The new IGEAN website keeps growing on the Paddle CMS Platform
In conversation with Bieke Van Baelen, policy coordinator for communication and awareness at IGEAN.
IGEAN is a collaboration of 30 municipalities in the Antwerp region. Over the years, IGEAN has evolved into a strong brand and the obvious partner for local governments in the Antwerp area.
Why was there a need for a new IGEAN website?
The previous website was very outdated and urgently needed renewal. On one hand, a secure website was needed, and on the other, a complete overhaul of the navigation structure tailored to our residents.
We now work with five main categories in the navigation structure. These were developed after a survey of the employees and website visitors. As a result, the navigation structure now has a logical layout.
Additionally, it is important for us that the website is responsive (mobile-friendly). We wanted to build a website that continues to evolve and can expand in the future. That was the decisive factor in choosing the Paddle CMS Platform.
"We wanted to build a website that continues to evolve and can expand in the future. That was the decisive factor in choosing the Paddle CMS Platform."
Bieke Van Baelen
Policy coordinator for communication and awareness at IGEAN
The graphic web design immediately catches the eye. How was this created?
We visited numerous websites for inspiration: what we liked, what we didn't. Project manager Shana worked from there. The visual elements from the brand identity were integrated to create a powerful graphic design. The designers at Paddle did a great job of capturing our feedback and incorporating it into the graphic design.
You work with the Paddle CMS Platform daily. Is the platform easy to use?
A new way of working is always a challenge and a search at the beginning. I use the CMS Platform daily and have become quite proficient with it. The CMS Platform is very user-friendly and offers vast possibilities.
With each new project, there is personalized guidance and training. How did you experience this?
The project went smoothly, and project manager Shana was always available for questions. The working method was clearly explained, and during the online training sessions (CMS, writing for the web, and web forms), each IGEAN employee was quickly helped. It is also always possible to contact the helpdesk, where you quickly get help or can consult the manual.
We want users to do more with the same energy. Which feature saves you time in your daily tasks at IGEAN?
It is convenient that you can immediately scale images when you upload them to the media library. This saves time, especially when working with multiple colleagues. We also save time with the ability to automatically publish or unpublish pages, even scheduled to the minute! Previously, this had to be done manually and at the desired time. These may be small things, but they make a world of difference.
Do you have a personal tip for colleagues who would start a project like this?
Put yourself in the visitor's shoes and start with the question of what message you want to convey through which channel. Is this the right channel? Also consider the relevance for the visitor and avoid duplicate content on your web pages.
We surveyed IGEAN employees from different teams during the project. This allows the website to come alive within the organization and also creates a sense of connection.