{
    "meta": {
        "type": "case_study",
        "language": "en-GB",
        "last_updated": "2026-07-27",
        "ai_endpoint": "/our-work/university-of-chichester/ai.json",
        "source_page": "/our-work/university-of-chichester/"
    },
    "retrieval_summary": {
        "what": "University of Chichester A university website rebuilt for speed, stability and long-term flexibility The project retained the established visual design and main navigation, while replacing the layered CMS setup behind the site.",
        "who": {
            "organisation": "Feel Created",
            "client": "University of Chichester"
        },
        "key_results": [
            "The University of Chichester now has a faster, leaner and easier-to-manage website platform.",
            "The rebuild reduced the overall site size by 77%, reduced the database size by 80% and cut active plugin use from 47 to 9.",
            "Lighthouse performance scores now average in the 90s, with the homepage Speed Index reduced from 17.2 to 1.5.",
            "For users, course search and filtering now feel faster and more responsive."
        ]
    },
    "page": {
        "title": "University of Chichester",
        "slug": "university-of-chichester",
        "url": "/our-work/university-of-chichester/",
        "canonical_url": "https://www.feelcreated.com/our-work/university-of-chichester/",
        "status": "published"
    },
    "organisation": {
        "name": "Feel Created",
        "url": "https://www.feelcreated.com/",
        "type": "Digital consultancy and web development agency",
        "specialisms": [
            "Digital strategy and planning",
            "User experience (UX) design",
            "Accessibility and inclusive design",
            "WordPress design and development",
            "Content strategy and information architecture",
            "AI-ready structured content",
            "Search optimisation and technical SEO",
            "Website performance optimisation",
            "Website security and technical governance",
            "Platform architecture and integrations",
            "Content management systems",
            "Digital audits and reviews",
            "Creative and marketing support",
            "Website maintenance and support"
        ],
        "service_model": "We work as an extension of our clients' teams, combining strategy, UX, accessibility, content design, WordPress development and ongoing support to create digital platforms that help organisations communicate more clearly, work more efficiently and grow sustainably."
    },
    "client": {
        "name": "University of Chichester",
        "type": "Higher education institution",
        "sector": "Education"
    },
    "challenge": {
        "retrieval_weight": 1,
        "summary": "CMS performance issues affecting day-to-day content management"
    },
    "approach": {
        "retrieval_weight": 1.5,
        "summary": "We focused on the parts of the platform that would make the biggest difference to day-to-day use: content structure, editorial workflows, performance and the logic behind key content areas. Rather than redesigning the site, we rebuilt its foundations.",
        "section_refs": [
            "our-approach"
        ]
    },
    "solution": {
        "retrieval_weight": 2,
        "summary": "The rebuild gives the University of Chichester a cleaner WordPress setup, with less technical overhead and simpler management of structured content.",
        "section_refs": [
            "the-solution",
            "a-stronger-platform-for-ongoing-university-marketing",
            "modern-website-platforms-a-complete-guide"
        ]
    },
    "outcomes": [
        "The university of chichester now has a faster, leaner and easier-to-manage website platform. the rebuild reduced the overall site size by 77%, reduced the database size by 80% and cut active plugin use from 47 to 9."
    ],
    "project_context": {
        "situation": "CMS performance issues affecting day-to-day content management",
        "organisational_pressures": [
            "The rebuild gives the University of Chichester a cleaner WordPress setup, with less technical overhead and simpler management of structured content."
        ]
    },
    "project_goals": [
        {
            "goal": "Improve the digital experience and content management workflow.",
            "reason": "Derived from the project challenge and intended outcomes."
        }
    ],
    "services": [
        {
            "name": "Hosting, maintenance, support & optimisation",
            "relationship": "ongoing_support",
            "url": "/services/hosting-maintenance-support-optimisation/"
        },
        {
            "name": "Custom WordPress development",
            "relationship": "primary",
            "url": "/services/custom-wordpress-development/"
        }
    ],
    "architecture": {
        "content_model": [
            "Campaign messages and time-sensitive messaging as reusable components",
            "Data-capture forms and chat tools integration points",
            "Hundreds of courses across multiple subject areas",
            "Structured course content with improved taxonomy",
            "Reusable content types: FAQs, testimonials",
            "Flexible campaign and event structures",
            "Custom blocks for complex layouts",
            "Day-to-day editorial updates"
        ],
        "technical_principles": [
            "Leaner, more direct platform replacing layered CMS",
            "Retain flexibility for university content needs",
            "Performance optimisation as core principle",
            "Reduce technical overhead in CMS architecture",
            "Stable base for everyday publishing and future development",
            "Reduce plugin reliance by integrating features into bespoke theme",
            "Custom Gutenberg blocks for controlled, on-brand content creation",
            "Improved query performance for search and filtering"
        ],
        "governance_considerations": [
            "The rebuild gives the University of Chichester a cleaner WordPress setup, with less technical overhead and simpler management of structured content."
