Cités Caritas: a new, accessible and modern website

Cités Caritas, essential support for people in precarious situations in France

The Cités Caritas association works for theinclusion of people in situations of precariousness, exclusion or disability. With a mission to promote the dignity, autonomy and social and professional integration of the most vulnerable, it offers sustainable solutions adapted to the people it supports.

With nearly 170 facilities in 6 French regions, Cités Caritas offers temporary or long-term accommodation to people who are homeless or in precarious situations, provides personalized support to overcome social and personal obstacles, and offers training and support towards employment to promote their professional integration.

Creation date

May 10, 1989

Sector of activity

Associative

Technologies used

WordPress

Elementor

QuarksUp

Project skills

Design
UI/UX
Development
Project management

A website reflecting the ambitions of Cités Caritas

To meet future digital challenges and support its development, Cités Caritas wanted to revamp its website to provide an intuitive user experience. Several shortcomings hampered the existing site, severely limiting navigation for users. The design was not responsive, i.e. not adapted to different types of device. The tree structure and organization of information were complex, discouraging visitors. All in all, the site failed to promote the association's services and ambitions. That's when we stepped in...

The objectives were as follows:

A new structure, a new webdesign

For an effective redesign, it was essential to rethink the user journey. Workshop after workshop, we defined the main personas and then co-constructed the site's wireframes. Wireframes are essential for effectively planning the structure of any website. They help align user needs, site objectives and technical capabilities, while facilitating communication and rapid iteration of ideas.

Once this work had been completed, a graphic identity was developed based on the available logo. In keeping with the colors and values of Cités Caritas, our webdesigner created layouts for a modern, dynamic and accessible website.

Before and after: a new site to shine

With this new site, Internet users can now discover the association, its activities, take action with Cités Caritas and even join its teams, all at the click of a button.

The Smotly methodology!

Thanks to an agile work methodology and close collaboration between the Cités Caritas and SMOTLY teams, the project was carried out following the key moments of project management:

Requirements scoping workshops: briefing, presentation of the association, assessment of the existing situation and definition of the expected technical and functional scope. Several work packages were defined to support the association's development stages

Creative workshops wireframes, production of two homepage mock-ups to define graphic orientation, creation of complete mock-ups

Integration in line with validated layouts, with insertion of shared content: advice was provided to guide Cités Caritas teams in the creation of "SEO friendly" content.

Initial training for Cités Caritas administrator profiles

A beta version tested for end-to-end quality control

A second, lighter training course for Cités Caritas employees with a more controlled level of access.

Facilitate website management for Cités Caritas teams

In addition to a new web design and a more intuitive site for users, the overhaul also included back office and internal management aspects. In addition to our support in day-to-day maintenance operations, giving Cités Caritas autonomy was at the heart of the project. Together, we defined the so-called template pages on which editing and modifications are accessible without risking "breaking" the structure in place. A series of elements were identified to be managed freely (adding testimonials, creating activities, uploading or deleting missions, etc.). The back office has been customized with a simple structure to streamline workflow and reduce dependency.

In keeping with our focus on operational efficiency, we integrated an API to interface QuarksUp with the website. This integration automates the creation and management of job offers, ensuring seamless data synchronization between platforms and minimizing manual data entry tasks for the Cités Caritas team.

For each project, we study the solution best suited to your needs and budget. Here, WordPress quickly emerged as the best solution offering content management capabilities, scalability and flexibility. Its user-friendly interface enables non-technical staff to efficiently manage website content. Its ecosystem of plugins also offers a host of additional features, ensuring that the site remains dynamic and meets organizational requirements in the short, medium and long term.

The project +

The final word?

The redesign of our website was a major challenge for our association.

This was carried out in a rigorous and professional manner by the Smotly teams. Zélie was able to convey our entire associative identity through design : colorful, modern, dynamic proposals in which the Cités Caritas teams recognized themselves.

The Smotly teams, led by Floriane, demonstrated their professionalism throughout the project. We were guided, listened to and advised at every stage.

The responsiveness, friendliness and availability of the teams are particularly noteworthy!

The site meets all our needs, and we're very proud of it!

I can't recommend Smotly highly enough!

AUDREY COSTES
Head of Communications at Cités Caritas

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