New MoAD at Old Parliament House Website

MoAD is a cultural institution located in Canberra. It is situated within the historic Old Parliament House building and is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history, values, and democratic processes of Australia.

The Museum of Australian Democracy aims to engage visitors in learning about the nation’s political and democratic heritage through interactive exhibits, educational programs, events, and displays. It provides insights into the development of Australia’s political system, the evolution of its laws and policies, and the stories of its leaders and citizens.

Engagement and Approach

In 2022, MOAD selected OSKY as their partner for their digital transformation. The project’s main goals were to redesign the website’s user interface, ensure compliance with accessibility standards and rebuild the website in Drupal with a focus on ease of content management.

Challenge and Solution

• With a sprawling website containing a vast amount of content, MOAD faced the challenge of presenting information in a user-friendly manner while catering to various stakeholder needs and diverse user groups. The existing design had become outdated, and the organisation recognised the importance of enhancing accessibility and SEO to make their digital content available to all users.
• Visual Modernisation: OSKY combined MOAD's brand styles with modern design principles, enhancing visual appeal and user engagement.
• Enhanced Accessibility: To cater to a wide range of users, OSKY ensured that the website adhered to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards. This commitment to accessibility aimed to provide an inclusive experience for all visitors.
• Responsive Design: Recognising the importance of mobile browsing, OSKY developed a fully responsive solution that offers consistent functionality and design across various devices.
• Drupal CMS Integration: OSKY powered the website with the Drupal content management system (CMS), enabling MOAD's team to easily manage and update content.
• Intuitive Content Editing: To simplify content management, OSKY incorporated ‘Layout Builder’, a drag-and-drop content page building system. This made it straightforward for MOAD's staff to build new, customised pages without technical expertise.
• Elasticsearch Integration: Leveraging Elasticsearch, OSKY incorporated powerful search capabilities into the website, allowing users to quickly find relevant information from MOAD's extensive content.
• SEO-Friendly Implementation: The redesigned website was optimised for search engines, enhancing MOAD’s online visibility and making it easier for users to discover their services and resources.

The outcome

The collaboration between MOAD and OSKY has produced impressive results for MOAD’s online presence. The revamped website offers an improved user experience through modern design elements and advanced search capabilities. The commitment to WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility ensures that the website is accessible to all, aligning with MOAD’s mission of inclusivity.

The revitalised MOAD website not only underscores the institution’s dedication to preserving democracy but also showcases the potential of strategic digital transformation to enhance engagement, accessibility, and usability for a wide range of users.

A key highlight of this project is the integration of advanced editorial controls within Drupal, a testament to OSKY’s commitment to innovation. These controls empower the MoAD content team with extended editing capabilities, fostering flexible content management and creative expression. This enhancement not only streamlines content creation but also enables the team to craft engaging narratives that resonate with their audience. This collaboration serves as a model for successful integration of technology and creative expertise, setting a precedent for future digital transformations that drive tangible value and inspire organisations across sectors.

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