        ]
    },
    "before_after": {
        "after": [
            {
                "area": "Project outcome",
                "state": "The University of Chichester now has a faster, leaner and easier-to-manage website platform.",
                "source_section": "outcomes-and-impact"
            },
            {
                "area": "Project outcome",
                "state": "The rebuild reduced the overall site size by 77%, reduced the database size by 80% and cut active plugin use from 47 to 9.",
                "source_section": "outcomes-and-impact"
            },
            {
                "area": "Project outcome",
                "state": "Lighthouse performance scores now average in the 90s, with the homepage Speed Index reduced from 17.2 to 1.5.",
                "source_section": "outcomes-and-impact"
            }
        ]
    },
    "testimonials": [
        {
            "title": "A trusted partner",
            "quote": "It has been an absolute joy to work with Feel Created. This was a technically complex project, but the solutions were well thought out and clearly communicated. Their responsiveness resulted in a deep sense of trust, and we are looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together in the future.",
            "author": "Aaron Inglethorpe",
            "role": "Web Manager",
            "organisation": "University of Chichester"
        }
    ],
    "sections": [
        {
            "id": "improving-a-universitys-cms-performance",
            "heading": "Improving a university’s CMS performance",
            "type": "section",
            "content": [
                {
                    "type": "paragraph",
                    "text": "The University of Chichester required a website rebuild to address performance issues and improve the systems supporting day-to-day content management. The challenge sat behind the scenes. The CMS had become harder for the team to work with, and the layered setup was starting to slow down everyday content updates and affect performance in places."
                }
            ],
            "section_role": "section"
        },
        {
            "id": "student-journeys-and-internal-workflows",
            "heading": "Student journeys and internal workflows",
            "type": "section",
            "content": [
                {
                    "type": "paragraph",
                    "text": "The website supports several important journeys at once. Prospective students use it to explore courses and move towards application, while current students, staff and internal teams rely on it for key information. The marketing team also manages frequent updates, multiple editors and a large amount of structured content, so the CMS needs to stay practical in day-to-day use."
                }
            ],
            "section_role": "section"
        },
        {
            "id": "our-approach",
            "heading": "Our approach",
            "type": "approach",
            "content": [
                {
                    "type": "paragraph",
                    "text": "We focused on the parts of the platform that would make the biggest difference to day-to-day use: content structure, editorial workflows, performance and the logic behind key content areas. Rather than redesigning the site, we rebuilt its foundations. The new platform gave the university team a more practical CMS while improving speed, stability and maintainability."
                }
            ],
            "section_role": "approach"
        },
        {
            "id": "the-solution",
            "heading": "The solution",
            "type": "solution",
            "content": [
                {
                    "type": "paragraph",
                    "text": "The rebuild gives the University of Chichester a cleaner WordPress setup, with less technical overhead and simpler management of structured content. The WordPress setup supports a large university website with hundreds of courses, multiple subject areas and frequent content updates, giving the team a more stable base for everyday publishing and future development."
                }
            ],
            "section_role": "solution"
        },
        {
            "id": "a-bespoke-wordpress-re-build-for-the-university-of-chichester",
            "heading": "A bespoke WordPress re build for the University of Chichester",
            "type": "section",
            "content": [
                {
                    "type": "paragraph",
                    "text": "At the centre of the project was a fully bespoke WordPress theme. The theme replaced the old layered CMS setup with a leaner, more direct platform, while retaining the flexibility the university needed to manage complex content and future development. The previous site relied on a large plugin stack, which had started to affect performance and development work. Our updates made the new build easier to maintain, faster to work with and better prepared for future updates."
