“The team at Zesty had an exceptional understanding of our requirements in what can be a complex integration with a ticketing system – no request was too big or daunting for them! The end product is a bright, clean and on-brand website and more importantly, user-friendly for our audiences as well as being simple to use internally for our team in the back end. We’re looking forward to further developing the site over the coming months with the team at Zesty” - Joanne Taaffe, Digital Manager
Case Study
National Concert Hall
Digitally transforming the National Concert Hall into a symbol of national pride for Irish people everywhere.
What we did:
- Research
- Umbraco development
- UX Design
- Ticketing system integration
- Ongoing updates to meet the Web Accessibility Directive
- Project management
- Account management
The Client
The National Concert Hall is Ireland’s national cultural institution for music, proudly serving the Irish public since it opened in 1981 through live music performances and significant educational and cultural programmes. Based in the heart of Dublin’s city centre, the NCH is home to the National Symphony Orchestra, as well as providing residence for a range of other music organisations including Chamber Choir Ireland, Irish Baroque Orchestra, Music Network, Crash Ensemble and Music Generation.
It is currently planning for a major redevelopment of all facilities as part of the National Development Plan and Project Ireland 2040.
The Brief
NCH wanted to transform their digital products to not only serve as a central communication hub but also reflect their esteemed brand. The challenge was to design a platform that offered an exceptional user experience across all devices to both existing and new audiences while promoting both in-venue and hybrid concert experiences.
What We Did
We embarked on the project by designing a visually engaging and user-friendly website based on Umbraco CMS. We prioritised simplicity and usability to minimise cognitive load on users and clear and inclusive instructions were integrated for effortless navigation and calls to action.
We updated NCH’s well-established offline brand for the digital space, introducing screen-friendly gradients and icons and a new, inclusive font by Connary Fagan was implemented, enhancing readability and accessibility. We introduced new digital elements such as vibrant gradients and edge-to-edge imagery, enhancing the online aesthetic. We shared comprehensive guidelines with NCH for maintaining the standard going forward.
The integration of NCH’s ticketing system, AudienceView, required input from our team to integrate and refresh for future use.
We always build to WCAG AA standard as a minimum, and our approach ensured the website was accessible to all users. Extensive testing on validity, layout, responsiveness, and performance was conducted throughout the process, both during the front-end development phase and prior to launch of the new website.
Through thoughtful planning and innovative design, the new NCH site is a dynamic and accessible digital platform, enhancing their reputation and ensuring they remain a leading brand in the music sector.
Since Launch
Organic users have doubled, with an engagement rate soaring above 70%.
Mobile ticket sales have surged by 43%, outpacing desktop growth.
NCH were finalists in the Best Website category at the Digital Media Awards Ireland in September 2024.
