Sideways News is a start-up media business providing a digest of inspirational news, views and cutting edge thinking via a free website updated daily with local, national and international news and features. We were commissioned to design and build the Sideways News website in November 2008.
The first phase of the project was to take the Sideways News brand and create a visual design for the website. Our focus here was to create a highly usable interface that delivers a depth of content in a coherent manner; is tailored for repeat visits and stimulates the generation of an online community.
In parallel with the design phase we worked closely with the Sideways News team to fine tune the functional requirements and to provide consultancy services to determine the most effective open-source CMS .
Our chosen technical solution was Drupal and we have extended the core installation in many ways to deliver the specialised functionality required for the site, the Sideways News editors and the community of users. This bespoke installation has been made possible by the implementation of user contributed modules and the development of our own bespoke Drupal modules/plugins where the functional requirement went beyond that available within the Drupal community. Key has been the development of multiple content types using the Content Construction Kit (CCK), the data being realised on the front end via bespoke landing pages and content pages built with the extensive use of Views.
On the administrative side of the site, we have developed an admin interface that seamlessly integrates with the front end view of the website and we have developed a completely new concept preview module to allow the editorial team to view the site at any given time in the future to help them accurately schedule content and features. Third party news feeds have been integrated into the back end Drupal database to deliver syndicated content as if it were fresh editorial content, allowing it to be edited, scheduled and become part of the publication workflow.
Emiel van Melis - Director, Sideways NewsAs a credible publisher of inspiring content, we were looking for a professional web company to create a robust and highly-functional site in the first instance, and for ongoing projects and support in the future.
In 9web we found just that: a reliable, well-rounded web company that is committed to delivering the highest quality products to their clients. The professional expertise of the team came to the fore as they helped us hone and then realize our proposition. Their robust planning and working methodology ensures that projects get delivered on time - and on spec. Their commitment to quality, combined with a friendly and outgoing company culture, makes them a great partner for us.
We remain very much part of the team both as hands on technical support and in a consultative capacity to drive the growth of the online business. We look forward to continued collaboration and innovation.