                }
            ],
            "section_role": "section"
        },
        {
            "id": "a-stronger-platform-for-ongoing-university-marketing",
            "heading": "A stronger platform for ongoing university marketing",
            "type": "solution",
            "content": [
                {
                    "type": "paragraph",
                    "text": "The CMS gives the marketing team more flexibility to add tracking, scripts, chat tools, data-capture forms and time-sensitive messaging where needed. Campaign messages and key event information can be managed in one place, then reused across relevant pages."
                }
            ],
            "section_role": "solution"
        },
        {
            "id": "accessibility-performance-and-ongoing-support",
            "heading": "Accessibility, performance and ongoing support",
            "type": "section",
            "content": [
                {
                    "type": "paragraph",
                    "text": "Accessibility and performance remained part of the rebuild throughout the project. The site now works more reliably across devices and supports the standards expected of a modern university website. The university team manages the website internally, while we continue to support maintenance, development and future improvements."
                }
            ],
            "section_role": "section"
        },
        {
            "id": "outcomes-and-impact",
            "heading": "Outcomes and impact",
            "type": "outcome",
            "content": [
                {
                    "type": "paragraph",
                    "text": "The University of Chichester now has a faster, leaner and easier-to-manage website platform. The rebuild reduced the overall site size by 77%, reduced the database size by 80% and cut active plugin use from 47 to 9. Lighthouse performance scores now average in the 90s, with the homepage Speed Index reduced from 17.2 to 1.5. For users, course search and filtering now feel faster and more responsive."
                }
            ],
            "section_role": "outcome"
        },
        {
            "id": "a-trusted-partner",
            "heading": "A trusted partner",
            "type": "testimonial",
            "content": [
                {
                    "type": "testimonial",
                    "text": "It has been an absolute joy to work with Feel Created. This was a technically complex project, but the solutions were well thought out and clearly communicated. Their responsiveness resulted in a deep sense of trust, and we are looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together in the future.",
                    "author": "Aaron Inglethorpe Web Manager University of Chichester"
                }
            ],
            "section_role": "testimonial"
        }
    ],
    "structured_elements": [
        {
            "element_type": "statistic",
            "value": "21",
            "label": "Subject areas",
            "context": "A bespoke WordPress re build for the University of Chichester",
            "source_section": "a-bespoke-wordpress-re-build-for-the-university-of-chichester"
        },
        {
            "element_type": "statistic",
            "value": "210",
            "label": "Courses supported",
            "context": "A bespoke WordPress re build for the University of Chichester",
            "source_section": "a-bespoke-wordpress-re-build-for-the-university-of-chichester"
        }
    ],
    "project_profile": {
        "project_type": "Bespoke WordPress website",
        "organisation_type": "Higher education institution",
        "sector": "Education",
        "client_context": "Higher Education Institution"
    },
    "outcome_categories": [
        "Improved Search Experience",
        "Improved Performance"
    ],
    "search_intent_matches": [
        "WordPress website design",
        "WordPress development agency",
        "WordPress CMS",
        "UX design services",
        "information architecture",
        "accessibility services",
        "website performance optimisation",
        "digital strategy consultancy"
    ],
    "technology_stack": {
        "cms": "WordPress",
        "editor": "Gutenberg",
        "integration": [
            "Third-party Integration"
        ]
    },
    "capabilities_demonstrated": [
        "UX Design",
        "Information Architecture",
        "Content Strategy",
        "WordPress Development",
        "Gutenberg Block Development",
        "CMS Architecture",
        "Performance Optimisation",
        "Accessibility & Inclusive Design",
        "Third-Party Integration",
        "Digital Strategy"
    ],
    "retrieval_topics": [
        "UX Design",
        "Information Architecture",
        "Content Strategy",
        "WordPress Development",
        "Gutenberg Block Development",
        "CMS Architecture",
        "Performance Optimisation",
        "Accessibility & Inclusive Design",
        "Third-Party Integration",
        "Digital Strategy"
    ],
    "retrieval_concepts": [
        "UX Design",
        "Information Architecture",
        "Content Strategy",
        "WordPress Development",
        "Gutenberg Block Development",
        "CMS Architecture",
        "Performance Optimisation",
        "Accessibility & Inclusive Design",
        "Third-Party Integration",
        "Digital Strategy",
        "WordPress CMS",
        "Search Experience"
    ]
}