Inspired by Rowing‚ website brief

Introduction

The River & Rowing Museum in Henley has been given funding to develop a website with the working title Inspired by Rowing. The site will be developed as a microsite within the newly implemented CMS for the River & Rowing Museum website www.rrm.co.uk with its own visual identity but clearly allied to the Museum.

The Project

Aims/objectives for the site

• Inspire an interest in the history of rowing (including recent)
• Assist ARA in raising profile of rowing as a sport nationally
• Increase participation, for example through attending events/joining boat clubs

Main stakeholders

• River & Rowing Museum
• Henley Stewards

Who will the site be for?

• Young people interested in rowing‚ Late teens and young adults (say 15-25) in the UK who are potentially interested in history of rowing and/or taking part in rowing as supporters or rowers
• Adults interested in history of rowing‚ Lifelong learners (for example 40-70 yr olds) interested in the history of rowing.

What will it offer them?

then and now‚

Photos, video clips and information highlighting interesting stories, facts, etc, in context of 3 rowing Olympics held at Henley/Dorney Lake:

• Need to consider how best to present this. For example, compare nutrition across the dates, or present overall snapshot in 1908, followed by snapshot at other dates.

This idea and other aspects of the site are worked out in more detail in the draft web page sketches, a photocopy of which can be supplied on request.

2012 Olympics: Ways to join in

Volunteer: (potentially from 12-60 yr olds) inspirational photos/text about roles for volunteers (holding the boat at the off, carrying famous person‚s track suit just before winning race, etc ˆ generally look for interesting and/or inspirational stories
=> link on to 2012 website rowing section and/or ARA

Media: brief info
=> Link to: suggest they contact local press, hospital radio, etc

Spectator: brief info
=> Link to ARA database of boat clubs, event listings to find nearest race etc

Participant: brief info on participating in rowing in general
=> Link to ARA database of boat clubs, event listings to find nearest race etc

Extreme rowing

• Photos, video clips and information on extreme rowing, focusing on now, but with links to historical events as well - link with then and now‚ area for adults.
• Channel crossings
• Atlantic crossings
• Gigs/coastal rowing

Technical points

No Flash interactives are included in the project plan, but the site will carry videos, photos and other images, which can be listed in a gallery. A search facility may also be needed.

A banner and logo and other visual elements need to be developed as part of this contract. Text and images will be researched and provided by the River & Rowing Museum.

The website must be usable by a wide range of users including those with disabilities and must conform to common standards.

Information required from interested developers

• A response encompassing a possible approach ˆ sample images and a photocopy of web pages sketches supplied on request.
• Details of those who would actually work on the project, with synopses of their technical expertise relevant to the project and experience of designing similar sites.
• · Contact details (including telephone numbers) of two referees able to comment on previous relevant projects.
• Total cost of work including an estimate of the number of days required and all expenses (up to a maximum of £9,000).

Timescales

• Proposals must be submitted by 12 noon on Monday 1 October 2007
• Shortlisted designers will be invited to discuss their ideas for the project at River & Rowing Museum on 15 Oct. It is important that the principal contact for the project is present.
• The kick off meeting with the appointed contractor will be on 29 October and work will commence as soon as possible after this date.

Project milestones

1 Oct deadline for responses
15 Oct selection interviews at River & Rowing Museum
29 Oct kick off meeting with successful developer
12 Nov look and feel creatives and site map produced for internal review
26 Nov concept testing based on refined creatives and site map
10 Dec draft site online for internal review
14 Jan formative user testing of draft site
17 Mar site launched following acceptance testing etc

Please feel free to discuss the work with Laura Gater at River & Rowing Museum on 01491 415 605 or Martin Bazley, consultant on 07803 580 727

Proposals should be submitted in hard copy and by email to:

Laura Gater
Inspired by Rowing Project Officer
River & Rowing Museum
Mill Meadows, Henley on Thames, RG9 1BF
01491 415 605
Laura.Gater@rrm.co.uk