Digital platform for Australia's peak architectural practice resource. Comprehensive database of advisory notes, downloadable contracts, member authentication system, and practice management tools serving 14,000+ architects globally.
Kentico Site of the Month for October 2025
The Challenge
The Acumen Practice Notes website, a 60-year-old cornerstone resource for architectural practice in Australia, faced critical operational challenges. The existing platform had reached end-of-life, creating security concerns for the Australian Institute of Architects' IT Services Manager. With a contract milestone approaching rapidly, the team needed to either pay for an outdated, unsupported system or migrate platforms quickly.
Beyond the technical urgency, the site's dark, off-brand design failed to meet accessibility standards, preventing portions of their professional audience from effectively engaging with critical practice guidance. The platform needed modernisation while maintaining access to 1,200+ pages of continuously updated advisory content across Practice, Project, Resource, and Environment streams.
Mixed Authentication Architecture
An ourstanding feature allows different content sections within the same page to have varying access levels—public content for SEO visibility alongside members-only material. This approach attracts new subscribers while protecting premium content through:
- SSO integration with iMIS for member authentication
- ENTRA SSO for staff access to Kentico Admin
- IP range-based access for university subscribers
Accelerated Development Through Leaping Llama
DDSN's pre-built accelerator provided enterprise-grade starting points for membership functionality, SSO integration, and content management, allowing the team to focus on custom requirements rather than foundational architecture.
Comprehensive Content Migration
Content from the legacy platform was exported, refined, and imported into Kentico's Content Hub, creating a structured library of reusable content fields and images that streamline ongoing updates.
Distributed Publishing at Scale
Multiple content authors contribute practice notes and updates, managed by a central publishing team maintaining quality standards. The lightning-fast Kentico Admin UI enabled thorough review of all 1,200 pages during the compressed migration timeline.
Advanced Content Curation
DDSN's compilation widget system enables unlimited feed configurations with filtering dropdowns, display limits, "Recently Viewed," and "Most Popular" features. In addition - search is enhanced with category tabs and filters based on flexible tags in addition to the regular relevance.
Try the advanced search capability
User-Centred Design Excellence
The 2025 redesign achieved AA accessibility compliance across all web pages, online content, and digital forms. The custom expandable submenu allows practitioners to navigate the extensive content library efficiently, with expanded sections remaining open during exploration.
The unified visual design now matches the Institute's main marketing site and member portal, providing architects with a consistent user experience across all Institute digital properties.
DDSN Services in this Project
- Digital strategy and project management
- Kentico platform implementation
- Custom authentication architecture
- Visual and interaction design
- Content migration and structuring
- Systems integration (iMIS, ENTRA)
- Ongoing maintenance, monthly application of Kentico Refreshes and quarterly feature enhancements from Leaping Llama
Key Features
- Mixed Authentication System - Public and member-only content on the same pages for optimal SEO and member value
- SSO Integration - Seamless member access via iMIS and staff access via ENTRA
- Content Hub - Centralised management of reusable content and digital assets
- Compilation Widgets - Flexible content feeds with extensive customisation options
- Downloadable Resources - ABIC reference contracts, Client Architect Agreements, guide letters
- Accessible Design - WCAG 2.1 AA compliance across all pages and forms
- Expandable Navigation - Custom submenu system for exploring the extensive practice library
- Advanced Search - Filterable results by category and tag refinement
Project Results
Five-week delivery timeline from kickoff to launch for a 1,200-page site—demonstrating exceptional project execution through advanced accelerator technology and coordinated team effort.
Client Testimonial
Not many teams could have delivered this project in this timeframe to this level of quality. Our team is impressed.
— Steven Gordon-Saker, IT Support Manager, Australian Institute of Architects
Continuous Innovation by DDSN
DDSN updates Leaping Llama quarterly with new features built across all customer projects. Every custom development becomes part of the accelerator product, ensuring clients continuously benefit from innovations developed throughout DDSN's customer base—alongside Kentico's monthly platform updates.
The Australian Institute of Architects continues expanding Acumen's value through the modern & efficient admin interface.
Find out more about Leaping Llama Accelerator for Xperience by Kentico