British Council

CX Strategy & Design for the UK's international organisation dedicated to educational opportunities and cultural relations.

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AT A GLANCE

Our client, the British Council, needed a modern, responsive website to promote their English language tests effectively. Our team helped by developing a comprehensive CX strategy and design, including UX/UI enhancements. Computools assisted in revitalising and optimising the platform, which resulted in a user-friendly, efficient website that improved user engagement and increased test registrations.

THE CLIENT

The client is a prominent organisation that aims to promote British culture and values globally. With a reach that extends to over 100 countries, they reach 650 million people each year. Employing a workforce of more than 7,000 dedicated full-time employees, this organisation is committed to fostering cultural exchange, educational opportunities, and intercultural relations.

BUSINESS CHALLENGE

The British Council wanted a modern, responsive design and improved user experience. Also, they needed to consolidate resources for the IELTS English proficiency test. The presence of unofficial test materials negatively impacted their brand reputation, prompting the need for a strategic approach to resource consolidation.

Additionally, the lack of clear guidance for test preparation, progress tracking, and readiness was a concern. The client recognised the need for a user-friendly, structured solution to streamline the test preparation process.

SOLUTION SUMMARY

Computools undertook a digital transformation project to revitalise and optimise the website. The solution included user research to understand user needs, service design to enhance user experience, portal development for content delivery, website hosting set-up, and analytics integration. The result was a responsive, user-friendly platform that met the British Council’s branding requirements and significantly increased revenue, user throughput, and process automation.

Our primary mission was to provide candidates with a streamlined and structured pathway for test preparation, offering essential resources such as PDF files and webinar videos. We established a user-friendly WordPress platform as the host to facilitate easy access to educational materials, simplifying navigation and accessibility for candidates. Additionally, we implemented critical search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques to enhance the portal’s visibility and accessibility, ensuring it reached wider audience.

We integrated comprehensive user analytics into the platform, generating in-depth reports that provided valuable insights into user behaviour and preferences, helping to refine the user experience. We also implemented an email notification system to enhance communication with users, ensuring they received important updates and information promptly.

Our overarching goal was to simplify and improve the test preparation process, offering a valuable resource for candidates. This project underscored the client’s commitment to educational excellence and our dedication in helping them succeed in their mission.

IMPACT

As a result of this project, the client successfully launched a web portal that simplified IELTS test preparation. We optimised landing pages, implemented SEO strategies, and enhanced resource editing, and now this portal offers essential educational resources. The impact is notable, with a significant 42% increase in the number of tests administered globally in 2022, as compared with 2018.

WHY COMPUTOOLS

Computools was selected as the ideal partner for this project for several reasons:

  • Our team possesses impressive expertise in web development, design and project management, ensuring the successful execution of the project.
  • We meticulously address security concerns and ensure a smooth project launch as agreed, showcasing our commitment to comprehensive solutions.
  • Our ability to meet tight deadlines and adapt to the client’s needs demonstrates our agility and dedication to client success.
  • Computools’ global experience and reputation in delivering high-quality digital solutions make us the preferred choice to tackle this complex project.

STORY IN DEPTH

Background

The client’s journey to find the right partner for their project was a careful and detailed process. They considered several options but chose Computools for a few key reasons.

Approach to solution

They liked that we know their industry inside and out. We have a strong track record of delivering high-quality digital solutions and meeting deadlines. Plus, our experience working globally matched their international reach. In the end, they chose us because they believed in our expertise and our ability to get the job done well and on time. Our partnership is built on a shared commitment to getting great results for their business.

Computools role

We remain available to address post-launch enquiries, issues or enhancements. We conduct regular maintenance and updates to keep the product running smoothly, correct potential issues, and introduce new features as needed. We continuously apply data analytics to gain insights into user behaviour, pinpoint areas for improvement, and tailor the product to user preferences. We focus on security measures with ongoing monitoring and updates to safeguard user data and maintain the product’s integrity.

Key decisions and outcomes

We integrated comprehensive user analytics into the platform, allowing for the generation of detailed reports. These reports offered valuable insights into user behaviour, which helped us refine and enhance user experience continuously.

Design

These design challenges were important components of the project and contributed to the successful development and implementation of the English test preparation web portal.

USER PERSONA → SITE MAP → WIREFRAMES → USER INTERFACE

USER PERSONA

Creating profiles of typical users for design reference.

SITE MAP

Structuring pages and content for logical navigation.

WIREFRAMES

Drafting blueprints for interface layout and interaction.

USER INTERFACE

Designing the visual elements for user interaction.

DIGITAL PLATFORM & TECHNOLOGY

PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY

Scrum is a management framework where one or more cross-functional, self-organised teams create a product in stages.

First, we worked on preparing the website design, initial DevOps, and business analysis, and then we gradually moved into the WordPress development and quality assurance stages.

Scrum

PROJECT TIMELINE

british council project timeline

WHAT OUR CLIENT SAID

"Computools was selected through an RFP process. They were shortlisted and selected from between 5 other suppliers. Computools has worked thoroughly and timely to solve all security issues and launch as agreed. Their expertise is impressive."

"Computools was selected through an RFP process. They were shortlisted and selected from between 5 other suppliers. Computools has worked thoroughly and timely to solve all security issues and launch as agreed. Their expertise is impressive."

CONTACT US

Our team is ready to provide tailored solutions to meet your unique needs. Contact us at info@computools.com, and let's discuss your next project.

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