We inherited the H2G2 website from its previous iteration, a UGC web 2.0 project inspired by Douglas Adams back in the 1980’s. Unfortunately, since that date, no one had really revisited the site’s framework and branding – a terrible shame when you consider the love and esteem the fiercely loyal community and greater world holds in it.

Web Development:

Many of the API’s brought with them a swathe of necessary research, testing and development. This, combined with the ever shifting sands of requirements from both the editorial team and the community at large, meant that the PAL application was a mammoth task that bore yet more tasks in turn. The DNA team continually maintained close links and a great work practice with Ben allowing them to keep up with the ever ballooning brief. 

The decision was taken to present the development of the site to the wider community as a Beta launch. This allowed us to get some amazing in-depth user testing and it gave us the opportunity to engage in conversation with them – allowing them to comment, suggest and complain. The beta launch went better than we could have hoped, with some amazing feedback, both positive and constructive criticism – which allowed us to make the project greater than the sum of its BBC / Aerian Studios parts.

It’s hard to talk at length about how much difficulty we had integrating with the API’s provided because so much of the problem was hidden in the details. It’s also hard to explain to an outsider how hard Sam and Chris (and Ben Poole from our end) worked in making sure the project was delivered with the quality it deserved – I hope that you see for yourself and it’s apparent to all.