Sandwell Valley Country Park

Here are the crucial project objectives expressed by the Sandwell Council:

• Promote Sandwell Valley Country Park (SVCP) as a prime sub-continental destination in the UK.
• Accomplish the primary goal through online and collateral-based marketing.
• Increase the revenue, tourist footfall (visits), and traffic through our website and social media pages.
• To increase brand exposure of Visit Sandwell brand and its sub-brands within Sandwell Valley Country Park, Forge Mill farm (FMF), and Lightwoods House and Park (LHP) venues.
• To ensure brand consistency within our brands on our new website.

The Sandwell Valley Country Park sits under the Visit Sandwell brand of events and tourist attractions. They offer a variety of local to international-driven events, from local seasonal events to national/international events like the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

SVCP became live on October 6, 2023, with clear milestones and under the budget. The Sandwell Council authorities were satisfied with the timely project launch.

A Visually-Captivating Website

Our design team crafted a visually appealing and user-friendly website with Elementor’s WordPress Customiser that reflected the beauty and essence of Sandwell Valley Country Park. The design incorporated responsive elements to ensure optimal viewing across all devices, including smartphones and tablets.

The following were the features incorporated into this stunning website:

• The website fully adheres to WCAG 2.1 AA standards and provides excellent functionality for its users.
• Enable users to provide a fullscreen map of the park’s trails, facilities and attractions.
• Incorporate well-defined Call-to-action buttons and a sticky “Book Now” button for the What’s on events.
• Enable easy and seamless booking of the events for the users by integrating the Ticket source website.
• We performed rigorous testing to identify and rectify bugs or issues in the website’s functionality. This phase also involved usability testing to ensure a seamless user experience.

Collaborating with our client, we developed a complete user experience and content strategy aligning perfectly with visual design and development. Within two months, we launched the Sandwell Valley Country Park website with a user-focused, intuitive web design to offer tourists and travel enthusiasts a platform for exploring the natural beauty of Sandwell Valley.

User Experience (UX) Design

Our creative team collaborated with the client to enhance the user experience (UX) for the Sandwell Valley Country Park website. Through a systematic approach, our team aimed to understand user needs, optimise website performance, and create an engaging online environment.

#1 Understanding the Audience

Detailed user journey maps were created for each segment, outlining their touchpoints, goals and potential pain points. This approach allowed for a tailored and user-centric design, ensuring that visitors of all ages would find the website intuitive and helpful.

#2 Design Concepts and Sitemaps

We ensured the design concepts aligned perfectly with the park’s natural and recreational themes. Visual elements, including imagery and visuals, were carefully selected to reflect the park’s scenic beauty and diverse activities. Clear and intuitive sitemaps make it easy for users to find information about park facilities, events, and activities.

#3 Page Loading Speed

Recognising the importance of page loading speed, especially for mobile users, the team continuously monitored and optimised performance. We employed responsive web design techniques to ensure a seamless user experience across various devices.

#4 Call-to-Action (CTA) Buttons

CTAs were a critical element in driving user engagement and conversions. The team periodically reviewed and refined CTAs based on user feedback and data analysis. A/B testing helped fine-tune their effectiveness, resulting in a notable 10% increase in registrations on the website.

#5 Content and Keywords

Website content was kept fresh and informative, with regular updates to event listings and park information. SEO strategies, including relevant keywords in headings and content, were used to improve the site’s visibility in search results.

#6 Consistency Across Pages

To build trust and provide a cohesive user experience, the team ensured design consistency across all aspects of the website, from imagery and typography to branding. Our QA (Quality Assurance) engineers conducted regular audits to maintain consistency and identify emerging inconsistencies.

#7 Accessibility and Inclusivity

The website was designed with web accessibility standards (WCAG), ensuring usability for individuals with disabilities. Alternative formats for content, such as audio descriptions for images, were provided to enhance accessibility further.

