The internet has become a key part of Bible Voice Broadcasting, with thousands of users logging on to our website every month. We have now launched a new site. The project has been a huge undertaking, and here we ask Joff Williams, who led the project, about the new site ...
Q It’s been five years since our original site was launched. What’s the thinking behind the redesign?
A The original site was aimed at getting our web presence launched and providing content to our listeners. But five years is a long time in the world of the web! The time had come for a fresh look and a new approach. Web technology has moved on a long way and the original site was becoming difficult to maintain and develop.
Q Is the site merely a redesign, or have other elements been added?
A The new site is much more than just a new coat of paint! We have completely redesigned the site from the ground up using a combination of the latest web technologies and a stack of new features.
Q What were the main considerations during the planning stage?
A We started by mapping out what features of the current site work well and which areas needed to be addressed. Usability is an important factor because we want the site to be as accessible to as wide an audience as possible. We recognise that the ‘Listen’ section is the strongest feature of the site; every day new programs are added. So, the ‘Listen’ section has been totally redeveloped to make browsing and listening to our programs easier and more user friendly.
Q What is the main function of the new site?
A I guess that it is the 'Listen' section. But, we're looking to provide services on the website that are totally independent of our broadcasting. We want the website to stand up as a service in its own right.
Q The new layout is quite different from the old site, why is this?
A We focused on keeping the site simple, bold and uncluttered. We wanted to maximise screen space and have the flexibility of using different layouts. We were able to achieve this using new styling techniques to switch between two and three column layouts.
Q Are there any pitfalls you have avoided?
A We’ve steered away from flashy graphics and bandwidth heavy content and we’ve aimed to keep the site snappy and functional. One of our driving principles is that ‘content is king’, which means visuals shouldn't distract from the content. We hope this will encourage visitors to return to the site.
Q For those who are interested in the science, can you say a bit about the technologies you have used?
A The site runs on the Amazon hosting platform, which means it is expandable and not restricted by bandwidth, storage or server loads. As the ministry grows, the website is ready to grow with it. We have also utilized a number of open-source technologies to manage both content and our growing library of audio programs. The bulk of the site is built on the Drupal framework incorporating AJAX, whilst the program management system uses CakePHP. The combined use of Drupal, AJAX and CakePHP on the Amazon platform is leading edge stuff, and I’m sure site users will reap the benefit of this in the long-term as we roll out the new services that this technology makes possible. But we owe a big thanks to a friend of ours, Sam Oliver, who is a Consultant Web Developer. Sam is the one who's really helped us implement these technologies together.
Q What about the future?
A Apart from the new ‘Listen’ section, the site includes many new features from launch - a Podcast service, news feeds and integrated galleries. But the flexibility of the technology we’ve used enables us to continue development of the site. We hope to be adding new features such as customisable content and feeds, play-lists, video streams and online Bible studies.
