Àgora: The Tool Driving Digital Education

Àgora is the innovative system of the Department of Education and Vocational Training that provides Catalan educational centers with Moodle services and Nodes, a web platform based on WordPress that connects schools with the educational community. With over 3,000 WordPress-based websites and 2,450 active virtual learning environments, Àgora is a benchmark in educational digitization.

Did you know that Nodes records between 30 and 40 million accesses every month and publishes over 85,000 articles monthly? This impressive level of activity underscores its importance as an essential tool for schools, families, and education professionals.

Nodes 2: A Step Forward Towards the Future

After 10 years with the same graphic design, Nodes takes a qualitative leap forward with the launch of its new version: Nodes 2. This update, driven by the CTTI and developed by TICxCAT (a consortium of companies of which IThinkUPC is a part), offers a more modern, intuitive design tailored to current needs. The new version, deployed on November 21, is now available for centers to begin migrating to the new visual theme.

Nodes 2 not only refreshes the aesthetic but also reaffirms its commitment to digital education, delivering a more agile and engaging experience for both educational teams and organizations dedicated to continuous, high-quality training.

Discover the key innovations: increased functionality and enhanced personalization

Nodes 2 arrives packed with enhancements that will transform the experience for educational centers. With new tools and an updated design, this version offers increased flexibility and a higher level of professionalism. Here are the standout innovations:

• Modernized Header: The new header boasts a more professional and attractive style. It features the logo, site name, contact information, and a practical array of buttons, making it perfect for conveying a clear and coherent image.
• Customizable Homepage: The main page is reinvented with a modern content layout tailored to each center. Nodes 2 offers pre-designed templates that can be used immediately or fully customized to meet the specific needs of each center. Additionally, it includes dynamic elements such as:
  • Image carousels designed to capture visual attention.
  • Customizable cards to highlight key information.
  • Notices for important communications.
  • News carousels to keep everyone informed.
• Innovative Block Editor: Now equipped with the Gutenberg block editor and the Getwid extension, Nodes 2 makes it easier to create visually rich and flexible content. Each block functions as an independent unit with configurable options, such as:
  • Text blocks for detailed information.
  • Image blocks to enhance the visual aspect.
  • Structural blocks to shape and balance the page.
• Inspiring and Practical Template Library: The new template libraries are a true lifesaver for users. These collections of pre-designed blocks enable the creation of pages and posts with professional styles in just minutes, without requiring any technical expertise.
• Easy Migration: The update couldn’t be simpler. With just one click, administrators can convert the center’s website to the new format.

How have we improved the design?

In the redesign of Nodes, at IThinkUPC, we applied our user-centered UX methodology by organizing working sessions with key users of the previous version.

These meetings have enabled us to understand their needs, identify challenges, and uncover opportunities for improvement to deliver a more intuitive and functional experience.

The improvements include simplified navigation and a restructuring of the information to make it more accessible, alongside a refreshed design featuring a more modern visual style, enhanced readability through updated typography, and a color palette that reinforces the visual experience. A standout element is the large hero image, which adds visual impact, better conveys the school’s identity, and captures the user’s attention from the outset. Additionally, clearly defined sections distribute the key content points in an organized manner, ensuring a smooth and intuitive navigation experience.

For the mobile version, we implemented a responsive design that guarantees optimal viewing on any device, featuring dropdown menus, more accessible icons, and reduced load times. We also prioritized the strategic placement of buttons and links to facilitate easy access to the main functionalities.

These improvements make the new Nodes 2 easier to use, providing a more pleasant and effective experience for end users.