Launched in August 2017, Connektd describes itself as ‘The people platform designed for your agency and the freelance specialists you need to deliver your events, exhibitions and brand experiences.’
Working with our client Steve Squires, the founder of the UK Event Freelance network, HWD designed and developed the website aimed at agencies and freelancers within the events industry. Steve’s previous website and social networks have in excess of 2,000 regular members, and the Connektd website helps to formalise and consolidate their experience through a single channel.
Connektd is different to other social network-type sites in that it serves different purposes for the different types of users – helping companies manage and grow their existing freelance resource pool, and helps freelancers connect with their clients and form new relationships with the industry’s main players.
Companies and agencies have access to a powerful Find-a-Freelancer search facility which checks against freelancer’s availability, roles, skill-set and work ambitions, and freelancers are able to manage their availability through a handy calendar on their hub page. All users have access to forums and can post updates about recent work or anything that they wish to let others know about. Connektd doesn’t get involved in brokering the deals between companies and freelancers and doesn’t charge a commission based upon who hires who – instead the focus is on building strong communities of companies and freelancers for their own mutual benefit.
During the design process we held several workshops with Steve and many of his colleagues in the events industry to sense-check requirements and the overall User Experience design approach. The look and feel of the site was designed to be friendly, clean and familiar to the target user group, and was tested on a small number of Steve’s contacts in the industry.
