From Legacy to Leading-Edge: A Digital Transformation for a Modern Battlefield

However, over time, the website had grown outdated both visually and functionally, and was no longer meeting the needs of its diverse user base. A dated design and limited functionality hindered its ability to effectively communicate the Army’s mission and values. 

Faced with these challenges, the Army’s goal was clear: to create a future-proof, user-centric website that reflected the strength, unity, and values of the Army while providing a seamless digital-first experience.  

To bring this vision to life, the Army enlisted Cantarus, selected through the normal public service selection process, to transform its online presence using the Umbraco CMS.  

Our Solution 

As an Umbraco Platinum Contributing Partner, Cantarus was tasked with designing, developing, and delivering a modern platform built on the latest versions of Umbraco. This allowed for enhanced scalability, improved security, and better performance – all while maintaining the Army’s extensive infrastructure on Microsoft Azure.

Design Approach

The design process was guided by three core principles: 

• Modernity: A sleek, refined layout with clean typography, subtle textures, and a restrained use of colour was introduced to enhance clarity and usability. Every element adheres to web standards to ensure a streamlined and intuitive user experience across all devices.
• Excitement: Recognising the importance of engaging a younger demographic while embracing the Army’s heritage, the design was brought to life through various interactive elements. Motion-enabled CTA buttons and an interactive map were incorporated to help attract younger audiences and foster more dynamic engagement. 
• Unity: Accessibility and inclusivity were central to the entire design, creating a cohesive experience that resonates with diverse audiences and reinforces the Army’s strong sense of connection and community.

The design process unfolded in two structured phases: 

1. Core Website Structure: Initial work focused on core elements, including information architecture, wireframes, and templates, establishing a solid, easy-to-navigate foundation. 
2. Engagement Elements: The second phase introduced rich engagement features such as immersive storytelling and interactive tools, deepening user engagement while enhancing the Army’s narrative.

Implementation

Delivering a platform of this scale required navigating several complex technical challenges:

• Scroll Interactions: Animated elements were rigorously tested to ensure smooth transitions and responsiveness.
• Interactive Features: The development of features like the interactive map and equipment showcase required custom solutions tailored to meet specific requirements.
• Robust Infrastructure: Operating within the Army’s highly secure Azure environment added an extra layer of complexity. Cantarus ensured that the deployment process was seamless, maintaining the integrity of existing infrastructure while integrating the new platform without disruption. 

Results and Impact

The collaboration between the British Army and Cantarus has resulted in a transformative digital platform that is not only visually stunning but represents a significant leap forward in the Army’s digital offering.

From the initial workshops to the final stages of content population, every step was shaped by a rigorous, user-centred approach. Continuous usability testing enabled Cantarus to engage directly with the Army’s target audience to refine and optimise each design decision. This iterative process ensures the platform not only meets current objectives, but remains adaptable to future needs.

Cantarus’ Creative Director, Rob Helsby, reflected on the process:

“It was an honour for us to take such a globally recognised brand and help drive them forward online. The website had to work for a wide range of audiences, from military historians to the families of serving soldiers and veterans. Alongside an overhauled and simplified navigation and site structure, we worked with 3D objects, created interactive tools and told immersive stories to deliver a memorable experience that we can all be proud of.”

Highlights from the first user test on the new site include:

• The average Task Success is up 14%,
• The average Time on Task is down by 46s,
• Task 1 (find Fitness Standards for Recruits) was up 20% for completion, and 52s quicker,
• Task 2 (find the Rank structure) was up 67.5% for completion, and 45s quicker.

The new website sets a benchmark for digital innovation within the Army, serving as a robust and scalable asset that truly embodies the organisation. Designed to grow and evolve, it provides a strong foundation for ongoing and future enhancements, ensuring lasting relevance and impact for years to come. Beyond these immediate improvements, the British Army remains committed to refining its digital presence through an ongoing program of continuous improvement.

Continuous Improvement & Future Forward 

While the launch of the website was a major milestone, the British Army remains committed to continuous enhancement, ensuring the platform evolves with its users' needs. Through our complete Continuous Improvement product, the British Army has seen significant enhancements in user engagement and data analytics capabilities. While their Umbraco upgrade was in progress, the findings gathered from our efforts not only informed their new website design and architecture, but also allowed us to enhance their previous site in the interim. By focusing on user testing, improved navigation, effective tracking, and analytics training, we have set the groundwork for ongoing success and user satisfaction on their digital platforms.

User Testing and Improved Navigation

We began by conducting user testing focused on the join journey, identifying pain points and opportunities for improvement. As a result, we implemented a streamlined navigation system, making it significantly easier for users to find relevant pages and information. This enhancement not only improved the overall user experience but also facilitated greater engagement with the site.

Tracking and Calls to Action (CTAs)

We introduced robust tracking mechanisms for CTAs, enabling us to monitor user interactions more effectively. A strategic placement of CTAs in the headers of the previous website increased traffic to the Army Jobs site. This initiative proved successful: increasing the visibility of the CTA doubled the clicks to the jobs site from 2,000 to 4,000 clicks per day upon deployment.

Renovating the Google Analytics Suite

Prior to our involvement, the British Army was not utilising Google Analytics (GA) to its full potential. We undertook a renovation of their GA suite, aligning it with industry best practices to lay the foundation for automated reporting. The process of designing these reports was entirely collaborative, ensuring that the British Army team was actively engaged and the reports were designed based on their exact needs. We also provided comprehensive training on the use of GA4, empowering their team members to make data-driven decisions moving forward.