Improved usability and editorial possibilities for TRACE
In 2006 webfactory designed and implemented the website www.trace-beuc.org for the European Consumers’ Organisation BEUC and its TRACE (Training for Consumer Empowerment) coaching programme. In summer 2008 both the site’s design and technical foundation were revised and brought up-to-date.
In this post
Revisiting the site two years after its initial launch, webfactory focused on setting new standards for clarity and usability not only for programme participants and interested parties, but also for TRACE’s editorial team.
Clear and concise design for the participants
The complete site design was examined, basic components and then restructured in adherence to a newly introduced underlying grid. Special attention was paid to the myTrace dashboard, an overview page with aggregated information for logged-in participants.
Upcoming courses are listed on the dashboard including a short summary and application details. The website also alerts users via a notice feature to interesting courses that are connected to their area of expertise or expand on topics of courses they already attended. Furthermore, the selection of displayed courses is determined by a sophisticated filter that, among other things, consults black and white lists to verify that interested parties are eligible to participate in EU-sponsored courses and whether they and their organisation fulfill the requirements for any specific course.
The myTrace area now also offers downloads ranging from trainer CV’s and introductional documents for upcoming courses to presentation slides of past ones.
Extensive help texts available throughout all application forms round off the usability improvements for participants and interested parties.
Enhanced editorial tools and more options for individualisation
In addition to the design and usability upgrades, webfactory simplified and optimized editorial and technical processes.
All website texts, even form lables and help texts, can be edited right on the website via „edit“ icons, facilitated by the wfDynamic Toolbar.
Every course’s application form can be individualised with specific questions to make the selection of participants easier and more well-founded. If a particular form uses questions which the applicant has already answered for another course, the website suggests the known answers for ease-of-use.
Last but not least, a comprehensive export functionality enables the TRACE-Team to automatically generate participant lists, badges, table cards, training certificates and more for all registered users.