Cursive works to ensure research, ideas, and policies that matter are easy to find, share, and act on. As one of the world’s leading think tanks, ODI Global needed a website that took its researchers’ vital insights to the desks of MPs, UN policymakers, and media outlets worldwide.
When ideas get buried, they can’t make a difference
ODI Global is known for rigorous research and bold policy recommendations on everything from climate collapse to economic inequality. But until recently, its policy-shaping insights were trapped in a Where’s Wally-esque maze of clunky content. When the think tank launched its boldest strategic shift in decades, it needed a website to match its ambition. So, we rebuilt the whole site search – transforming a vast archive into a living, breathing, searchable content engine that works as hard as its researchers do.
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A little background…
London, 1960. The Beatles play their first public gig, the Cold War’s in full swing, and in a small office somewhere near Regent’s Park, six researchers are driving global research that makes policymakers sit up and say, “Oh, that’s how we fix it”. Back then, it was called the Overseas Development Institute. In 2024, it marked 60 years with a full rebrand – a new name, ODI Global, and an evolved vision for the future.
The challenge: When thoughts outgrow their tank
While ODI Global’s ideas have always stayed sharp and worked hard, the same can’t be said for its old site. Publishing was painful. Finding research was harder than it needed to be. And a vital body of knowledge – more than 16,000 pages of it – was fading into digital obscurity.
Its heaving library covered the range and depth of its work across high-quality research, country-based activities, and world-class communications. But it was showing its age in all the wrong ways:
- Publishing processes were manual and time-consuming
- Editors were doubling as web devs to publish reports
- Policymakers and partners played Poirot to find research
- The search tool overcomplicated rather than simplified
- Key content was scattered across disjointed microsites
- Load times dragged, and user journeys led to dead ends
The solution: A platform shaped by purpose
With new regional branches and a wider mission, ODI Global needed a digital platform built for scale, speed, and integrity, with smarter search and easier-to-manage publishing workflows. We transformed its knowledge archive into an accessible content engine using Wagtail CMS – creating a platform that supports editors, respects users, and reflects the think tank’s global vision.
Search that guides, not hides
ODI’s old site search was broken, piling results on with every click. Users told us they were overwhelmed. Internal teams were struggling to dig out what they needed. So we completely built the site search from the ground up. Rather than expanding results, we built a smart filtering system that narrows options down as users refine their search. Now, you can filter by topic, region, content type, or publication date, with each selection reducing options until you find exactly what you need. It’s not just technically searchable, but genuinely accessible. Like a little librarian guiding you to all the best thinking.
A brand that breathes digitally and globally
ODI Global’s new visual identity (led by Rory Seaford) gave us a confident foundation to build and design on. We translated the fresh brand book into a bold, flexible digital experience, with clear hierarchies, generous spacing, and layouts that hold even the most complex content without overwhelm. From typography to colour, every element was crafted to perform beautifully across different devices and bandwidths around the world.
Empowering editors with delightful content tools
ODI Global’s editors were wearing unnecessary design and dev hats. We plucked them from their heads so they could focus on what they do best. With custom page templates, branded graphics, and simple CMS controls, they can now publish polished content quickly – without design skills or pricey software. More time getting ideas into the world, less time wrestling HTML.
One Wagtail to rule them all
Let us count the ways we love Wagtail… ok, we already have. Its multisite functionality is one of our fave features, and was a perfect match for ODI Global’s structure. We built out dedicated spaces for ODI Europe, ODI Global Washington, and ODI Global Advisory – all within a shared CMS. This means:
- No juggling multiple platforms
- Shared content and assets across teams
- Distinct page templates where needed
- Lower hosting and maintenance costs
- Faster rollouts for future campaign sites
Whether they’re exploring a global issue or diving into a focused research programme, users now get a seamless, consistent experience across all ODI Global’s sites.
The impact: Performance, accessibility, clarity at scale
Before our rebuild, ODI Global’s website was failing at its most critical job: making complex, important insights accessible to busy policymakers and practitioners worldwide. Now, its site is a searchable, valuable content platform for the people who actually need it: the MPs trying to shape a bill, the advisors preparing for COP29, the journalist on deadline, and the funders deciding who’s worth the investment.
With tools that help users find what they need, the new content engine supports ODI Global’s long-term public engagement efforts, helping further its mission to inform and shape policies that bring about sustainable and equitable progress worldwide.
Key results include
- Pages loading up to eight times faster, even on slow global connections
- Smarter navigation that respects users’ time and attention
- Clean, branded templates that elevate content without adding complexity
- Empowered editors who can publish at pace
What we learned
ODI Global’s carefully researched content created a rich knowledge base, but with 16,000+ pages and slow loading times, it was like searching a library with the lights off. The rebrand gave us a perfect springboard to fix the fundamentals while expressing its evolved global shift. It’s vital that think tank websites and other research platforms aren’t just retaining knowledge – they need to actively help decision-makers find it, understand it, and use it. Great design and functionality helps that.
