In January 2023, we launched a new website for the National Theatre (NT), capturing the essence of its broad offering and elevating the user experience to be more intuitive and accessible. This project focused on organising NT’s content for an inclusive, user-first journey while maintaining a cohesive brand identity.
The challenge
Over the last 60 years, the NT has grown into an international institution with a programme that delivers world-class productions in theatres, cinemas and online.
Their digital presence needed to reflect this comprehensive offer, shifting from mirroring organisational structures to offering an authentically user-first digital experience. The old website’s complex structure had led to user difficulties, limiting the effectiveness of NT’s brand reach across its multiple modes of experience.
The solution
Working collaboratively as partners with a brilliant cross-functional team at the NT, we designed and built their new website to help them achieve a number of specific business and user goals.
Created a user-centred information architecture
Unpicked the volume and complexity of content on the old site, rethinking the way content was organised as well as language choices.
Introduced a new ‘What’s on’ browsing system
Focused on giving parity to the full NT offer, not just the South Bank experience, refreshing the way events are displayed, found and browsed.
Signposted to other modes of experience on event pages
Each event contains clear signposts to other ways that an event can be experienced. So if a theatre show is also available in cinemas or online, you can click straight through to the relevant booking site.
Developed a new workflow to improve how content is planned and delivered
Working with key decision makers and content creators internally we streamlined the NT’s content workflow, delivering training and resources that makes sure the user is at the heart of all content decisions.
Updated visual identity
We applied a refreshed visual identity that would accompany the new site, ensuring that the decisions being made had considered how suitable they were in a digital context.
Introduced integrations
We used an API feed to integrate with NT Live and NT at Home’s independent websites. This integration means users can seamlessly transition to the NT Live and NT Home sites to buy a cinema ticket or a streaming subscription.
Both we and the NT are delighted with the new site, and how we’ve worked together to get to the heart of their users’ needs to create an accessible and easy-to-use online visitor experience that accurately reflects and celebrates the full National Theatre experience.
“Working with the Substrakt team from a project and technical perspective has been the best collaboration I have ever had with a digital agency.”
Nicholas Triantafyllou, Director of Information Technology at the NT
