Oxford University Press

In this project, we were tasked with creating a dynamic website that offers users an immersive, book-like experience by showcasing selected chapter previews. The goal was to seamlessly integrate a custom design with functional backend and front-end systems, ensuring that users could easily browse and read chapter previews directly on the site. Overcoming challenges with embedding PDFs, managing content in WordPress, and aligning the design with functionality, we delivered a smooth, user-friendly platform that brings the book to life online.

Categories: Wordpress

The Opportunity

The core objective of this project was to design and develop a website that functions like a digital book, allowing users to preview selected chapters seamlessly. This required integrating a custom design with the website’s backend to create a distinctive and engaging user experience.

The Challenge

The primary challenge was effectively showcasing chapter previews in PDF format while maintaining a seamless browsing experience. Key pain points included:

Embedding PDFs on the Website: PDFs are typically downloaded or opened in separate browser windows, disrupting user flow. The goal was to display PDFs directly within the website without breaking immersion.
Backend Integration with WordPress: The backend needed to support and organize chapter previews in a way that aligned with the custom design.
Front-End Presentation: The front-end had to elegantly present the chapter previews in a format that matched the site’s visual and functional requirements.

Our Solution

To address these challenges, we implemented targeted solutions that transformed pain points into strengths:

Seamless PDF Integration: We integrated an open-source PDF reader directly into the website, enabling users to view chapter previews without downloading files or leaving the site. This kept the reading experience smooth and uninterrupted.
Custom WordPress Backend: We developed a tailored WordPress backend using a custom taxonomy system and specialized categories for managing chapter previews. This made it simple and intuitive to upload, organize, and manage content.
Responsive Front-End Design: We built a custom front-end template that dynamically pulled data from the backend. Using a blend of jQuery and PHP, we ensured the chapter previews displayed exactly as the design intended, providing a polished and engaging user interface.

The Result

By addressing each challenge with precision, we delivered a website that offers users an intuitive, book-like browsing experience. Chapter previews are easily managed on the backend and beautifully presented on the front-end, resulting in a cohesive, user-friendly platform.