+Pluswerk Relaunches HZI’s Website with the TYPO3 Higher Education Package
The website relaunch delivered a user-friendly presentation of the centre's research activities for visitors.
A leader in medical research
The Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) is one of Germany’s leading research institutions. With six locations across Germany and over one thousand employees, the centre has been at the forefront of medical research in the field of infectious diseases, studying infection mechanisms along with developing effective defenses.
In an effort to make the information on their website more easily accessible and engaging to the public, and to effectively communicate work being done at the centre, HZI sought a partnership with +Pluswerk, a full-service digital agency specializing in communications and digital transformation.
Their goal was to deliver a new website that offered a clear, concise, and user-friendly presentation of research activities. To achieve this goal, HZI utilized the TYPO3 Higher Education Package, provided exclusively by +Pluswerk.
A user-friendly website relaunch
HZI’s original website lacked the user-friendly interface and engaging design elements to actively engage visitors. A change was needed to deliver a website that would spark the interest of visitors. This included improving the limited high-quality images and graphics as well as the overall website structure. The goal was to achieve HZI’s overarching mission that involves effectively telling the story of the work being done and highlighting the importance of infection research for the overall health of society.
The TYPO3 Higher Education Package
The TYPO3 Higher Education Package is a product developed by +Pluswerk in collaboration with TYPO3. It is designed specifically for higher education and research institutions and its most noteworthy features include the seamless creation of microsites within a content management system, independence with regards to website customization and custom templates, multilingual CMS support, and comprehensive documentation for editors.
Implementation of the TYPO3 Higher Education Package
The visual elements of the website comprised the main focus of the website relaunch. To begin, for the website’s publication database, an automated import of 1,071 data sets of news from 2017 onwards and visually adapted display were implemented. Furthermore, from a design perspective, a new, coherent color palette was applied along with more easily legible typography for body text and headings, in order to enhance readability and clearly mark hierarchies in web copy.
The focus on visual science communication meant that the user experience was paramount for any decision taken during the implementation phase. The use of high-quality images, graphics, and videos were key elements in the transformation of the website into an engaging digital space that convincingly tells HZI’s story and communicates the importance of its work.
Delivering high-quality web solutions
With this being a project where design and user experience took center stage, the impact was immediately clear. From the new interface, to the improved image quality and the use of graphics, HZI could more effectively engage with its audience.
In addition to the desktop version of the website, the new site also follows a “mobile first” approach featuring user-friendly navigation and an accessible design that allows for keyboard navigation. Furthermore, load times on mobile devices have been improved, leading to a faster delivery of content and easier interaction with the website.
These changes allow HZI to appeal to new visitors and engage existing audiences with a seamless website experience, and engaging visuals. The TYPO3 Higher Education Package, which offers extensive customization features to suit any brand’s needs, alongside +Pluswerk’s extensive expertise played an important role in shaping the new digital experience offered by HZI.
Find the right TYPO3 Partner
TYPO3 has been used to improve the web presence of numerous institutions of higher education. The Higher Education Package is a valuable tool for any learning and research body looking to optimize its website experience. Would you like to learn more?
TYPO3 Higher Education Package
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