Business for London: Learning portal

What we did

• Complete ExpressionEngine website redesign and modernisation
• CMS workflow streamlining for non-technical content editors
• Member account system for online course management
• Responsive design implementation across all devices
• SEO optimisation and technical performance improvements

About the project

Business for London is a public sector initiative supported by the UK Government and Mayor of London, providing essential webinars, online courses, and business development resources to London's business community. Their original ExpressionEngine-based website had become outdated and cumbersome, making it difficult for staff to manage content updates and creating friction in their member onboarding processes.

Tinderhouse was commissioned to modernise the entire digital platform whilst maintaining the robust ExpressionEngine CMS foundation. The project required a careful balance between introducing contemporary design standards, streamlining backend workflows, and ensuring the platform could effectively promote and manage their growing portfolio of online courses and webinars. Our approach focused on empowering Business for London's staff team to take full control of their content publishing without requiring technical intervention.

The redesigned platform needed to serve multiple user types, from course attendees accessing their records and office staff updating course material. This meant creating a flexible web development solution that could accommodate complex user journeys whilst maintaining simplicity for content administrators.

The Challenge

Business for London approached Tinderhouse with several interconnected challenges that were hindering their digital operations:

• Outdated platform design that no longer reflected the organisation's professional standing or engaged modern users effectively
• Complex CMS workflows requiring technical knowledge to perform basic content updates, creating bottlenecks in the publishing process
• Poor mobile experience with the existing site failing to adapt properly to tablets and smartphones
• Inefficient member management making it cumbersome to onboard new sub-contractors and staff members
• Limited course promotion capabilities hampering their ability to effectively market government-funded training opportunities
• Technical debt accumulation from years of ad-hoc updates and workarounds that compromised site stability

Our Solution

ExpressionEngine CMS Modernisation

As specialist ExpressionEngine developers, we rebuilt the CMS architecture from the ground up whilst preserving valuable historical content. We implemented intuitive publishing workflows that allow non-technical staff to confidently update pages, manage course listings, and publish news articles without requiring developer assistance. The modernised CMS interface provides clear content staging, revision history, and streamlined approval processes.

Responsive Design Implementation

We developed a fully responsive design system that delivers an optimal viewing experience across all devices. The new design prioritises accessibility and user engagement, with particular attention to mobile navigation and touch-friendly interfaces. This was essential for reaching Business for London's diverse audience, many of whom access training materials and course information whilst commuting or working remotely.

Member Account System

We built a comprehensive account management system enabling users to track their course attendance, access course records, and manage their attendance. The system integrates seamlessly with the ExpressionEngine backend, providing administrators with clear oversight of membership engagement.

Staff and Sub-contractor Onboarding

Recognising the importance of efficient team management for a government and public sector organisation, we created streamlined onboarding workflows for both permanent staff and contracted partners. The system automates much of the administrative overhead whilst maintaining necessary governance and compliance requirements.

SEO and Performance Optimisation

We implemented comprehensive SEO improvements across the site structure, metadata, and content organisation. Technical performance enhancements included database query optimisation, caching strategies, and image optimisation to ensure fast page loads despite the content-rich nature of the platform.

The Results

The redesigned Business for London website has transformed their digital operations and significantly improved their ability to serve the London business community:

• Full staff autonomy with content publishing now entirely managed by non-technical team members, eliminating development bottlenecks
• Modernised CMS platform providing an intuitive interface that staff members can confidently navigate and utilise
• Seamless responsive experience delivering optimal functionality across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices
• Improved course promotion with enhanced visibility and clearer calls-to-action for government-funded training opportunities
• Streamlined member management reducing administrative overhead for onboarding and course attendance tracking
• Enhanced professional credibility with a contemporary design that properly represents the organisation's standing and mission

Technical Highlights

• CMS Platform: ExpressionEngine (latest stable version)
• Backend Development: PHP, MySQL
• Frontend Technologies: Responsive HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript
• Infrastructure: Optimised hosting configuration with caching layers
• Security: Enhanced member authentication and data protection
• Integration: Course management and attendance tracking systems
• Mobile Optimisation: Progressive enhancement approach for cross-device compatibility

Need a public sector website or CMS solution?

Tinderhouse specialises in government and public sector app development with deep expertise in secure, compliant digital platforms. Our team understands the unique requirements of public sector organisations. Get in touch to discuss your project.