From Vimy to Juno – Phase 2
An Online Exhibit Exploring Canadian Military Legacies
Client
Juno Beach Centre Association
Year
2016 - Present
Expertise
From Vimy to Juno is a virtual exhibit, funded by Digital Museums Canada, that provides Canadians of all ages the opportunity to learn about Canada’s role in the First and Second World Wars. We helped the Juno Beach Centre Association, in partnership with the Vimy Foundation, showcase their rare archival imagery through a responsive website. This digital exhibit was developed to be used for educational purposes across all grade levels.
Why this project was a success
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1
Enhanced the quality of the digital experience to ensure the online exhibit’s success.
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2
Considered all content, design and navigational elements for a fully bilingual website.
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3
Prioritised accessibility by successfully meeting WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines.
Bridging our shared histories across Canada
Plank was honoured to help develop From Vimy To Juno—a multi-phased web project that explores the depth of Canada’s culture and identity through the lens of those who fought in and survived both World Wars.
The first phase of this legacy project was dedicated to promoting the exhibition that travelled across Canada from 2016 to 2019 in commemoration of the end of the First World War. The second phase of the project focused on an online exhibit funded by Digital Museums Canada.
They became our digital partner and really helped us craft this virtual exhibit from day one.
Jenna Zuschlag Misener, Former Executive Director | Juno Beach Centre
An Educational Resource for A New Generation
Made with students in mind, Canada’s military history is told through curated lessons for individuals at various educational levels. These stories highlight key events and moving personal accounts, including the experiences of marginalized members of society and conscientious objectors.
Users have access to over 300 digital assets including audio recordings, maps, personal letters, press clippings, and other artifacts. The site features seamless page transitions that captivate and enhance the user experience making it easier to digest all its rich content.
A Custom Laravel CMS for Ease and Flexibility
We wanted to provide administrators with the flexibility to manage all their content throughout their site. We created a series of modules allowing them to easily display their content in a variety of ways. Using Laravel, we also custom-built a media library to help them access and organize all their images, artifacts, and testimonies.
Inclusive and Thoughtful User Experience
In following our Ethical Web Design Framework, we create each website with an inclusive and high-quality user design. This project especially strives to offer a barrier-free experience regardless of the users’ ability or access to modern technology.
To do so we worked closely with Digital Museums Canada to ensure the digital exhibit met the AA compliance level of the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1).
About the client
From Vimy to Juno is a partnership between the Juno Beach Centre and the Vimy Foundation. The Juno Beach Centre Association (JBCA) is a Canadian non-profit that educates individuals about Canada’s participation in the Second World War. They also operate the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy, France. The Vimy Foundation is a Montreal foundation that preserves and promotes Canada’s ongoing legacy in the First World War.
