The Brief
As one of Australia’s largest providers of disability support, Scope operates in a space where digital clarity isn't just a luxury; it’s an essential part of service delivery. Their existing website, while functional, faced several critical challenges: fragmented navigation, performance issues affecting Google search rankings and an ageing CMS. For users seeking vital Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) or Supported Independent Living (SIL), these digital frictions could become barriers to accessing support.
Scope’s ambition was to move beyond a simple visual refresh. They needed a strategic UX redesign that would make the website work harder for both the organisation and its visitors. The goal was to refine the user journey, improve findability through advanced search and filtering and future-proof the technical foundation to ensure long-term stability and WCAG accessibility compliance.
Bright Labs was engaged to deliver a holistic upgrade, spanning UX/UI redesign, a CMS migration to Craft 5 and significant performance optimisation to resolve Google Core Web Vitals issues.
The Process
The foundation of this project was an extensive UX review of the existing Scope website. Our team conducted a deep-dive audit to identify exactly where users were dropping off and where the interface was failing to meet accessibility standards. We presented these findings to the Scope leadership team and this project was specifically engineered as a strategic response to tackle those friction points. We focused on turning identified weaknesses into high-performing digital assets.
Following the review, we initiated a targeted discovery and kickoff to align on the new goals. We focused on high-impact areas first, specifically the homepage story and the navigation architecture. By introducing a user-friendly mega-menu and a new site-wide search feature, we transformed the way users interact with the brand. This moved the experience from a complex directory feel to a streamlined, intuitive discovery journey that directly addressed the frustrations uncovered in our audit.
The redesign prioritised the Service Finder and SIL (Supported Independent Living) pages, where user flow had previously been most obstructed.
We implemented several key solutions based on the audit findings:
- Performance Optimisation: Resolving Google Core Web Vitals issues to ensure the site ranks better and loads faster for all users.
- Accessibility-First UI: Updating components to ensure strict WCAG compliance and mobile responsiveness across the entire site.
- Advanced Filtering & Search: Introducing a new site-wide search and SIL filters to allow families to find support options instantly.
The technical implementation was just as rigorous as the design phase. We successfully upgraded the platform from Craft 4 to Craft 5, ensuring the site remains secure and supported well beyond the 2026 sunset of the previous version. This move provided a faster, more secure environment that allows the Scope team to manage content with greater agility.
To ensure a seamless transition, our team managed the content migration within the new architecture. We populated new, flexible content blocks that give Scope more control over their messaging without breaking the design integrity. This design-led build allowed us to refresh the site’s look and feel while simultaneously resolving the underlying technical debt identified during our initial review.
The Impact
The Scope redesign has transformed a legacy site into a modern, high-performance digital asset. It is now a faster, more accessible and more reliable resource for the disability community across Australia.
Key highlights of the project include:
- Enhanced Findability: The new mega-menu and site-wide search allow users to find critical support services in seconds.
- Future-Proofed Infrastructure: The migration to Craft 5 protects the site's longevity and provides a more secure environment.
- Optimised Performance: Resolving Core Web Vitals issues has led to a smoother user experience and a stronger foundation for SEO.
- Inclusive Design: Full WCAG accessibility ensures the site meets the diverse needs of Scope's audience.
By balancing aesthetic refinement with the evidence-based findings of our UX review, we helped Scope create a digital presence that truly reflects their mission: helping people belong and thrive.
