Strengthening science engagement.
Canadian Association of Science Centres
The heart of a dynamic support system for science.
The Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC) is a national platform that supports and empowers science engagement organizations through advocacy, networking, and shared resources. It is also leading the charge for change in equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and reconciliation.
To help CASC better serve their current members and attract new ones, we developed a vibrant and user-friendly member-first website.
Reach
- Reaching more than 10 million people per year, working on behalf of 70 science engagement organizations across Canada.
Services
- Information Architecture
- Brand Development
- UX & UI Design
- Copywriting / Copyediting
- WordPress Development
- Search Optimization
Year
- 2024
Technology
- WordPress
- Jetpack
- WPML Multilingual
- GlueUp Integration
Digital Strategy
Finding the right formula.
To deliver valuable member-specific content in an organized and intuitive way, we overhauled the website’s architecture and organization to focus on the most critical pages and key info for users.
We also found that CASC’s impact and initiatives weren’t being showcased to the fullest extent. The new site architecture and UI design were key to making those more prominent throughout the website’s pages.
UX/UI Design
Mixing in the right ingredients.
On the UX/UI side, we designed a clean, modern experience for users to explore through membership types, benefits and resources quickly. We ensured the site held a trusted and knowledgeable look and feel while remaining inclusive and usable for all users.
The new site is engaging and interactive, featuring a balance of information, visual breaks and ample white space. To meet accessibility requirements, we ensured proper contrast and took a more reserved approach to movement and animations. Colour blocking, abundant white space and user-driven interactions all add depth to the experience.
Content Optimization
Captivating content for all.
Our approach to the content was to capture the curious nature of science centres and the joy of learning. Building on the current site’s content, we made sure to keep the trusted and knowledgeable personality and informative tone while adding dashes of curiosity-inspiring copy to headlines and additional content.
Accessibility was also a priority for CASC. We ensured that the content followed WCAG guidelines so that all users, regardless of ability, can explore the site. This included descriptive buttons, strong hierarchy, alt-text, and more. All additional copy was written to have simple, straightforward language without scientific jargon for readability and understanding.
Development
Ease of use, back to front.
Because site updates will always need to be made to accommodate new information, resources and events, we wanted to ensure the back end was as easy to update as possible. Using WordPress as a platform and leveraging its native block editor, Gutenberg ensures this. We also implemented the ability to translate the entire site into French so that it can be explored by people all across Canada.
A significant change was also made to the Member Network page. Instead of list after list of science engagement organizations, our development team created a new functionality to filter by organization type and/or region so users could find the organization of their choice instead of scrolling through them all. The page also features an interactive map that showcases CASC’s reach at a glance.
We now have two websites with significant increases in engagement, a successful brand renewal that has been very well received, and a team of science communicators and new comms staff who have been busy creating content and eager to see these websites grow! All in all, we could not be happier with the final product, and we truly enjoyed the experience collaborating and engaging with you and your team to turn requirements into reality.
Bensun Fong, Canadian Association of Science Centres
Final Thoughts
A strong platform to empower and inspire.
The new site brings CASC’s excitement and curiosity of science into a more modern digital space with a new sleek look and feel without losing its trustworthiness or inclusive nature. Membership benefits, resources, advocacy and events are now featured prominently in the experience so users can easily find them. The site now lends a strong voice and resources to those that are interacting with Canada’s thriving science and innovation culture on a daily basis.
