrody.com designed and built a site in WordPress to complement Coracle’s initial publicity photoshoot and logo. We selected, configured and customised the built-in Twenty Twenty-One theme, and selected and configured plugins according to requirements, including WooCommerce and Events Manager.

We registered the domain name, and manage website and email hosting, ongoing maintenance and security via our cloud servers, which are powered 100% by renewable energy.

The site

Coracle

The background

Jane MacArthur required a new, responsive design for her website promoting her accountancy firm, which specialises in supporting freelancers with portfolio careers, including musicians, actors and creatives.

Brief

The requirements included:

• Clean-looking, SEO- and mobile-friendly design
• Testimonial slider and other content features
• Hosting advice
• Domain transfer with zero downtime for email and web

The solution

We designed and built a responsive and accessible website in close collaboration with Jane, using a customised WordPress theme. Content from the existing site was migrated across, and the new site deployed to a staging server for UA testing, prior to moving the domain to the new hosting provider.

The site

https://amati.co.uk

The background

Helen Neilson required a website, hosting and content creation services for her Suzuki group teaching practice in Southwest London.

The brief

The requirements included:

• Responsive, engaging website to attract parents of young children
• Events calendar with multiple categories
• Image and video gallery
• Course information and application forms
• Password-protected Resources section for pupils and parents

The solution

cbrody.com shot and produced still and video footage of a group class as part of the initial content creation. A responsive and accessible website was designed and built in close collaboration with Helen using WordPress, a selection of plugins and custom theme CSS.

We manage the domain name, website hosting, ongoing maintenance and security via our cloud servers, which are powered 100% by renewable energy.

The site

ourcellocommunity.com

The background

Rachel needed a website to showcase her education work as well as email hosting for her domain.

The brief

The requirement was for a new website including:

• Image and video galleries
• Course information and application forms
• A teaching tools blog

The solution

Working closely with the client, we developed a fast, responsive and accessible website in WordPress, using a selection of plugins and custom CSS. Email and web hosting are provided on cbrody.com’s cloud servers.

The site

https://rachelcooperviolin.com

Objective

To end the institute’s reliance on the previous custom software and system used by the Publications Library, and integrate it with IIED’s main website, www.iied.org. This was necessary in order to add new features, limit security risks and ensure accurate reporting systems for the institute.

Solution

The existing system, being custom-built and no longer supported, needed to be reverse engineered in order to determine the structure of the data held therein. A new repository architecture and the process for migrating the existing content, consisting of a large relational database and over 7,000 PDF documents, was created in Drupal CMS (v.8).

The new site was built in close consultation with content creators, site editors and end-users, and includes a number of tools designed to aid with cleaning up, managing, searching and browsing the large quantity of data.

Integrations with the institute’s other systems were developed using REST feeds and Drupal-specific migration tools.

The site

https://pubs.iied.org

n.b. in 2021 the codebase and architecture of this site became the basis for (and its content was eventually merged with), IIED’s main organisational site, in the process of upgrading the latter from Drupal v7 to 9 (now 10), for which Chris was lead developer.

The background

The early music and folk group needed a website to publicise their concert tours, sell merchandise and build an online following.

The brief

The requirement was for a new website including:

• Image and video galleries
• Concert schedule
• Online shop

The solution

Working closely with the client, we developed a fast, responsive and accessible website in Drupal 8, using a selection of contributed and custom modules and themes. The shop was built using Drupal Commerce module.

The site

https://wilderoses.com

The background

Cameroon is revising its land and natural resources laws. The LandCam project supports this effort by piloting approaches on the ground and helping citizens participate in the reform process. cbrody.com was contracted by IIED (one of the lead partners in the project) to build a website.

The brief

The website supports the project by offering:
• Support inter-ministerial coordination by providing easy access to the latest publicly available draft legislations, policy proposals and land use plan drafts.
• The ability to ensure that the latest proposals generated by the multi-stakeholder dialogue are available to decision-makers, along with all the policy and practice guidance publications generated throughout the action – including monitoring reports.
• A centralised location for partners/stakeholders to post project-related event announcements, press releases and meeting minutes.
• A space where stakeholders and partners to contribute blogs and thought-pieces.
• A tracking mechanism for changes in land use and policy.

