HEALTH RESEARCH BOARD
Transforming Ireland’s health research portal
The Health Research Board (HRB) partnered with Matrix Internet to deliver a world-class digital platform that simplifies access to vital research. Our work centred on UX clarity, accessibility, content strategy and future-ready architecture.
THE BRIEF
Better serve its public mission
As Ireland’s national reference point for medical and social research, HRB.ie is a critical platform for policymakers, researchers and the wider public. It has over 10,000 research publications and funding records across areas such as mental health, alcohol, disability and drugs. The HRB’s role is central to Ireland’s 2025 health strategy, so the site needed to evolve, to reflect modern expectations and better serve its public mission.
The existing platform had reached its limit. Navigation was difficult, the donation funnel was outdated, and the site had no archive framework, so older but still vital research was harder to find. Many accessibility requirements and SEO standards were not being met, and content updates were time-consuming for internal teams. Most critically, users struggled to find information.
Project overview
The HRB commissioned Matrix Internet as sole supplier, delivering UX, technical development, accessibility, SEO, hosting and long-term support. A core challenge was migrating over a decade of critical content — preserving it while vastly improving usability and discoverability.
We conducted UX and analytics audits, restructured the site architecture, and redesigned the homepage as a gateway to key user journeys. A new archive system is also being developed to keep legacy research accessible. Enhanced search, a mega menu and intuitive filters now help users find information faster.
Brand integrity was handled with care, balancing authority with modern accessibility. Our design team worked closely to align with HRB brand guidelines, reinforcing trust through consistent visuals, hierarchy and tone.
Matrix also delivered a hands-on content strategy workshop focused on clarity, accessibility and voice. Real-world editing exercises and training empowered HRB’s internal team to simplify complex material and maintain quality site-wide.
Key features
By collaborating closely with HRB’s internal teams, we ensured long-term sustainability, supporting content governance, training, and future-proofing infrastructure. The project continues under a long-term technical support, cybersecurity and performance-monitoring SLA.
Fully Responsive
A fully responsive platform optimised for all devices, meeting WCAG AA standards
User-friendly navigation
Homepage and navigation restructured to prioritise key user journeys, supported by a streamlined mega menu, logical content hierarchy and intuitive filters
Improved IA
Enhanced grants and publication hubs with improved structure, browsing and filtering. Publications area restructured with improved filters, search, and a new automated archive system to surface older material while preserving site performance.
Content strategy
Migration of hundreds of content pages, publications, blogs, grants and author profiles — restructured and rewritten using best practices in content strategy, SEO and UX
Subscription system
Bespoke subscription system enabling users to receive targeted updates by content category, including grants, publications, news and newsletters
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