Bose
Front‑end development for Bose's accessible Product Support platform, using Mustache, AEM, Khoros Communities, and Storybook to help customers self‑support through manuals, guides, troubleshooting, and community content.
In Detail
Bose introduced the Product Support Portal to give customers a more direct route to support, whilst reducing strain on their customer service team. The intention was to help customers resolve simple product issues themselves, using support content, documentation, and community knowledge.
Following stringent brand guidelines, we developed a component library using Mustache, Less, Modernizr, and Storybook. Some of these components were then shared with a third‑party supplier for integration into the community forum platform, whilst the rest were built into a standalone section of the Bose website, integrated with AEM. That section provided a web‑based interface for manuals and troubleshooting across hundreds of products, including historic products going back over a decade.
In order to reach as many people as possible, accessibility and fast loading were central to the work. At launch, the average page load was a little over one second, using modularised and lazy‑loading techniques, and the site achieved AAA accessibility conformance. The website now receives over 250,000 visitors a month, and the forums often see post counts in the 10,000‑plus range each day.
Homepage
The main, content‑managed landing page for Product Support. From here, visitors can access the right support route, including direct Customer Support, categorised Product Details Pages, and the Community forums.
Community Homepage
The community pages combine direct manufacturer support with community forums. From here, visitors can troubleshoot any issue they may be having with a product, download product manuals, or visit the forum for peer support, where customers discuss solutions they have found themselves.
Product Details Page
Using the main Bose product catalogue, Product Support PDPs are populated automatically with product details and imagery. From these pages, users can access PDF user manuals and guides, troubleshoot issues, watch videos, view compatible accessories, and contact support for servicing if they still need it.
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I worked with John Kavanagh on a high profile fast paced project. John always approached the work with fresh eyes and enthusiasm. He was always seeking to improve his work in the face of a daily changing spec. Generally a great person to have on your team."
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John Kavanagh is an experienced and highly skilled front‑end developer with a meticulous eye for details. He is the right combination of analytically thorough and communicative ‑‑ keeping the team informed of potential risks and problems earlier than most as he is able to visualize the full ramifications of processes put before him. As an added bonus, John is fun to work with and I have enjoyed my time working with him."
