Sint-Niklaas took up the digital challenge and chose to tackle their entire online presence thoroughly. The user experience is central to all the new platforms, so that the city can offer a better service. Refreshing and to the point from the point of view of the user, the citizen.

User experience at the centre

The user experience was central in building the portal site. A conscious choice was made not to build the site from within the own organisational structure. Information that is in line with the questions and expectations of the users is experienced much better. In order to map out these expectations or needs, the city of Sint-Niklaas undertook an extensive preliminary phase with our sister company Leap Forward. Together they organised workshops with employees and user tests, among other things. The needs of the citizens ultimately formed the basis for the tree structure of the site. 

Sint Niklaas zoekbalk

On the home page of Sint-Niklaas.be  you will immediately see a search bar. The user can immediately type in what he or she is looking for and will see suggestions as he or she starts typing.

This is another way we try to steer people in the right direction right away. 

 

Sint Niklaas dienstverlening

Under the search bar you can also find the services of Sint-Niklaas, divided into 12 themes. Each section is provided with a recognisable icon and title so that the user can click through to the desired information.

The 12 themes also have a tree structure. Under each theme you can find different underlying pages. Each page deals with its own topic. For example, website visitors can find information about a birth, a marriage or a move under the theme "Personal Documents".

In addition, each theme has a block with frequently asked "I want" questions. Not only great for SEO reasons, but also for the visitor to quickly and easily find an answer to the question. What would you look up yourself if you could finally apply for your driving licence? A wild guess: "Apply for a driving licence"? 

In the tree structure are also several search pages provided so that the visitor can easily search through the website. For example, there is a search page with an overview of the announcements made by the city of Sint-Niklaas and one that lists all the regulations and ordinances that the city of Sint-Niklaas has promulgated.

Sint Niklaas actueel placeholder

The latest news from the city can also be found in the navigation structure under the heading "Current".

Not only news and press releases, but also broadcasts of the city's television, newsletters and magazines can be found here. 

Three sites tailored to the user

As already mentioned, Sint-Niklaas.be is the final part of a series of three target group-oriented websites of the city. Sint-Niklaas has already launched two other websites, OndernemeninSintNiklaas.be and OntdekSintNiklaas.be. 
 
On OndernemeninSintNiklaas.be you can find all information about doing business in Sint-Niklaas. For example, a starter can find information on how to start his or her business or an existing entrepreneur can find out which premiums and subsidies he or she can apply for. In addition, there is also a focus on the experiences of entrepreneurs. They get the chance to share their story on the website. On the one hand this gives a concrete and human example and on the other hand it is a fun way to publish more content. 

OntdekSintNiklaas.be contains information about what you can do and experience in Sint-Niklaas: tourist sights and beautiful places, a selection of restaurants and accommodation, events and shopping. You'll also find the 'Typical Sint-Niklaas' section, with the experiences you shouldn't miss when you're in town. We built this Drupal 8 site in three different languages: Dutch, French and English. With the extensive agenda of activities and events you will undoubtedly find what to do in Sint-Niklaas! 

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