Overview
UTT Outreach is the Industry Relations Unit of the University of Trinidad and Tobago, responsible for delivering professional education programs and supporting initiatives related to Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (REEE).
The unit operates programs that serve a broad audience ranging from young students to industry professionals, helping to raise awareness about sustainable energy and develop practical skills in the sector.
The website was redesigned to support a major Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency initiative, providing a centralized platform for program information, outreach activities, and professional training courses.
The Problem
Prior to the redesign, the platform was not optimized for managing outreach programs and educational content in an efficient and scalable way.
The unit needed a platform capable of supporting:
- information about renewable energy initiatives
- community outreach updates and program documentation
- professional education courses
- structured learning experiences for multiple user groups
Additionally, many course-related interactions were handled manually through email, which created inefficiencies in managing students, instructors, and course materials.
The platform needed to evolve into a centralized digital hub for outreach and education activities.
My Role
I was responsible for redesigning and restructuring the platform while managing the system that supports online courses.
My responsibilities included:
- website redesign and UX improvements
- Odoo website configuration and optimization
- information architecture for outreach initiatives
- development of professional course structures
- creation of course shells and learning environments
- content organization for educational materials
- user management for students and instructors
- permission and access control configuration
The goal was to create a system that could handle both public outreach information and structured online learning.
Approach
The redesign focused on transforming the platform into a multi-purpose educational and outreach portal.
The structure needed to support several different audiences:
- children and young students learning about renewable energy
- schools participating in outreach initiatives
- professionals seeking formal training courses
- administrators managing programs and content
To support this, the website was redesigned to prioritize:
- easy discovery of programs and courses
- clear navigation for schools and educators
- engaging visual presentation for younger audiences
- structured access for course participants
The design incorporates vibrant visuals and simplified navigation to ensure the platform remains approachable for both children and professionals.
Implementation
The platform was built using Odoo, which was already integrated within the university's systems.
Odoo provides a powerful framework for managing online learning and permission-based access to course content.
I reconfigured the system to improve efficiency and support the unit's educational goals.
Key implementation elements included:
- restructuring the website layout and navigation
- configuring Odoo's learning management capabilities
- creating course shells for multiple training programs
- managing course enrollments and instructor roles
- implementing access control systems for course materials
- centralizing outreach program information on the website
This allowed the platform to function both as a public outreach website and a learning management environment.
Key Features
The redesigned platform introduced several important capabilities:
- centralized information about renewable energy initiatives
- program and community outreach documentation
- professional courses for multiple education levels
- structured course enrollment and instructor management
- controlled access to course materials
- vibrant and accessible interface for younger audiences
- simplified content management for administrators
The site now acts as both a communication platform and an education delivery system.
Challenges
One of the most complex challenges involved managing relationships between courses, instructors, and participants while maintaining strict permission controls.
Courses required different levels of access depending on user roles, which meant the system needed to carefully manage:
- course enrollment
- instructor permissions
- restricted learning materials
- public versus private content
Another challenge involved designing an interface that could accommodate audiences ranging from children learning basic energy concepts to professionals pursuing industry training.
Balancing these different audiences required thoughtful navigation structure and visual design choices.
Outcome
Following the redesign, the platform became a far more effective tool for the unit's outreach and educational activities.
Key improvements included:
- increased number of courses operating through the platform
- easier course management for administrators
- centralized hosting of course content and program materials
- reduced reliance on email for distributing learning resources
- improved visibility for renewable energy initiatives
The platform now serves as a central hub for outreach programs, professional education, and renewable energy awareness initiatives.