Requirements

The website needed to include the following features:
• Bi-lingual (French/English) content and back-end editing interface
• Searchable repository of resources with search and filtering options
• Media area providing resources and contacts for journalists
• Social feeds and the ability to disseminate and share site content via multiple channels, including an email newsletter
• User roles/accounts for multiple site editors in the UK and Cameroon
• Simple content editing interface with user documentation/training
• Ability for site editors to upload and insert inline images and videos
• Google Analytics enabled and monitoring account created for launch
• Cross browser/mobile/tablet compatible

The solution

Working closely with the client, we developed a fully responsive bi-lingual website in Drupal v.8, using a selection of core, contributed and custom-coded software modules. Working from mobile-first design mockups and utilising a Bootstrap v.4 framework, we built a the English and French web site with content provided by the client. Automated RSS-to-email newsletter subscriptions (via MailChimp) and Google Analytics were integrated into the site. Administrator and site editor user roles were created, and training was provided on the platform. Frequent content updates, including document uploads, and media mentions are carried out by the site’s editors in the UK and Cameroon.

The site

https://www.landcam.org

The background

The Urban Africa Risk Knowledge (Urban ARK) project stems from a programme of research and capacity building that aims to reduce disaster risk in urban sub-Saharan Africa, by breaking cycles of risk accumulation. The Urban ARK consortium comprises researchers from a number of universities and NGOs in Africa and the UK, and was part-funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

The brief

The objective of the Urban ARK programme is to provide a focal point for knowledge generation, policy analysis and capacity building to underpin the growing demand for effective and equitable risk reduction strategies for urban sub-Saharan Africa. The website aims to support the project by:

• Updating and informing on the projects progress in an accessible and usable manner
• Providing a searchable repository for project documents and outputs
• Supporting other digital technology opportunities for project information sharing, eg., pre nations, video etc., where appropriate and cost effective
• Creating a multi-stakeholder space where individuals and organisations from different parts of the sector can come together to innovate and find shared solutions

The solution

Working closely with key members of the consortium, including by King’s College London and the International Institute for Environment and Development, we developed a responsive website in Drupal v.7, using a selection of core, contributed and custom-coded software modules. Working from wireframe prototypes and mobile-first design mockups, and using state of the art tools, we built a bilingual (English and French) web site with content provided by the client. The live site is hosted on an Acquia cloud server with front-end caching, and considerable work went into ensuring a fast and accessible website for visitors in the global North and South on any size device. Administrator and site editor user roles were created, and training was provided on the platform. Subsequent content updates (such as new case study texts and PDF document uploads) were – and continue to be – carried out by the site’s registered users.

The site

https://www.urbanark.org

The client

Crystal Palace String Quartet (CPQ) is a London-based string quartet for hire, providing live music for all kinds of events.

The brief

The client required a site that would contain sufficient information about the ensemble, including repertoire lists and sample videos and sound clips, to enable clients to make bookings online, or to enquire further about the services the Crystal Palace Quartet offers. An online marketing campaign was required, but within a very limited budget.

The solution

Photos were commissioned and a layout was agreed with the members of the quartet. The mobile-friendly site was created using Drupal 7 with a custom theme and all content was written, edited and optimised by cbrody.com.

The site was submitted to the major search engines and to various online directories. Link building including paid and unpaid listings on sites such as Hitched and EntsWeb as well as a campaign with Google AdWords, have resulted in good traffic to the site from day one of its launch.

The site

https://crystalpalacequartet.uk

The background

The Conservation, Crime and Communities (Communities for Wildlife) project is about engaging communities to tackle the illegal wildlife trade (IWT), primarily in the global South.

The brief

The requirement was for a new online portal with features including:

• Facilities for collecting and sharing information on examples of community based approaches to wildlife management and their effectiveness in tackling illegal wildlife trade
• An interactive case studies database
• Links to relevant news stories
• Key information updates on IWT issues
• Social media feed integration

The solution

Working closely with the client, we developed a responsive website in Drupal v.7, using a selection of core, contributed and custom-coded software modules. Working from wireframe prototypes and mobile-first design mockups, and using state of the art tools, we built a community-editable web site with content provided by the client and their partners. The live site is hosted on an Acquia cloud server with front-end caching, and considerable work went into ensuring a fast and accessible website for visitors in both the global North and South, on any size device. Administrator and site editor user roles were created, and training was provided on the platform. Subsequent content updates (such as new case study texts and PDF document uploads) were – and continue to be – carried out by the site’s users.

