CCPSA / Boccia Canada

Project Context

Role: Lead Designer & WordPress Developer
Duration: 3 months (design through launch) + ongoing maintenance since 2021
Organizations: Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (CCPSA) & Boccia Canada
Challenge: Replace outdated, inaccessible websites with modern, bilingual platforms that better serve athletes, staff, and the broader sporting community

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Impact & Results

• Delivered dual websites simultaneously for parent organization (CCPSA) and subsidiary (Boccia Canada) in 3-month timeline
• Improved accessibility compliance through user-centered research and stakeholder collaboration.
• Enhanced content management efficiency enabling staff to easily share news, events, and other content.
• Increased newsletter adoption through improved user experience and site organization.
• Earned ongoing maintenance contract demonstrating client satisfaction and trust.
• Received consistent positive feedback from users and partner organizations.

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Technical Implementation

Custom WordPress Development

• Built bilingual WordPress websites using WPML for seamless English/French content management.
• Developed custom calendar system for managing the publication of event schedules.
• Created staff and athlete profile systems, amd competition ranking functionality.
• Implemented partner profile management for organizational relationships.
• Built responsive, mobile-first design ensuring increased accessibility across various devices.

Accessibility-First Approach

• Conducted accessibility research beyond standard WCAG compliance requirements.
• Collaborated closely with CCPSA staff to identify unique user needs.
• Implemented enhanced navigation and interaction patterns.
• Designed with screen reader compatibility and keyboard navigation optimization in mind.
• Created intuitive content management workflows for staff.

Content Management & Training

• Developed comprehensive WordPress training for organizational staff.
• Created detailed documentation for content management workflows

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Strategic Approach

Empathetic Design Research

• Acknowledged personal limitations in understanding the diversity of the user base.
• Collaborated closely with organizational staff to identify accessibility barriers.
• Conducted specialized accessibility research beyond standard compliance guidelines.
• Iteratively refined designs based on feedback from users.
• Prioritized authentic user needs over assumptions about accessibility requirements.

Dual-Site Coordination

• Managed unified branding across two related but distinct organizations.
• Synchronized development timelines for simultaneous launch of both websites.
• Created scalable design systems allowing for brand consistency while maintaining organizational identity.
• Coordinated stakeholder feedback across multiple teams and priorities.

Sustainable Solution Design

• Built intuitive content management enabling non-technical staff to maintain sites independently.
• Provided comprehensive training ensuring long-term organizational self-sufficiency.
• Created maintainable codebase supporting ongoing technical updates and feature additions.
• Established maintenance relationship providing continued support and improvements.

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Tools & Technologies

• WordPress (Custom theme development, Advanced Custom Fields)
• WPML (Bilingual content management)
• Custom PHP Development (Event calendars, profile systems, rankings)
• Responsive HTML5/CSS3/JavaScript (Mobile-first, accessible interfaces)
• Improved WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance (Enhanced accessibility implementation)
• Training & Documentation (Staff empowerment and knowledge transfer)

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Key Learnings & Outcomes

For the Organizations:

• Transformed outdated web presence into modern, accessible platforms.
• Enabled efficient content management and event promotion supporting organizational mission.
• Improved user experience for athletes, and the CCPSA community.
• Built sustainable technical foundation supporting long-term organizational growth.

Personal Growth:

• Developed expertise in accessibility design for specialized user communities.
• Strengthened skills in empathetic research and collaborative problem-solving.
• Enhanced ability to manage complex multi-stakeholder projects with tight timelines.