The challenge
Laceby Village needed a modern digital presence to serve its 3,500+ residents. The existing website was outdated, difficult to update, and not mobile-friendly. Community members struggled to find essential information like council meeting minutes, local event schedules, and emergency notices.
The village council identified several key requirements:
- Easy content updates for non-technical staff
- Mobile-first design for residents on the go
- Accessible to all ages and abilities
- Integration with local services and resources
- Low maintenance costs and hosting requirements
Design & development
I created a clean, intuitive design that prioritized readability and ease of navigation. The site was built using modern web standards with a focus on performance and accessibility.
User experience
The information architecture was structured around three primary user journeys:
- Residents looking for news, events, and community updates
- Newcomers seeking information about moving to the area
- Council members needing access to official documents and meeting records
I designed a simplified navigation system with clear categorization and implemented a robust search function to help users find specific information quickly.
Technical implementation
- Built with Astro for optimal performance and SEO
- Implemented a content management workflow using Markdown files
- Designed a responsive layout that works seamlessly from mobile to desktop
- Optimized images and assets for fast loading on all connections
- Added structured data for better search engine visibility
Accessibility
- Achieved WCAG 2.1 AA compliance throughout the site
- Implemented semantic HTML5 elements for better screen reader support
- Ensured sufficient color contrast and readable font sizes
- Provided alternative text for all images and descriptive link text
- Created a simple, consistent navigation pattern
Content strategy
Beyond design and development, I worked with the village council to establish a sustainable content strategy:
- Created content templates for common page types (news, events, notices)
- Developed a style guide for consistent tone and formatting
- Trained council staff on updating content via Git-based workflow
- Established a calendar for regular updates and content reviews
Results & impact
The new website launched in November 2024 and has become an essential resource for the community:
- 95% mobile usage within the first month, validating the mobile-first approach
- Page load times under 1 second on average, ensuring accessibility for all connection speeds
- 40% increase in community event attendance attributed to improved event visibility
- Zero hosting costs by utilizing static site deployment
Feedback from residents has been overwhelmingly positive, with particular praise for the site’s simplicity and ease of use. The village council reports that content updates that previously took hours now take minutes, empowering them to keep the community informed in real-time.
The project demonstrates how thoughtful design and modern web technologies can create meaningful impact for small communities, even with limited budgets and technical resources.