The site

The original site is no longer live. A new site which built on its success, and which was also built with cbrody.com as lead developer is at https://www.peoplenotpoaching.org

The client

TMS Restaurants runs several unique establishments in London, serving top quality food and drink to the public as well as providing hire spaces for functions and parties. Café Piazza in Hays Galleria is one of their flagship venues.

The brief

Tiles needed a new, mobile-friendly (responsive/adaptive) website with prominent social media links, reflecting the atmosphere and branding of the two-level wine bar and restaurant. The client needed the ability to upload and manage content, in the form of uploaded menus and wine lists, as well as having the flexibility of adding new menu items, rearranging pages and updating the text themselves.

The solution

cbrody.com worked together with the client and a marketing consultant to design and build the site in Drupal 7 CMS, with custom PHP templates and several contributed modules. Cover images for PDF uploads are automatically generated, resized and linked. A responsive slideshow and an online booking interface was integrated into every page. Site editors can log in and modify the site’s content and menus using a WYSIWYG web form.

The site

https://cafepiazza.london

The client

The Green Economy Coalition is a diverse set of organisations and sectors from NGOs, research institutes, UN organisations, business to trade unions.

The brief

The client required a new knowledge platform, a “Green Economy Network” for small businesses to be able to find information relevant to their needs and to add their own expertise. It needed to be built on a flexible and extensible content management system that would allow for users to search and browse information and for registered members to upload content in multiple formats. From case studies (green solutions) to measurement tools, discussion forums and blogs, there was a requirement to define and create many different types of content.

The solution

cbrody.com worked closely with the client and a nominated graphic designer to design and build the platform. Drupal 7 was selected as the CMS, together with a large number of core, contributed and custom modules. Working from detailed Illustrator and Photoshop mockups, cbrody.com created customised PHP templates and HTML, CSS, PHP and JavaScript code.

The site

http://www.greeneconet.eu

The client

The International Institute for Environment and Development is a global leader in sustainable development.

The brief

The client required a responsive site built on a flexible content management system to allow the various groups within the institute to update the content themselves.

The solution

cbrody.com was invited to join a small team of in-house designers and developers. Drupal 7 was selected as the CMS, together with a large number of core, contributed and custom modules. Working from detailed wireframe documents, cbrody.com created customised templates and HTML, CSS, PHP and JavaScript code.

The site

http://www.iied.org

The client

Shaping Sustainable Markets is a research initiative that explores how the formal and informal rules used to govern markets – called Market Governance Mechanisms (MGMs) – are designed, and how they impact on people, the planet and the economy.

The brief

The research group required a site with a database of market governance mechanisms as its core, built on a flexible content management system to allow them to update the content themselves. Capabilities included the ability to add and edit database entries and to publish blog posts. The database needed to be searchable and navigable via three main criteria: location, industry sector and mechanism type.

The solution

The site was designed by cbrody.com using the group’s branding as a guide, and created in Drupal 7 using core and contributed modules, custom content types and theme, PHP templates, CSS and JavaScript. A carousel containing PDF publications and a news section are included via RSS feeds.

The site

The site has now been archived and its content is no longer available.

The client

GaP studio is an architectural practice located in Paris, specialising in urban development projects.

The brief

The client required a French site showing selected images and video from key projects. The brief was to keep the site simple, clean and modern in keeping with the company’s ethos.

The solution

Using colours from a logo provided by a graphic designer, the site was created using XHTML 1.0 Strict and CSS2. Images were cropped and resized and Javascript was used to switch between them on each page. The opening page was created in Flash, and source videos were optimised, compressed and converted to Flash (flv) format for display in pop-up windows.

The site was optimised for search and submitted to the major search engines and directories including Google, DMOZ, Yahoo!, AOL and MSN.

The site

http://www.gap-studio.net

The client

Westminster City Council is a local government authority.

The brief

The client required to promote an event taking place in Leicester Square and incorporate the information from an existing portal. The site needed to be standards compliant, accessible and visually striking. A Content Management System was required to enable the client to update the site via a web-based interface. The client also required domain name registration, web hosting and email addresses.

The solution

The site design and layout were created by cbrody.com following a series of meetings with the client. MODx was selected and implemented as the CMS for its standards compliance and ease of use by the client’s staff. Templates were developed using Dreamweaver and a text editor to create an XHTML/CSS site with Javascript for a moving filmstrip effect and Macromedia Flash for some visual effects. Macromedia Fireworks was used for graphics production and image optimisation.

The site

http://www.westendlive.co.uk (updated since cbrody.com was involved)