Content Management System and Website Enhancements

Objective

The main onjective for this project was to improve the overall tourist experience and boost local engagement. The goal was to create a user-friendly and interactive digital platform that enhances the visibility of local events and activities, supports local businesses, and provides tourists with an enriched and seamless travel experience. We achieved this by implementing the following:

• Event and Activity Finder: Designing and implementing new functionality that allows tourists to easily find and explore events and activities happening across the Faroe Islands, thereby enhancing their travel experience.
• Expanded Content Management System (CMS): Expanding the existing CMS to enable local tourist offices and business owners to create and manage their own content. This content would be seamlessly integrated into the main tourism website, promoting local businesses and events and providing a richer, more diverse array of information to tourists.
• Info Screen Application: Designing and implementing an application to display tourist information on ‘info screens’ installed in various strategic locations. This ensures that tourists have easy access to information regardless of where they are in the country.
• Mobile and Tablet Compatibility: Developing a mobile and tablet-friendly version of the solution to ensure that tourists can access the information on the go, increasing convenience and engagement.

Approach

As there were no established requirements when I joined, my first task was to clarify the project's scope and deliverables and document these clearly to guide the team's efforts.

The team was using Monday.com for task management, but it lacked a structured project plan. I expanded on this by developing a detailed project plan within the platform, establshing timelines and utilizing it for status reporting to maintain transparency and track progress effectively.

One of the key challenges early on was aligning the work between different contributors, this initially led to some discrepancies in the deliverables. To address this, I organized and facilitated workshops that brought together all parties involved. These sessions focused on ensuring that everyone was on the same page, with requirements clearly documented and agreed upon by all stakeholders, which helped foster better communication and alignment moving forward.

Throughout the project, I managed the budget, resources, and schedules, keeping the project on track and within scope. Initially we considered an agile approach however, due to various constraints a waterfall approach was used instead. I coordinated between teams and stakeholders, streamlining processes and enhancing communication. Additionally, I established a change management process to handle any adjustments smoothly, this was crucial given the methodology that was used, and helped to ensure that all parties were informed and involved. I believe that our joint efforts to foster collaboration and clarity were crucial in overcoming initial challenges and driving the project to success.

Outcome

Despite several changes to the project scope, the project successfully adapted to evolving requirements and challenges. Effective and thorough communication was key in managing these adjustments. By keeping all stakeholders informed and aligned, we ensured that changes were clearly understood and expectations were managed appropriately. This approach allowed us to navigate unforeseen delays and additional costs, ensuring that the project remained on course to deliver the desired outcomes.

The ability to accommodate the client's evolving needs and priorities demonstrated flexibility and a strong commitment to delivering a high-quality solution. By implementing a structured change management process, we could respond to new requirements efficiently while maintaining a clear focus on the project's overall goals. The end result was a project that, despite the adjustments, met the client's expectations and objectives, showcasing our team's resilience and dedication to achieving success.

• Daily average user count increased by 200%.
• 28,000 new users in the first two months of launch.
• Received positive feedback from users for improved navigation and aesthetics.
• Documented a contractual support agreement on-behalf of both parties to ensure the solution is regularly maintained and supported post launch.

Skills Utilized

• Requirements Gathering & Documentation
• Budget & Resource Management
• Project Planning & Scheduling
• Developed test plans and executed UAT (user acceptance testing)
• Created and maintained detailed test cases and user stories
• Performed manual testing and identified critical defects
• Implemented quality assurance processes
• Stakeholder Communication & Engagement
• Expectation Management
• Process Development & Optimization
• Team Coordination
• Relationship Building
• Change Management