Pivoting with Outward Bound: from upgrade to innovation
We helped the Outward Bound Trust inspire the next generation by launching a new headless website. We gave this leading youth charity a faster, more secure, and easier-to-manage digital home to amplify their mission.
The Challenge
Outward Bound came to us with an urgent need to modernise their digital presence.
Their existing site, built on Craft CMS, was:
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Two versions behind and becoming increasingly difficult and costly to maintain
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Difficult to navigate and manage
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Fragmented in content, user experience and visual style
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Suffering from poor SEO visibility
Initially, we aimed to upgrade what they had — but after discovery, it became clear that technical debt and budget constraints made that unfeasible.
So, we pivoted.
We proposed taking a new direction with our “Base Headless” Craft CMS — a flexible, scalable framework that separates the backend (CMS) from the frontend (user-facing site), delivering faster speeds and tighter security.
Our Approach
Rethinking the Technology Through discovery, it became clear patching up the existing website wouldn't solve Outward Bound's organisational and user needs. After taking a step back, we reimagined the solution - proposing a modern, headless setup that would deliver speed, security, and long-term scalability.
Designing with Purpose The design process was highly collaborative. We worked closely with Outward Bound’s in-house designer to create a site that was both vibrant and youthful, reflecting the energy of their outdoor adventures. Flóra, one of our designers, worked hand-in-hand with the Outward Bound team to ensure every layout decision was driven by real content needs.
Building with Flexibility The development process was iterative and collaborative. We introduced custom components to serve real user needs, including: an interactive map showcasing all centre locations; a streamlined donation journey that simplifies Gift Aid collection; and a flexible content structure that empowers editors, all whilst future-proofing the site.
"Outward Bound were really collaborative, gave great feedback, and helped guide the design to match their real-world needs."
Bringing it to Life
The Outward Bound website now reflects energy and purpose with a vibrant new visual identity and dynamic hero videos. Navigation has been streamlined for an intuitive user experience, while clear calls to action guide visitors toward supporting Outward Bound’s mission to reach more young people every year.
Visit the new Outward Bound website.
The Impact
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⚡ Blazing-fast site performance
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🔒 Stronger security & scalability
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🧭 Clearer navigation and content journeys
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🧩 Empowered content team
Outward Bound’s Google Lighthouse scores – 98 performance, 100 accessibility, 100 best practices, 100 SEO
We're loving the new vibrant look, it's no longer hard to find things and everything is super easy and intuitive to use.
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