Case Study: Ontario General Contractors Association
Summary
OGCA partnered with Saige to redevelop its public website and introduce custom tools to streamline member services and increase lead generation. The project focused on accessibility, structured content management, internal efficiency, and long-term autonomy.
Platform: WordPress
Challenge
OGCA’s legacy website was not mobile-friendly, failed to meet AODA accessibility standards, and required external support for even basic updates. The internal team lacked workflow tools to manage member estimates, organize content, or publish event information quickly.
They needed a modern platform that:
- Improved accessibility and structure
- Enabled non-technical staff to publish confidently
- Supported internal workflows
- Could grow without technical debt
How we Delivered
Accessibility & AODA Compliance
We implemented WCAG 2.1 AA-compliant patterns across the platform:
- Accessible component markup (ARIA labels, form fieldsets, button states)
- Logical heading structure and skip navigation
- Visible focus states and accessible modals
Tools and techniques included:
- axe DevTools and WAVE for static and dynamic scan validation
- Manual screen reader testing with NVDA (Windows) and VoiceOver (Mac)
- Keyboard-only tab flow and focus trap checks for interactive elements
Gutenberg Block Development
We built a bespoke Gutenberg block library, engineered for OGCA’s use cases and content team skill level:
- Each block was coded from scratch using React and Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) to provide intuitive controls for content editors
- Blocks included: accordion FAQs, testimonial sliders, dynamic tables, alert banners, contractor directory filters, and stylized CTAs
- Blocks were modular and reusable, with built-in WCAG accessibility validation, so editors didn’t need to worry about compliance when publishing
- Layouts were responsive by default with mobile-specific configuration options available to editors
Training and Documentation
We delivered hands-on training over two live virtual workshops with recordings for future reference.
Each session included:
- Walkthroughs of the WordPress dashboard and Gutenberg editor
- Guided exercises for creating pages, editing block content, and managing forms
- Accessibility and plain language publishing best practices
Delivered a custom documentation site with:
- Step-by-step tutorials
- Visual block guides
- Publishing checklists and troubleshooting resources
Follow-up support was provided for 30 days after launch, including open Q&A sessions
Stakeholder Collaboration
We worked closely with the OGCA leadership and communications team across biweekly design and development check-ins.
Early-stage Figma mockups were collaboratively reviewed and annotated by OGCA staff to ensure accessibility, clarity, and brand alignment
Internal stakeholders were involved in:
- Information architecture restructuring
- Testing and feedback rounds for key components (e.g., the estimator and chatbot)
- Final content review prior to launch
Results
- Improved User Engagement:
- Website conversions increased by 35%
- Qualified lead generation rose by 50% in the first quarter
- Operational Efficiency:
- Estimating workflows dropped from 4 weeks to 2 days, freeing staff time
- Accessibility Compliance:
- Platform passed full WCAG 2.1 AA testing and review
- Editor Empowerment:
- All communications team members can now build and launch content independently
- Search Visibility:
- Improved metadata structure and schema boosted SEO rankings and site traffic