We handled all aspects of the AHDB Potatoes design and build. The previous website needed a complete overhaul when we took it over. Following many years without real attention the site was tired and did not provide easy access to information. Be Different were appointed to advise on information architecture, design, and build of the site. We were appointed following a competitive pitch amongst roster agencies.
Function of AHDB Potatoes website
AHDB Potatoes is a division of AHDB. They are supported by a Government Levy. This is charged to farmers, potato processors and potato retailers. The AHDB Potatoes website promotes the potato farming industry to consumers in the UK and abroad. They also represent the industry in the UK and champion production of this important crop. They achieve this through factual, evidence-based advice, information and activity.
AHDB provide research and development and knowledge transfer to meet their goals and the needs of the industry. Alongside this they use communications and market intelligence to complete the picture.
AHDB Potatoes website design, working together
We worked together with the client’s internal communications team to deliver the project. We now manage the site on an ongoing basis through further development and maintenance. We also created email templates for business to business communications.
The site contains articles, databases, images and research for best practice in potato farming. It is the largest knowledge centre of its kind in the world. It provides industry news, bulletins and retail reports. It issues regular newsletters, organises events and has a video channel. AHDB Potatoes understands the value of educating children in the importance of food, farming and healthy eating. It helps teachers to engage children in these areas through its projects. AHDB Potatoes takes part in regular round table events. These enhance education programmes delivered by the industry.
The content was indexed based on activities, and created a site that is vast, but also easy to navigate. It provides a wealth of knowledge to the levy payers. It does this through easily accessible navigation and search. This helps them to produce one of our favourite UK crops, and access the very latest farming techniques.
In addition to completing this project, we also managed the site for the last 6 years. We provide hosting services maintenance and advise on new technical developments to ensure the site is kept relevant. We also delivered the redesign and development of the Love Potatoes website for The Potato Council.
If you’d like to know more about how we apply our information architecture techniques to huge knowledge bases, get in touch with one of our team today!