UVic's digital news makeover
OUR SERVICES INCLUDED
STRATEGY & CONSULTATION
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
WEB DESIGN
WORDPRESS DEVELOPMENT
Designers:
Aida Viziru & Laura Stobbe
The University of Victoria (UVic) partnered with us to completely reimagine their news website, moving from an outdated content management system to a modern, flexible WordPress platform. Our task was to create a streamlined digital hub that would improve content distribution, enhance user experience, and support the university's growing communications needs.
The new UVic News site makes it easier for staff to publish stories and helps people find the university news they're looking for. The design also aligns with UVic's broader design system, creating a consistent experience across all university websites.
PROJECT GOALS
- Modernize the news website with improved functionality and user experience
- Streamline content creation and publishing workflows for the in-house teams
- Create flexible templates that support diverse storytelling formats
- Ensure seamless content migration from legacy systems
- Build a scalable platform that supports future growth
UVic News homepage design
Approach & solution
We combined strategic consultation, collaborative design, and custom WordPress development to transform UVic's news distribution capabilities while prioritizing both editorial efficiency and reader engagement. Our work involved close collaboration with UVic's Communications + Marketing team, including content writers and editors, designers, IT specialists, and leadership.
Article page design
Strategic consultation
We began with comprehensive stakeholder workshops to understand UVic’s content ecosystem, editorial workflows, and technical requirements. This collaborative approach helped us identify opportunities to streamline processes while maintaining editorial standards.
Working with the in-house team’s existing research, including consultation findings and competitive analyses, we developed a framework that aligned our technical solution with UVic’s communications strategy.
Information architecture & content strategy
We developed a flexible content structure that prioritizes discoverability and supports multiple story formats. The new architecture accommodates everything from breaking news and media releases to feature stories, campus updates and research spotlights.
The platform’s taxonomy system enables content to be easily categorized and filtered, ensuring stories reach their intended audiences through multiple discovery pathways while supporting the editorial team’s workflow needs.
Design & WordPress development
The design maintains UVic’s visual identity and design system integrity, while providing the flexibility needed for diverse content types.
The custom-built WordPress theme specifically tailored to UVic’s brand standards and accessibility requirements, features intuitive Gutenberg block styling that empowers content creators to build engaging pages without technical expertise.
Key technical features include advanced search functionality, automated trending content systems, single sign-on integration, and seamless content distribution capabilities between university websites.
Advanced search & filtering functionality
This modern news platform has strengthened UVic's digital communications capabilities while positioning the university for continued growth in digital storytelling and audience engagement.