Launching a Literary Prize That Needed to Feel Like It Had Always Existed
A brand-new prize that needed to look established
The Parr Shakespeare Prize was a well-funded, credibility-backed new award.
The brief was clear: build something that felt like the prize had existed for decades.
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01No existing brand assets for the webThe prize had a name and a concept but no logo system, colour palette, or digital design language to work from.
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02Hard deadline with no flexibilityThe launch date was set around a public announcement tied to external stakeholders. Six weeks was the window — no extensions.
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03Entry process needed to be frictionlessWriters needed to submit entries easily on any device. Complexity in the submission flow would reduce quality entries.
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04Dual audience: entrants and judgesThe site needed to serve two very different user types — writers looking to enter, and judges and press looking for institutional credibility.
Four decisions that defined the build
We ran a compressed discovery sprint in the first week — not to slow things down, but to make sure every design decision had a reason behind it.
Literary aesthetic — not corporate, not trendy
We developed a typographic hierarchy rooted in editorial publishing: serif headlines, generous white space, restrained use of colour. Every style decision was tested against the question: would a literary judge trust this?
Entry flow designed for writers, not admins
We mapped the submission journey end-to-end before writing any copy. The entry form was built in stages to reduce cognitive load — writer details, piece details, file upload, confirmation. Tested on mobile from day one.
WordPress built for a non-technical team
The prize organisers needed to update content themselves — announce winners, publish judge bios, post news updates — without touching code. We built a structured custom post type system that made every update straightforward.
Fast, accessible, and launch-ready
Every page was tested against Core Web Vitals before delivery. Images optimised and lazy-loaded. WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance checked across the entry flow. The site scored 94+ on Lighthouse on launch day.
Launched on schedule. Performed beyond expectations.
These numbers were tracked over the first twelve months following public launch.
6 weeks, 4 phases
Compressed timelines require clear decision-making authority and no hand-offs between stakeholders that create bottlenecks.
Technologies
& Tools
WordPress was the right choice here — the team needed to manage content independently from day one, and the entry form requirements suited Gravity Forms well.
Working with Mr. Samowal and his team at Devvista to develop the website has been productive and a pleasure. The quality of work delivered is everything I am accustomed to in my Wall Street career — first-rate, professional, and highly responsive.
Building something that needs to make an impression from day one?
Tight deadlines, high-stakes launches, and brand-new digital presences — this is exactly the kind of work we do best.