#8 User Feedback and Iteration

Mechanisms for collecting user feedback, including surveys and feedback forms, were implemented. User input was used to drive continuous improvement, following an iterative approach to design and development.

Through a comprehensive approach to UX design and a commitment to meeting the diverse needs of their audience, the creative team successfully transformed the Sandwell Valley Country Park website into a user-friendly and engaging platform. By continuously adapting to user feedback and evolving requirements, the website offers an exceptional experience for visitors of all ages, reinforcing Sandwell Valley’s status as a welcoming and accessible destination.

Visual Design

Our visual design discovery process strategically implements design elements that captivate users and align with Sandwell’s branding preferences. We selected images, colours, fonts, and other design elements to create a consistent and visually appealing website. The objective was to ensure the new design would meet Sandwell’s goals and cater to a global audience.

A critical aspect of the project involved extensive research, user journey mapping, user experience analysis, and content strategy development. These efforts were essential in understanding the needs and expectations of the users, ensuring that the design would provide value and enhance the overall user experience. We continuously refined the web design to ensure feasibility with our client’s perspectives and improve the overall website experience for users.

Accessibility

Sweans is committed to creating accessible digital experiences that ensure equal access to information for all individuals. In collaboration with Sandwell Valley Country Park, we embarked on a journey to enhance the accessibility of their website to comply with WCAG 2.1 level AA standards.

The Challenge

Sandwell Valley Country Park’s website initially faced challenges related to accessibility, particularly in meeting the contrast requirements outlined in WCAG 2.1 level AA standards. Our primary goal was to address these issues and improve accessibility for a wide demographic.

Our Approach

Sweans adopted a holistic approach to accessibility, integrating it into the core of the web development process.

Here’s how we tackled the challenge:

1. Scan the Website

We used cutting-edge tools for rigorous accessibility testing. These tools seamlessly integrated into the design and development process, allowing us to identify and address accessibility issues without impeding development progress. It helped us detect and resolve 57% of accessibility issues during the development phase, fostering collaboration within the team.

2. Screen Reader Testing

To ensure an inclusive experience, we conducted extensive screen reader testing using the latest NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver versions. This testing allowed us to make the web content more accessible, addressing elements such as closed captions, colour contrast, headings, buttons, lists, and navigation.

3. Assess Keyboard Accessibility

We performed keyboard accessibility testing to ensure that all interactive elements can navigate easily without a mouse to ensure a smooth experience for users with disabilities.

4. Test Colour Contrast

Our team used WebAIM evaluation tools to assess and enhance colour contrast, making the web content more accessible for individuals with visual impairments. It included creating assessment reports to measure end-user impact and provide insights into website accessibility.

Accessibility Results

Sweans worked closely with Sandwell Valley Country Park to significantly improve the accessibility of their website, making it more inclusive for all users, including those with disabilities. Our commitment to accessibility remains unwavering, and we will continue to collaborate with our clients to create digital experiences that prioritise accessibility from the outset.

At Sweans, accessibility isn’t just a goal; it’s a journey towards a more inclusive digital landscape for everyone.

Launch

We officially launched the SVCP website on October 6, 2023. The Sandwell Valley Country Park website successfully improved the visitor experience by providing easy access to information, including trail maps, event schedules, and wildlife guides. The user feedback indicated a significant increase in visitor satisfaction, with many expressing how the website improved their park visits.

The website achieved high accessibility compliance, ensuring web visitors with disabilities could easily access and navigate the site, including those using screen readers or assistive technologies. The website contributed to a notable increase in park awareness. Visitor numbers and engagement with park events and activities saw a significant boost.

Results

The launch of the Sandwell Valley Country Park website project was a resounding success. It not only enhanced the visitor experience and accessibility but also significantly raised awareness of the park among local communities and beyond. The Sandwell Valley Country Park website serves as a model for other parks and nature reserves looking to improve their online presence and visitor engagement.