Look to the right of the ‘Routes’ section of featured web address to see the BBC Things To Do Torch Relay widget integrated on the right hand column.

BBC Things To Do is an activity finder enabling users to discover local activities offered by the BBC and its partners. The site contains thousands of activities and events listings – a number which is expected to grow as more partners come on board.

This part of the project involved integrating the portable widget (already integrated with BBC News) with the BBC Torch Relay web application. The Things To Do widget is currently included across all 70 locations the Torch passes through. The Widget is populated with Things To Do Olympics activities within a 30 mile radius of wherever the Torch happens to be on a specific day. (The widget is hidden if there are no activities).

Technically the Things To Do Torch Relay widget development involved the following steps:

1.  Multiple layers of caching to protect the Things To Do website from potentially dangerously high levels of BBC News traffic

2.  Comprehensive phases of unit testing and load testing to ensure stability and performance of the widget

3.  A staged monitored release involving multiple groups across the BBC

Previous development (news widget): http://www.aerian.com/portfolio/bbc.co.uk/bbc_things_to_do_news_widget_development