Brand

Automotive

Insurance

Travel

eCommerce

Manufacturing

Design

Integrations

Website

A user-centric new website for an award winning ferry company.

Wightlink&#39;s 4.5 million annual passengers now book ferry crossings through a redesigned website built around how they actually plan and travel. The new platform handles 140+ daily sailings across three routes, turning complex timetabling and fare structures into clear, considered decisions.Passengers searching for the best crossing time now see real-time availability, instant fare comparisons, and flexible booking options without having to navigate multiple pages or wrestle with unclear pricing. The site&#39;s journey planner anticipates common questions, like vehicle sizes, passenger numbers, travel dates, and presents the right information at the right time.Since launch, we&#39;ve continued expanding the platform&#39;s capabilities. The Best Fare Finder automatically compares ticket options across dates and times to give the user genuine savings. The Wightlink Explorer helps passengers discover Isle of Wight destinations and plan their visit alongside their crossing, turning a transactional booking into trip inspiration.

Wightlink

Ferry fares vary by time, date, and route. Passengers comparing options manually check dozens of combinations. Best Fare Finder automates those comparisons, showing pricing across flexible dates with a familiar colour-coded clarity: green for best value, amber for standard, red for premium or limited availability. Passengers planning weekend trips now spot that Friday evening may cost significantly more than Saturday morning, or that booking three days earlier could save them 30%.

Passengers booking crossings often haven&#39;t planned their island visit. They know they want to go but not where to eat, stay, or explore. The Explorer maps restaurants, attractions, and accommodation with category filtering and live geolocation. Passengers planning trips discover destinations before booking. Those already on the island find nearby options without switching apps. The integration turns transactional booking into trip planning.

To get a true understanding of Wightlink’s requirements and pain points, we held regular workshops to discuss key phases of the design and build.

Customers booking ferry crossings often don&#39;t know which route suits them best or whether their vehicle qualifies for standard pricing. Staff knew this. They fielded the same questions hundreds of times daily. Traditional user testing revealed the problems; workshop sessions conducted onboard actual ferry crossings uncovered why they persisted.Passengers planning trips while travelling showed us they juggle multiple variables simultaneously: outbound and return times, vehicle sizes, passenger counts, and flexible dates all compete for attention. The existing booking flow forced linear decisions, making customers backtrack repeatedly or abandon bookings to double-check details.This shaped three core design principles: present all variables immediately, eliminate unnecessary steps, and remember context for returning visitors. The booking widget now displays route options, live availability, and vehicle requirements on a single screen. The site architecture puts timetables, fares, and booking within one click of each other, regardless of entry point.

UX Research

We introduced a Price Estimating Tool, allowing users to check prices to get an sense of how much their crossing will cost.

The backend CMS of the website was rebuilt from the ground up, so internal processes have been improved and made more efficient.

The website pulls live operational data into every stage of the passenger journey.

Real-time service updates show delays or cancellations directly under the navigation bar. Live Feefo reviews surface on route pages, helping first-time visitors choose between Wightlink&#39;s three island routes based on passenger experiences. Interactive maps display geolocation and nearby facilities.Behind all of this sits direct integration with Wightlink&#39;s internal booking system, syncing purchases, vehicle details, and passenger data instantly. The site handles bookings for 140+ daily sailings without manual processing or duplicate entries.

Real-time platform integration

Wightlink operates three ferry routes between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, carrying 4.5 million passengers annually across 140+ daily sailings. Their website handles the majority of bookings for both leisure travellers and island residents who rely on regular crossings for commuting and essential travel.We&#39;ve worked with Wightlink since 2017, rebuilding their platform and continuously developing new features that turn complex timetabling and fare structures into clear passenger decisions.

Bringing Howden’s AI-powered Tilt insurance app to life.

Tilt combines AI-assisted support and self-service to deliver digital-first insurance, built for trust, scale, and regulation.

Tilt

Bespoke website with Salesforce integration for a leading connector manufacturer.

Website design and build with custom Salesforce integration that slashed page load times by 90% for a leading connector manufacturer.

Harwin

Building a custom software platform for one of the world's largest toy manufacturers.

Building a custom software platform for one of the world&#39;s largest toy manufacturers.

Hasbro

More work

Large-scale UX research, content auditing and website build for Wightlink.

Large-scale UX research, content auditing and website build for Wightlink.

Work

Wightlink

Large-scale UX research, content auditing and website build for Wightlink.