ABDO Board and staff meeting New website developments Wednesday 8 May 2013 The Compleat Angler, Marlow ABDO Board and staff meeting New website developments Michael R Potter FBDO Head of Marketing and Communications

New website developments Background ABDO has had a website (www.abdo.org.uk) since the late 1990s It last received a design update in 2008, but this utilised work already in progress prior to the Association adopting clearly defined brand and corporate guidelines Although the 2008 update was an improvement on what existed before, in design terms, it was no more than a superficial ‘face lift’ The existing site now looks ‘tired’ and a completely new ‘look and feel’ is needed Technology has also changed, hence a completely new site needed to be developed using the latest platforms

New website developments Design aims The new website design must be truly representative of a professional association It must be: Aesthetically appealing Easy to use and navigate and without gimmicks Sophisticated The design should be corporate complaint, fit with and enhance the Association’s corporate guidelines, ie be: Dynamic Easy to navigate and access information – ie ‘in just one or two clicks’ Innovative Interesting Inviting and appealing at a glance Make good use of innovation, new technology and graphics Representative

New website developments Design aims The new ABDO website design must reflect the Association’s brand values: Competence Consistency Efficiency Forward-looking Honesty Integrity Professionalism Reliability Trust

New website developments Functionality Functionally, the existing site works well , so the new website retains all of the proven functionality of the existing website eg: Bulletin boards CET Dispensing Optics Interface with the membership database Online bookings Online payments etc… As with the existing site, there is a separate ‘members only’ area The existing website uses a ‘WAM’ (Web Access Module) interface to access the ABDO database, the new site also incorporates this, but this does significantly restrict the design possibilities The new site provides greater security from viral attack Better analysis of site visits will also be available ie Google Analytics ABDO will now have greater control over content management

New website developments So what’s new? The new website has been ‘built from scratch’, so it is completely new The site features: A ‘Search’ facility A ‘Sitemap’ A ‘Library’ A ‘Locations’ section, featuring Google maps A new ‘Forums’ section A ‘Gallery’ section, that presents event pictures in an attractive way The ‘Home’ page acts a ‘dashboard’ so that navigation is easy and information can be quickly access The ‘Home’page: is ‘News’ and ‘Events’ driven features animation and graphical ‘adverts’ that can be used to highlight important topics and information And has the new website has much more… …so let’s have a look at it!

New website developments Final build-up to the launch After this meeting you will be sent a link so that you can look at the site in your own time Please let us have any feedback within the next week Heads of department need to provide any additional content or content amendments to MRP/NH, by email, by midday on Friday 17 May Subject to any outstanding issues we could look to go live around 25/27-ish of May But please remember there are still some outstanding development issues to be completed eg online booking