Designing for engagement with +21% time on page

The challenge

With multiple audiences to cater for, Kier needed a flexible and scalable CMS capable of showcasing their wide range of projects. With refreshed ‘Beyond Building’ brand to reflect, the project had an extremely tight timescale, starting in July and ready for a September launch which meant the teams had to work to an agile method.

A central objective was implementing a more robust, intuitive CMS that would empower content editors to build and publish pages quickly without technical support.

Our approach

Streamlined content management

Given the importance of brand expression and content flexibility, we built the new site with content management at its core. Leveraging the adaptability of Umbraco, a component‑based structure and customisable features that could evolve with Kier’s changing content needs was implemented. A new workflow framework was introduced, ensuring content creation, updates, and approvals could be managed efficiently by internal teams.

Ensuring design flexibility

To deliver high levels of design flexibility, we developed a complex 1–2–3 column grid system, enabling dynamic, modular page layouts. Custom controls were added to allow content editors to apply the refreshed brand iconography, a key part of Kier’s new identity. This structure gave our development team the freedom to build bespoke pages tailored to Kier’s extensive case studies, project content, services, and thought leadership.

Time efficient

Time was of the essence, so we worked closely with Kier to accelerate delivery. We created an interactive HTML prototype early in the process, allowing Kier to test layouts, assess usability, and provide feedback before CMS integration began. This early insight shaped the final build, ensuring the website was visually engaging and fully aligned with Kier’s brand vision.

The results

Marking the beginning of our partnership, working collaboratively with Kier was key to this project’s success. Since the site went live, further new features have been rolled out and we continue to partner with Kier, exploring other areas for improvement.