Paper becomes a reliable companion

Delegation trips thrive on timing, spontaneous changes and numerous contacts. This is precisely where the traditional participant handbook falls short: content is ‘set in stone’ at an early stage, updates take time, and ultimately this results in new rounds of printing and coordination every time. In the case of WTSH, there was the added requirement that the booklet should not only provide information but also facilitate networking – with contact details, profiles, social media links and brief company profiles. At the same time, sensitive participant data had to be securely protected and processed in accordance with the GDPR.

We therefore completely reimagined the printed booklet as a digital travel journal: a web-based application that works on the move, provides quick guidance and can be updated editorially without any delays. The modular approach was also key: not a one-off solution for a single trip, but a system that can be used in parallel for any number of delegation trips – including the option to create and populate the next trip in advance. In this way, a one-off printed product was transformed into a recurring, stable process.

Clear UX, structured data, content management in CMS 6

The focus was on an information architecture that guides participants to their destination in just a few clicks: programme, list of participants, welcome messages, institutional profiles, contact persons and all relevant addresses – sensibly grouped, easy to scan and prioritised for mobile screens. Building on this, we created a web design in line with WTSH’s corporate design guidelines, featuring responsive layouts for desktop, tablet and smartphone, as well as a map view that makes hotels, restaurants and partner institutions easy to find.

Technically, we implemented the travel journal in CMS 6 and developed dynamic templates that neatly display content from the CMS 6 database. A participant database with search and filter functions makes it easier to find individuals and organisations; contact details and social media links can be shared selectively there. A multilingual function was integrated for international use. Data protection was part of the solution from the outset: with GDPR-compliant modules and a cookie manager.

As a special feature, the travel journal was implemented as a PWA and supplemented with an integrated travel group chat – so that information is not only read but also used directly in day-to-day travel. In addition, we supported the initial data entry for the first delegation trip, carried out extensive testing and provided the editorial team with CMS training to enable them to manage content independently in future.

Benefits: less effort, more up-to-date, noticeably more professional

Once launched, the travel journal is, above all, immediately available to participants. On a smartphone, it serves as a reference guide, bringing together the programme, locations and contacts exactly where they’re needed – whilst on the move. Thanks to the clear user guidance, business clients and partners can find the relevant information more quickly, without having to wade through lengthy PDFs or stacks of paper.

For WTSH, the workload associated with delegation trips has shifted significantly: away from manual, difficult-to-repeat processes towards structured maintenance in CMS 6. Content can be updated at short notice, whilst trips can be prepared, duplicated and managed in parallel. This reduces coordination loops and minimises typical sources of error that arise when content has to be recreated repeatedly.

At the same time, there is no longer any need to print the participants’ handbook – this saves printing costs and allows for flexibility should programme items or addresses change at short notice before departure. All in all, there is now a digital solution that enhances the organisation’s public image, works reliably on mobile devices and grows with the organisation: with every new trip, without having to start from scratch each time.