The ICBS website upgrade that improved UX and long-term stability
CHALLENGEAddressing technical debt with long-term vision
For Imperial College Business School, the website is more than a digital tool. It’s rather the central hub of communication for students, academia, and partners.
However, as time passed, it began to show quiet signs of wear, such as layout glitches, backend inconsistencies, and a growing list of unresolved technical tasks. Firstly, these issues felt minor on their own. Over time, they gradually added up, affecting performance and reliability.
But the true complexity wasn’t in fixing isolated technical issues—it was in evolving the system as a whole.
The ICBS team needed a solution that would:
- Address accumulated technical debt without disrupting existing workflows
- Preserve the familiar user experience while introducing meaningful improvements
- Ensure full data security and continuity, even during core system updates
- Prepare the platform for Drupal 10, with minimal risk and zero downtime
Any transformation had to feel natural, like restoring a historic building while daily life continues inside. It was a delicate balance between progress and stability, and it called for a partner who could deliver both.
SOLUTIONFrom technical tasks to strategic value
AnyforSoft delegated the task of ICBS’s website update to a perfectly coordinated team consisting of developers most seasoned in Drupal. They were backed up by specialists with strong expertise in data security, along with UX designers experienced in educational solutions.
Our approach included:
- Platform stabilization. We resolved layout inconsistencies, fixed backend bugs, and addressed long-standing technical issues that had affected performance and reliability.
- User experience preservation. Instead of overhauling the interface, we made careful, design-aligned improvements to ensure that the upgraded website felt familiar and intuitive to returning users.
- Navigation and content control improvement. We restructured the drop-down menu using well-supported Drupal modules and implemented custom components to streamline content creation and management.
- System security and future readiness. We applied regular Drupal 9 updates and security patches and assessed the full scope of work required to migrate to Drupal 10. This included preparing the platform architecture for a smooth and secure transition.
We started with a website designed to guide students through their learning journey and support educational staff in creating the most favorable conditions for it—though it had begun to show signs of age and inconsistency. We delivered a platform that supports the school’s development as an industry leader and is fully capable of staying in sync with innovation.
The lasting impact of a thoughtful upgrade
The partnership resulted in long-term improvements:
- Streamlined website navigation
- Fewer bugs and technical errors
- Stronger site security and update consistency
- A clear migration path to the latest Drupal version
- Easier internal content management workflows
What started as a maintenance request evolved into a strategic partnership—ensuring that ICBS’s digital presence remains as strong and future-focused as its academic mission.
Need to improve your website’s stability, usability, or long-term scalability? Let’s explore how we can support your goals.
Key deliverables
Individual aspects were improved with a clear goal in mind: to turn the website into a modern, user-friendly platform capable of serving as a unifying space for students and their parents, faculty members, and partners.
Performance
Before:
Functional but occasionally inconsistent due to accumulated issues
After:
Stable and smooth, with resolved bugs and improved speed
Navigation
Before:
Familiar structure, though some elements needed reorganization
After:
Streamlined, intuitive navigation for easier content access
Security & Updates
Before:
Supported by Drupal 9 but approaching EOL
After:
Regularly updated with a clear path to Drupal 10
Content Management
Before:
Basic tools in place, but limited flexibility for newer content types
After:
Custom modules for efficient and scalable content workflows
User Experience
Before:
Reliable, though slightly dated in look and feel
After:
Refreshed interface with subtle improvements and enhanced UX
