A digital-first solution for athletes, staff and journalists at the Commonwealth Games

Traditionally, event handbooks have a problem: the minute they’re printed they’re out of date, they’re challenging to tailor to different audience groups, they’re inaccessible, expensive, and unsustainable to produce.

The idea was conceived in a meeting with Team England many years ago. Each Games they have the huge task of creating a handbook, once produced, suffers from lack of engagement and far too much wastage.

We suggested a new digital first approach. We worked collaboratively with Team England to fully scope and develop the idea, with the core objectives of making it easier for the creators, and developing more appealing content for the users.

By scoping out a digital solution, we provided new ways to inform and engage, as well as methods of measurement previously impossible to assess.

Starting with a series of workshops individually designed for the stakeholder groups, we identified and reviewed the needs of each user type, and documented user stories to develop the content, creative and technical requirements.

User permissions were key to create a seamless user experience, directing people to relevant and engaging content. Unlike a ‘one size fits all’ physical handbook, the hub content and experience are specifically tailored to athletes, staff, journalists and content admins.

The digital handbook design took a mobile first approach with an interface that ensured the hub was accessible and easy to use on the go.

In addition to the copy and imagery contained within the handbook, we also scoped functionality to allow users to sign agreements, view timely information which was previously displayed on physical notice boards, and include rich media such as podcasts and video content.