Australian College of Ministries

ACOM is a higher education college offering theology and ministry courses at diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate level. The college is based in Sydney, comprises four schools each with a particular focus, and specialises in flexible online learning rather than a campus-based approach.

The existing website was technically at the end of its life with an underlying WordPress theme that could no longer be updated. The user experience was poor, with both current and incoming students reporting that it was hard to find what they needed. Furthermore, the site was built in a static way so that courses didn't integrate with the application process.

Given the size of the current site and the array of requirements, a Discovery Phase was the first step so we could work together with ACOM to clarify the project goals, target markets, review competitors and SEO performance and gather requirements.

The Design Phase kicked off with the development of a user-centred information architecture, completely re-organising the website and proposing a clear new structure. Wireframes of key screens were created so ACOM stakeholders could give input at an early stage before moving into detailed visual designs of the 22 page templates that would be needed on the new site. 

Particular attention was given during design and development to the ability to search for and filter courses based on particular aspects, such as topic, course duration and qualification level. Within courses, nearly 250 study units can be searched and filtered in the same way. The online application process has been rebuilt in a dynamic way to integrate with the courses, making the process of administering applications much easier for ACOM.

The site has many other aspects that needed to be carefully built and produced – detailed information about fees, dates, handbooks, forms, staff members, an online shop with publications, and event calendaring with ticket management and purchasing. The end result brings all this detail together into a seamless and easy user experience, which is also much easier for ACOM to manage and maintain behind the scenes.