Web design and development

We work flexibly, confidently, creatively, and we work with you.

MHL is a online design company based in Edinburgh. We have a proven track record in the delivery of effective online application development and will work with you to design and deliver the website presence that best answers your audience's needs.

We enjoy what we do.

Main web portal and the Learning Zone for the National Library of Scotland

Main Site
Commissioned by NLS to design new public facing website. Design was to be upbeat and flexible enough to be able to accommodate content restructure, while at the same time facilitate easy migration of old site across into new CMS.

Learning Zone
Subsequently Mark Haddon was commissioned to design the new Learning Zone website. The design was required to both sit firmly withing the new main NLS website brand, yet also meet the Learning Zone's specific remit in targeting and reaching new audiences.

All work done for the NLS is designed to meet their exacting Accesibility and Usability standards.

Worked with brilliant illustratore Ed McGowan on this project.

Visit the NLS site here

Visit the Learning Zone

Know the Score for the Scottish Government

Background:
The previous Know the Score website was considered not fit for purpose. It was difficult to use and too negative in tone.

Brief:
To restructure the information architecture and revitalize the website in line with a shift away from a broad ‘everybody’ audience to a more focused 18 - 30 age group. In addition the site had to be able to adapt itself to whatever the current anti-drugs message campaign was. In the instance of this development the current campaign was anti cocaine.

Actions:
We created a Cover System for the front page which would allow the administrator to preload and publish campaign specific front pages designs to reflect current campaigns. We created a blog style interface, inviting visitors to add their own content and comments. The result being that the the site has not only become a vital market research tool, but it simultaneously undermines preconceptions about government being un-listening and fixed around this sensitive issue.

Online Ad campaign:
In addition to the website, we created a series of online ads in line with the current anti cocaine cinema campaign designed to link back to the website content. These ads were variously located on MSN, Youtube and Spotify. An example can be seen here. These ads were so succesful that a second run was bought.

ChatCloud

Mark Haddon is design director at ChatCloud and as such he oversees the brand, design, UX and architecture of all offline and online products.

ChatCloud are an integrated team of researchers and software developers who have pioneered the application of online quantitative and qualitative research over the last five years to produce world beating, multilingual platforms.

ChatCloud have a range of online market research products, from focus groups through to mobile phone diary apps. Our approach to research uses online communication and social media models to create conversations that are more natural, open and spontaneous than traditional research methods, leading to greater insight and more cost effective solutions.

Visit the ChatCloud website

Mary Morrison

A gallery website for artist Mary Morrison. Mary tends to produce her artwork in series and within broad themes, these generally go on to form the content of exhibitions.

The website aimed to replicate this natural segmentation. The gallery presented on the home page is randomised on browser refresh so as to use maximum available image space while avoiding a hierarchy of artwork.

Visit Mary Morrison's website

The Splendid Insights of Samuel Smiles for the National Library of Scotland

Background:
A series of lesson plans originally produced by Scottish Youth Theatre needed to be made available as an inline teaching resource. NLS and the JMA decided to develop a dedicated supporting interactive feature designed to introduce Samuel Smiles and to enable visitors to explore selected aspects of his book 'Self Help'.

Brief:
An interactive learning resource aimed at teachers as a lesson tool and by Standard Grade students in the classroom.

Result:
An interactive feature built in Flash and designed to be viewed within a classroom Whiteboard, which introduces Samuel Smiles and some key stories and characteristics he admired. Accompanying site built in XHTML, CSS and javascript gives further background information on Samuel Smiles and his ‘Heroes’ and also downloadable lesson plans for teachers.

Visit the Samuel Smiles website