Makro HORECA Academy E-Learning Platform
How we improved the e-learning experience for Makro HORECA Academy, the online-to-offline knowledge center launched by Siam Makro to help HoReCa professionals increase their competitiveness in the digital age.
Services Provided
The Challenge
Our Solution
Brand Story
Siam Makro Public Company Limited launched Makro HORECA Academy, or "MHA", an online-to-offline knowledge center, to support HoReCa professionals in increasing their competitiveness in the digital age.
Users can register to stay updated on new business trends, free online courses, and engaging workshops. The Makro HORECA Academy Clinic is also available for anyone who requires more in-depth knowledge in specific areas.
Scope of Work
We re-envisioned the legacy website based on MHA requirements: enhancing the structure and presentation of content, improving usability, simplifying functionality, and making the site more convenient to use. The new platform launched in 2021, replacing the legacy web platform.
Infrastructure
The web application for MHA is developed using Ruby on Rails and JavaScript, replacing legacy WordPress code and plugins.
A mission-specific CMS was developed entirely using Rails. All components of the containerized application are securely hosted on AWS.
Design System
Colors
Primary color swatches were developed from the original MHA brand. We chose a lighter and a solid color for the CTAs.
Typography
We researched fonts to respect the brand in both English and Thai.
Illustrations
In addition to fonts and colors, illustrations were essential to communicate effectively and easily across languages. We made the components lively and prominent by leveraging the shapes and colors of the icon set, helping users quickly understand the UI states.
User Interface
Welcome Aboard
We improved the homepage to be more user-friendly, with a clear delineation of section content. All of the new site's banner content can now be managed directly from the CMS by any authorized content administrator.
Mobile Friendly
70% of users access the Makro HORECA Academy website via mobile devices, so the design supports responsive web.
Learning Anytime, Anywhere
The Knowledge Center is where HoReCa entrepreneurs can easily find industry insights and business advice. Users can study and monitor their progress.
Skill Improvement
Users can challenge their skills by taking certification exams for each of their courses. Upon successful completion of each exam, users can download their certificate. Both desktop and mobile devices support this feature, making it very convenient for users on the go.
Certificates
When users have completed the course and the exam, they can receive their certificate. It can be easily downloaded or retrieved from the My Certificates page under their account.
Stay Up-to-Date with Events
Users can view various upcoming activities, both online and offline. Makro members can register for events for free via the website.
Localization for the Thai Market
Site localization in English and Thai is critical to successfully serving the local HoReCa markets in Thailand. The native localization built into the platform will also make it easy to expand to additional language speakers in the future.
Easy Sign In
Users can sign in easily with the ID on their Makro card or the mobile phone number used to register with Makro.
Free Trial Account
Even if a user is not currently a Makro member, they can create a trial account using a mobile phone number to get access to recipes, e-magazines, articles, and all other free online content on the MHA website for 7 days.