Our Website's New Look

The students presented their work at the Applied Research Day showcase.

You may have noticed the new look and content on our website! This revamp was done in collaboration with students from the Interactive Media Design program at Algonquin College. Through the hard work of the four students —  Nathan Templeton (Team Lead), Nhu Ly (Team Second), Jessica Radul, and Olaitan Edun, we updated our website, improving the flow of communication to trail users, local volunteers, funders, and other trail associations. SWT board members, Laura Wesley and Ken Bouchard worked alongside the students, providing photos, feedback, and ensuring the updates captured the spirit of our well-loved community trails. For information about news, volunteer opportunities, and upcoming events, follow us on Facebook.

The Old Website

Our original website got a visual revamp and also a technical one to improve its content, functionality, and search engine optimization (SEO). The team developed a new logo and branding guide so we could create social media and print materials that were consistent with our updated branding. This new branding and visual identity not only looked more modern, but also ensured all our graphical elements comply with accessibility standards and language regulations in Quebec.

Alongside the visual changes, we also developed new content for the website. We concentrated on providing information that would be useful for trail visitors - whether they be visitors to, or residents of, Wakefield. Staying safe on the trails is of key importance to us. New content includes French and English cheat sheet for trails, providing an interactive way for SWT hikers to prepare to hike, seasonal safety tips and points of interest in Wakefield. The team also implemented a volunteer wall of fame, to showcase our exceptional volunteers. Updated photos and stories throughout the site introduce web visitors to the people behind the trails, including the projects that go into trail development and maintenance.

Our new logo improved readability and captured a natural and bold identity.

Our old logo had issues with readability when viewed from a distance.

The student team conducted usability testing with to test the design mock-ups, to ensure the updated website met the needs of our website users. From these testing results the team analysed the feedback, wrote a report, and implemented the feedback. Critical issues raised in the feedback were to simplify the processes for making a donation or volunteering. The original processes were unnecessarily complex, the donation process had too many buttons and the volunteering application required manually emailing or calling Ken! To simplify the process the team created a volunteer sign-up form, and simplified the donation process to one link. These changes not only made it easier for users, it also saved the Board time, as we are also volunteers.

One of the best improvements made by the student team was implementing a more organized bilingual functionality within the website. Originally our website had French text beside English text, which led to repeated content. To avoid cluttering the page, the team separated the website into French and English versions, preventing user confusion and allowing users to see the website within their own language. The team also added Google Translate functionality in the footer, which allows anyone to translate the website into any language.

To help us maintain the website, the student team provided us with extensive documentation and how-to video tutorials. These deliverables were very useful, as it ensures that this project was sustainable for us to keep growing and improving. Two of these impressive students, Nathan Templeton and Nhu Ly, loved the trail association so much that they are volunteering to assist us with the website whenever we need help.

Project Showcase

The Dream Team (IMD student team) presented at their own booth during Applied Research Day.

The students publicly presented their hard work to Algonquin College and members of the Media and Design industry at Applied Research Day, summarizing our project. During this event the team presented to judges and visitors to their booth. The project was well received by the judges and the Ottawa community, making it a valuable opportunity for the students to gain experience presenting in a professional environment.