George Brown College

Goals 

• Elevate GBC's online presence and user experience.
• Ensure adherence to Marketing Design Standards.
• Achieve Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) compliance.
• Seamlessly transition from a proprietary CMS to Drupal.
• Integrate industry-standard tools for effective content and user management.

Challenges

1. Legacy System Overhaul
   • GBC faced the challenge of shifting from its existing ASP.net ecosystem and proprietary CMS to Drupal. Initially partnering with another vendor for the launch, GBC sought a seamless transition, leading to collaboration with OPTASY for subsequent iterations.
2. Marketing Design Alignment
   • The challenge was aligning the GBC web platform with Marketing Design Standards, accommodating regular content updates, campaign needs, and optimizing workflows for maximum uptime during releases.
3. Accessibility for Diverse Audiences
   • Enhancing accessibility and AODA compliance by developing Content Editor tools, Drupal's Theme Engine, and collaborating on UI/UX approaches for diverse content layouts.
4. Drupal Evolution Challenges
   • Successfully integrating Drupal's evolving features, including major core updates, API utilization, and streamlined processes, to ensure the GBC web platform remains at the forefront of modern web development trends.
5. Interconnected Tools Integration
   • Seamlessly integrating a set of industry-standard tools for managing program content, staff, and student profiles, enabling the creation of the Student Portal and supporting a multi-site concept with consistent branding.

OPTASY’s Solutions

1. Strategic Transition to Drupal
   • Facilitating the transition to Drupal, Optasy collaborated with GBC to embrace open-source technology, ensuring a smooth shift from ASP.net while preserving essential online tools.
2. Adaptive Marketing Design
   • Adjusting the GBC project to Marketing Design Standards, Optasy optimized workflows, collaborated with the marketing team, and integrated Test Patterns and Frameworks for enhanced platform quality.
3. New UI and UX Approaches
   • Committed to AODA, GBC collaborated with OPTASY to develop Content Editor tools and Drupal's Theme Engine. The goal was to achieve WCAG 2.0 Level AA classification, promoting accessibility through new UI and UX approaches.
4. Drupal Evolution Mastery
   • Actively participating in Drupal's evolution, Optasy engaged in major core updates, contributed to Community Modules, and streamlined the GBC project's Custom Module base.
5. Seamless Interconnected Tools
   • Seamlessly integrating industry-standard tools, Optasy ensured the Student Portal's creation, embracing a multi-site concept and enabling specific sub-theming for a cohesive inner brand.

Results and Achievements

1. Digital Modernization
   • The collaboration modernized GBC's digital infrastructure, transitioning from a proprietary CMS to Drupal 8 and subsequently to Drupal 10.
2. Enhanced Accessibility and User Experience for Students
   • Optasy's dedication ensured a commitment to accessibility standards, resulting in an improved user experience for students.
3. Community Contribution
   • Active participation in the Drupal community and contributions to core and community modules showcased a commitment to long-term sustainability.
4. Testament to Open-Source Power
   • The successful collaboration stands as a testament to the effectiveness of open-source technology and forward-thinking web development strategies.
5. Innovative and User-Centric Online Presence
   • The ongoing partnership with Optasy supports GBC's continued excellence, maintaining an innovative, user-centric, and accessible online presence in higher education.