Description of Project
As part of the strategic development of Doha College and in line with its growth plans - merging two sites into one at its brand new state-of-the-art 90,000sq.ft. campus in September 2020, and brand refresh launch - the website was identified as a communication area that required updating to be reflective of a Doha College quality education.
Several areas on the website were identified for improvement, and a tender process completed. Finalsite were identified as the successful website company due to their experience within the international school market and their ability to understand the needs and requirements of Doha College.
Impact on School Community
The beginning of the academic school year 2020/21 found Doha College at one of the most critical and vulnerable points in its 40-year history in Qatar. Its reputation for excellence in the Middle East is well-reputed. However closing two campuses and relocating to one brand new, purpose-built, 90,000sq.ft. campus during the COVID-19 pandemic, that no student, staff member or parent could visit before moving in due to restrictions, is a complex environment for anyone to navigate.
Amidst uncertainty about the academic year ahead with regards to whether students would attend in-person or not and constant changes to regulations, Doha College worked tirelessly during the summer break of 2020 to roll-out its new website with Finalsite, knowing its significance as a source of communication and information. Its previous platform had many challenges, including information that was often hard to find, navigation that was not user-friendly and an unintuitive CMS system. The community felt disengaged and this was reflected in the analytics monitoring. Doha College was acutely aware that it needed a space where anyone could go and access information – whether it be current or soon-to-be parents, staff or students, to name a few.
The new website and content were purposefully and strategically built around its new campus, growth strategy and the evolving needs of its community. Information was centralised, easy to read, digestible and most importantly, easy to find. Knowing the challenges of their previous platform, topped with the critical need for effective communication channels during the pandemic, the positive impact on their community was insurmountable.
The most critical impact it had on our community was the opportunity to have an insight into the new campus. With ministerial guidelines in Qatar stating no parents could access any educational establishment due to COVID-19 restrictions, it was challenging for parents to connect with their child/ren’s new learning environment. The new website provided a window into the new facility, reducing anxiety felt by parents and other community members by allowing them to feel part of the experience and journey. Doha College used the landing page, showcasing the students and staff settling in. It also featured several unique and interactive elements to enhance the user experience, such as an interactive map indicating the location of the campus in relation to several well-known landmarks around Qatar. This immersive approach provided a real flavour of life at the ‘new’ Doha College, with a warm and welcoming tone.
The navigation of the site was also improved, allowing parents to quickly access information and links for vital areas, including COVID-19 details and reporting, access to the parent portal for viewing and locating student work during home learning days enforced by the ministry. With a news blog as one of the key features of the landing page, everyone who visited the website was given up-to-date information about the latest news at Doha College.
Why this project should win the Supporting Associate of the Year Award
As the whole world battles through the continuous challenges the pandemic brings, it forces us to think in new ways and embrace different norms. However there is one thing that connects us all - community.
Doha College faced a critical point where its most significant vulnerability was losing the very essence that has been tantamount to its success for its 41-year history in Qatar. That is its community.
Staff, students and parents were unable to visit the school before its opening. Walking through the doors only a short period before the beginning of the academic year was an overwhelming experience for staff who had to set up new classrooms and find their way around the expansive site before 2,500 students descended with excitement and trepidation. Parents watched at the boundary gates (COVID-19 ministry regulations did not allow parents to enter the premises of the school), waving goodbye to their child as they entered a new place on their first day that they had never seen, nervous about the unique experiences that lay ahead. The new website provided insight into life in the new school, provided reassurance prior to the beginning of the academic year to our whole community and provided that connection.
