Sandwell Colleges Case Study
Transforming the Digital Experience for Three West Midlands Colleges
The Backstory
The Sandwell Family of Colleges approached us to redesign and restructure their three websites. The existing sites were difficult to navigate, inconsistent in design, and challenging to update. They were not mobile-friendly and lacked accessibility features, limiting their usability for many visitors.
The Challenge
The project had four core goals:
- User journey: Make it easy for visitors to find courses, with a clear structure and usable search.
- Search performance: Improve SEO so courses would rank higher in search results.
- Accessibility: Ensure WCAG 2.2 AA compliance to support users of all needs.
- Easy editing: Enable staff to quickly add, amend, and manage courses and pages.
The Process
We began with discovery workshops to clarify objectives, user needs, and technical requirements. It quickly became clear that a simple redesign would not be enough, and that the websites needed a full structural rebuild.
Key steps included:
- Wireframing & structure – We created wireframes to prioritise navigation, course search, and filtering options.
- Improved navigation – New category pages (by course level and department) gave users multiple routes to relevant content.
- Iterative design – Branding, content, and imagery were layered in stages, with client feedback at each milestone.
- Launch planning – Careful redirect mapping ensured a smooth transition for search engines and users.
After launching the Sandwell College website first, we applied the same structured approach to Cadbury College and Central Saint Michael’s Sixth Form.
Results
- Instant impact – Visitors can now find courses quickly and navigate the sites with ease.
- Operational efficiency – Staff can edit content and manage courses without technical barriers.
- Accessibility – All three sites are fully responsive and WCAG 2.2 AA compliant.
- SEO & performance – Improved site structure and redirects support stronger search visibility.
- Ahead of schedule – The sites were delivered early, ready for student applications and open days.
View the websites here:
Client Testimonial
“We partnered with Bowler Hat to develop and launch our three new websites, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Andrew was incredibly responsive, taking on every request – no matter how big – with ease. We were thoroughly impressed and would happily recommend them to anyone.”
Contact Us
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