THUAS nominated for the Dutch Interactive Award!

Three years ago, THUAS’s website underwent a complete transformation, with the main goal of putting prospective students at the centre. We did this so successfully, together with digital agency Netvlies, that it has now led to a nomination for the Dutch Interactive Award!

The Dutch Interactive Awards (DIA) are the premier awards for the very best interactive work created by Dutch professionals. Any agency, client, or company in the Netherlands with an impressive interactive project can participate. THUAS and Netvlies are competing in the category ‘charity or not-for-profit & government or public sector’.

A major project

Behind the optimisation of a website lies an entire migration process, in which you not only switch suppliers, but also software. “It really was a massive move”, says website product owner Vera Wieringa. “Even after going live, it took some time before the basics were fully in order again.”

Data‑driven

By focusing on prospective students, we now work in a much more data-driven way. Vera explains: “By monitoring how a visitor navigates the site, we can see which information they find important, which they don’t, where they get stuck and where they click next. Then you examine what prospective students actually want to know about a programme, and therefore what’s missing. Sometimes the solution is quite simple like placing information higher on the page, and sometimes it turns out to be more complex. But the key to this approach is that we optimise based on data, not gut feeling.”

Netvlies

Vera, content specialists Lara Billingham and Martine Seijffert, and the web editorial team have been working with Netvlies for so long that it feels as if they are one team. Netvlies’ Renée Dirks confirms this: “Over time, this collaboration evolved to the point where we are no longer just a development partner for THUAS. For example, I now also join the CRO team (Conversion Rate Optimization) so we can implement improvements from different perspectives. If we continue on this path, we may be able to align even more proactively with the development processes of other stakeholders within the organisation.”

Test labs

Working data-driven doesn’t only happen from behind a monitor, but also in real life. That’s why Vera, in collaboration with the Communication and Multimedia Design programme, has been present at every Open Day for years with the Test Lab. Here, they conduct user research in a low‑threshold environment. “Within just a few hours, we gather important insights that we can work with in the coming period. And unlike digital monitoring, we can directly ask users what they think.”

From desktop to mobile

The digital world is changing at lightning speed and so is user behaviour. That’s why the website is a living project that is never truly finished. “Three years ago, 40% of users visited on their mobile phone, and now that number is reversed”, Vera explains. “The rise of AI‑powered search also has an impact, and we’re developing tools to support study choice. So there’s plenty to build on.”

More information

Would you like to know more about the results we’ve achieved since the transition and the case we submitted for the DIA award? Then take a look at this article from Netvlies.