Website

About this project

In its final transition to becoming an online-only publication, C(Group worked with SOCAN to produce a new, innovative, mobile-first design for “Words and Music”. The new site offers an interactive editorial experience with capabilities to subscribe to the publication, personalize your experience by choosing the types of articles that you want to read in auto-generated emails and see on your customized personal home page. The site setup draws inspiration from the original print publication, retaining key features such as cover stories, and feature sections but was architected to offer an intuitive, highly readable mobile and tablet-friendly experience.

The design is based on enabling impact and provides a canvass within which editors can showcase the amazing visuals and photo library of SOCAN members and industry events offering a high profile, yet electric vibe of the Canadian music scene. With this transition, Words and Music is no longer a SOCAN members-only publication and intends to reach a far wider audience and claim its rightful position as a leader in music journalism.

About this project

C(Group has been working with The OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance (OLHI) to re-design and re-engineer the OLHI website to improve ease of use and access to information for the Canadian Consumer of Life and Health insurance. As Canada’s independent complaint resolution and information service, their website is a critical tool in achieving OLHI’s mission. A fresh, clean look and a liberal use of white space allow information to be digested easily. Engaging photography and images establish an emotional connection with the user. Subtle color and graphic highlights provide context and reinforce the OLHI brand.

In addition to a greatly enhanced user-experience, the site was re-engineered using a fully editable Content Management System to allow OLHI staff to manage their own content updates going forwards, producing excellent long-term value from the new system.

Andrea Zviedris, Communications Manager says: “C(Group was excellent to work with. Our new website is heads above our previous and we now offer a greatly improved service as a result.”

About this project

C(Group worked together with CMRTO on this “coming of age” project. Last redeveloped in 2007, the CMRTO website was long overdue for a redesign. Notwithstanding the opportunities to evolve the site from a technology perspective (i.e. transition to a responsive framework, become mobile-friendly, etc.), we approached the redesign from a User Experience Design perspective to ensure the redesign fully reflected the needs of the public, members, and other stakeholders as well as aligned with the college’s new communications strategy.

Major drivers behind the rethink included the desire for the site to 1) become a communications hub (portal) rather than an archive of materials, 2) enhance the experience for the various user types/roles (members, applicants, public), 3) integrate activity among other channels (social media, YouTube, blogs, newsletters), and 4) demonstrate leadership in health profession regulation.

C(Group facilitated a series of strategic exercises to arrive at a simplified information architecture for the site that ensured easy access to desired content and improved engagement with the CMRTO regardless of a user’s profile (member, applicant, public, etc.).

From a branding point of view, the redesign was an opportunity for a fresh, new look & feel strategically designed to further evolve the brand position of the CMRTO. The design concept uses a clean, minimalistic approach and centers around the good use of white space, with large friendly, inviting photography/images, and subtle color and graphic highlights to provide contrast and context.

About this project

The Socan Songwriting Prize is Canada’s most prestigious award for independent music creators. Some of the more specific functional goals of the new design were to realize a revitalized look and an improved voting system for the annual competition. Fundamentally though the site is used to showcase the nominees and their music, so our approach really centred around the user experience and how people could interact with the music.

An ever-present built-in music player at the footer of the site highlights the most important element of Socan—the music! The music player is unobtrusive and doesn’t automatically sound, but once clicked, it continues to play as users navigate around the website, making for an uninterrupted listening experience. The Songwriting Prize website is mobile-friendly, highly socially integrated, and available in both French and English.

About this project

The Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) is a non-profit representing the Canadian performing rights of millions of Canadian and international music creators and publishers.

The annual report is a key communications piece within the organization and works to outline the work of SOCAN and establish the brand’s identity and mission within the context of the ever-volatile music industry.

Built on WordPress for web-first readership, the annual report is a professional, cohesive, and brand-aware microsite produced in both French and English. The parallax website design yields a contemporary look and feel with animated charts and graphics for added interactivity and movement. The repeated image of an audience adds energy and a feeling of celebration. A strong emphasis was placed on integrating the SOCAN colors, and close-cut images of the SOCAN staff add an extra layer of personality.

C(Group also produced a smaller, printed version of the report for circulation, as well as an accompanying PowerPoint presentation for SOCAN’s AGM (annual general meeting). The PowerPoint carries over the look and feel from the web annual report and pulls out key information that allowed SOCAN to convey what a performing rights organization can and should be. Feedback revealed that they did indeed cut through and their message was heard.

About this project

OMERS is Ontario’s largest pension fund and a major international Canadian investor. MyOmers, the member portal microsite, services 921 employers, 390,000 members, retirees and survivors allowing them to track and manage the status of their pension funds.

C(Group provided ongoing consulting, developed usability prototypes and constructed detailed wireframes which led to a dynamic, user-friendly design.

CSS & HTML templates and a comprehensive style guide ensured OMERS had the tools and resources needed to build and deploy the website (internally) based the established design.

Early usability tests revealed that “people love the site”!

About this project

C(Group built a “virtual lemonade stand” to spearhead the Chill Out for Charity fundraising and awareness campaign developed by the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund Canada (NMCF Canada). The outreach initiative was intended to inspire kids and families to participate, donate and learn about Nelson Mandela’s global vision of social justice for children and youth.  NMCF Canada is focused on becoming the foremost charity in Canada by providing financial support to community-based programs in South Africa.

The site as well as accompanying print promotional elements allow a child and/or school to set donation goals, offer cups of lemonade to friends and family in exchange for monetary donations and provides a tool for NMCF Canada to gather and expand their contact database.

About this project

As with all the regulatory health colleges, CMLTO serves the differing needs of their various stakeholders. This content-rich Joomla website was architected around user roles and navigation is designed with the user experience of each in mind. Members, applicants, employers, and the public can easily access the information they need within 2 clicks.

C(Group helped CMLTO to reorganize over 400 web pages of content to yield a clean simple highly navigable website.

About this project

This Joomla website for the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments serves as their online profile and is a resource for the public to learn about the options they have if they find themselves in a dispute with their banking or investment service provider. Fundamentally, the OBSI deals in complaints every day.

The site aims to make the process easier and literally guides consumers in a step by step process to seek resolution beginning with the “start” button prominently located on the homepage. Beyond the logistics of the process, the bilingual site features a rich repository of case studies and participating firms.

About this project

The user experience of the TSSA site has always revolved around balancing the needs of the clients seeking legislation information within a distinct industry or program (elevators, ski lifts, fuels, etc) and by services or actions which to a certain extent are common across industries. As the custodian for provincial safety regulations, TSSA produces mass amounts of content in document format. Their primary business objective is to provide simple and timely access to that information and keep their clients up to date on new or modified legislation.

This was the second generation website for TSSA. From intelligence about the site’s usability and analytics, we restructured the site map, improved the layout and designed a new look & feel. We were able to leverage their content structure and built the site on top of their existing CMS framework.

About this project

The Ontario division of the Canadian Cancer Society produces an impact report each year. C(Group helped them transition this publication into the digital space by producing an online-first interactive version of the report. Of course, a printed version was also produced. “The cause we fight; the victories we share” is told through a series of stories and videos each serving to highlight key accomplishments for the year. The design concept centered around picture frames (or windows into the lives of those affected) encourages readers to see the impact of the work of the society through the lenses of all those touched by cancer from survivors to politicians, volunteers, patients, family, and the public. C(Group produced the report from content (writing), through media (photography and videography), and web and print design development.

The impact report is more than a report on achievements, it is one of the primary tools the society uses to reach donors and potential donors to demonstrate how their contributions are making a difference.