Kooba and Screen Ireland: A Creative Rework of A Classic Concept
Kooba has been a longstanding partner of Screen Ireland, fostering a creative and productive collaboration that dates back to 2015. Their partnership began during a pivotal moment when Screen Ireland underwent a rebranding from its original identity as The Irish Film Board. Kooba played a central role in this transformation, helping to redefine the organization’s public image and digital presence.
Over the years, this relationship has continued to evolve, with Kooba spearheading multiple iterations of Screen Ireland’s online platforms to adapt to shifting audience needs and technological advancements. In their most recent collaboration, Kooba took on the ambitious task of integrating the Screen Skills website and the existing Screen Ireland website, as well as incorporating their shorts player site into a unified and user-friendly digital hub.
A Universal Experience
The overarching goals of the project were carefully defined to address key challenges and ensure optimal functionality for all types of users. One of the primary objectives was to create a platform that could cater to both industry professionals and the general public, offering an intuitive and engaging experience for all. Given the diverse range of users, this meant designing an interface that could easily guide filmmakers, producers, and investors on the one hand, while providing casual viewers, students, and film enthusiasts with a smooth and enriching browsing experience on the other. Another essential goal was to reinforce and elevate Screen Ireland’s brand identity throughout the entire digital platform, showcasing the organization’s influence and authority within the Irish film sector. Additionally, integrating the Screen Skills website was a high priority, with a focus on achieving seamless navigation between sections. Improving key technical performance metrics, particularly for mobile users, rounded out the project’s key ambitions.
To meet these goals, Kooba crafted a solution that combined thoughtful design, technical innovation, and brand sensitivity. One of the standout features they introduced was a dynamic toggle option designed to meet the needs of Screen Ireland’s diverse user base. With a simple switch between the “industry” and “audience” options, users could immediately access content tailored to their specific interests and requirements. This toggle mechanism created a streamlined user journey, eliminating unnecessary confusion and ensuring that both industry professionals and general audiences could quickly find the information they needed.
Designing for the Big Screen
The redesign also involved a meticulous overhaul of the user interface (UI) to further highlight and enhance Screen Ireland’s branding. Kooba ensured that every design element reflected the agency’s creative vision and credentials, emphasizing its status as a leader in the film and screen sector. Through a sophisticated and cohesive aesthetic, the new UI successfully communicated Screen Ireland’s core mission and reinforced its role as a driving force in promoting Irish cinema on the global stage.
Throughout the project, Kooba conducted an in-depth needs analysis and engaged extensively with key stakeholders to gather input and refine their design approach. This collaborative effort helped shape the website’s functionality and design features, ensuring that the final product met the expectations of all users. By working closely with Screen Ireland’s team, Kooba was able to create a solution that addressed not only the immediate needs of the organization but also anticipated future growth and scalability.
The inclusion of a scalable content management system (CMS) allowed for easy updates and expansion as new content and initiatives emerged, making the platform future-proof and adaptable.
Key technical aspects of the project included fully accessible front-end development, ensuring that the website met modern accessibility standards and could be easily navigated by users with disabilities. The importance of accessibility extended to mobile users as well, with Kooba optimizing the site’s performance on smartphones and tablets. Recognizing the increasing reliance on mobile browsing, Kooba made sure that every element of the site functioned smoothly across all devices, with fast loading times and intuitive navigation.
The Finished Article
The final product demonstrated several notable wins, including an elegantly redeveloped website featuring enhanced UX and UI design. Kooba’s thoughtful design choices elevated the user experience, making it easier for users to engage with content and explore what Screen Ireland had to offer. The industry/audience toggle emerged as one of the most effective solutions, ensuring that users could access relevant content with minimal effort.
The successful integration of the Screen Skills website created a seamless bridge between training and development resources and the wider content available on the main platform.
In addition to the design and development achievements, Kooba provided ongoing post-launch support, helping Screen Ireland address any emerging challenges and maintain the site’s performance over time. This level of commitment underscored the value of the partnership and ensured that Screen Ireland’s digital presence would continue to evolve and improve.
Ultimately, the project’s outcome was a resounding success. Kooba’s redesign helped to solidify and expand Screen Ireland’s brand, offering a single, comprehensive digital hub for its diverse audience. The creative and flexible UX approach enabled users to effortlessly find the content that mattered most, whether they were filmmakers seeking funding opportunities or members of the public interested in discovering Irish cinema. The result was an attractive and functional website that not only enhanced Screen Ireland’s online visibility but also positioned the organization as the definitive authority in the Irish film industry.
By bringing together form and function, Kooba created a platform that perfectly embodied Screen Ireland’s mission and vision, helping to champion Irish storytelling for years to come.
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