The National Archives in Krakow

With history in the background

The main assumption of the project was to create a well-thought-out service with an
attractive and yet useful design presenting the rich resources of Krakow’s archive.

Main assumptions and beginning of the project

We started the project by preparing a detailed offer. The previous website of the Archive had a large amount of content that had to be moved to the new site. Another important assumption was to create a graphic design that would present all functionalities of the website in a simple way. The Archive website was a very extensive site – with lots of bookmarks, subpages and articles. Our task was to prepare a new information architecture, update the menu structure and move all articles that were published on the site over the years.

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The cooperation with the National Archive in Krakow was based on creating a new website and transferring all the content from the old version of the service based on the age-old CMS.

Designing a modern design, introducing functionalities to facilitate navigation on the site and organizing information and data from several years of activity – these are just a few of the main tasks that awaited us during the execution of this project.

Before starting the work, we visited the National Archive warehouses, where we could see documents even from the reign of Zygmunt August!

Design and usability

The graphic design of the website is based on several basic colours consistent with the visual identity of the unit.  The menu has been divided into 5 main categories with numerous subpages. A characteristic element is the simple icons, assigned to the topic of each department or type of entry.  The main page also has a section where the latest news and events appear in the form of a slider.

Preventing digital divide

In terms of functionality, the site has been equipped with several of them to make it as easy to use as possible for all users.  The most important thing is to adapt the website to people with disabilities. Readers have the option to change the font size on the page or set the contrast. Another convenience is the English language version and the available search engine located in the header. Users my access to content both on computer and mobile devices.

User-friendly gallery

Changes have also been made in the way exhibitions and online galleries are
presented. A new photo grid layout has been added and the design of each
exhibition. They were equipped with a simple system for creating photo galleries and the option of sorting and filtering results.

The National Archive is an example of a site with a large amount of information, which has been organized and structured in such a way that it is accessible to all visitors.

See the project before and after work:

What was the work on the project like?

After discussing all the proposals and agreeing on the details of the site’s operation, we could proceed.  The first stage of the work was to prepare a graphic design consistent with the previous assumptions.  The design was to be as clear, simple and universal as possible, so that no matter what content would be added or trends in design emerged, the website would still look aesthetically and professionally.   The next stage was coding the site and introducing all functionalities. We paid a lot of attention to efficient navigation, customization of the site for people with disabilities and intuitive presentation of visual elements.

On the subpage with online exhibitions and galleries we have introduced an option to browse and search for information based on filters: subject matter, location and historical period.   The last stage was to move all content from the previous page. It was at this stage that we created a new menu structure, moved the archive materials and refined the website visually – adding photos, graphics and icons. The work was finalized by connecting the site with external services such as: Dawne Pismo, Szukaj w Archiwach or Krakowski Rocznik Archiwalny.

Project team:

  • Michał Maj

    Project coordination
    Webdesign

  • Andrzej Kozdęba

    Formalities

  • Maciej Kuchnik

    WordPress developer

  • Katarzyna Maj

    Migration of content

Scope of work:

  • Webdesign
  • Website coding
  • Creating an on-line gallery system
  • Migration of content
  • Technical support after launch of the website

Project in numbers

  • 739

    Number of subpages transferred from the old site

  • 90/100

    Speed result in Google speed tests on computers

    See screen
  • 1.3s

    Time for full website interactivity on computers

  • 184

    “Online collection” records moved from the old version of the website

The client about the project:

The cooperation with Brave New Sp. z o.o. in preparing and implementing the website is very satisfactory for the National Archive in Krakow. Developed by the above mentioned company and published in April 2019, the www.ank.gov.pl website has a coherent graphic design and is user-friendly due to its minimalism and functionality. For the needs of our institution, a number of functionalities have been designed, such as the e-reverse mechanism, contact forms and a gallery mechanism for presenting archival collections of online exhibitions.

The new website of the Krakow Archive, in its visual layer and information architecture, has been adapted to the layout of websites in the gov.pl domain to present content in a unified way for public administration. Attractive and modern graphic design, transparency and ease of navigation have gained recognition among Internet users, including those potentially at risk of digital divide. I am pleased to recommend Brave New Sp. z o.o. also because of good communication during the project and punctuality.

Ph. D. Wojciech Krawczuk Director of the National Archive in Cracow