My early thoughts on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on design came from seeing the AI features roll out in Figma. It suddenly felt like everyone was either panicking about the future or claiming it was the answer to everything. Neither felt right to me. The way I see it, it's just another tool to help us work better. But like any tool, it needs someone who knows what they're doing to make it work properly.

AI is a tool, not a shortcut to good design. The real value isn't in the tool itself, but in knowing when and how to use it. That comes from experience - from seeing patterns, making mistakes, and learning what actually works.

Think about it: every design challenge you've faced, every client curveball you've handled, every project that's gone sideways, these aren't just war stories, they're what help you spot patterns and understand what solutions actually work. AI can generate options, but it can't tell you which one solves the real problem. That comes from putting in the hours, making the mistakes, and learning how to find creative solutions to real-world problems.

When you've dealt with enough projects, you develop an instinct for what works. You know why certain approaches fail and others succeed. This is what makes AI actually valuable - not as a replacement for thinking, but as a way to get to solutions faster once you know what you're looking for.

During a recent project, while rebuilding components we'd made countless times before, I realised something had to give. Clients want faster results and more time spent solving their actual problems, and quite simply too much of my time was being sucked into repetitive tasks.

Now my day looks different, and AI is a big part of that. In workshops, I'm properly present. No more splitting attention between listening and taking notes - AI transcription handles that. When we need to prototype quickly, tools like v0.dev (an AI-powered tool that generates React components from natural language descriptions) help us get working components in front of clients faster.

Here's what concerns me. When you can generate decent-looking components in seconds, it's tempting to skip learning the fundamentals. But AI is essentially recycling what already exists - it's not teaching you why certain design decisions work.

Without understanding these core principles, you risk creating solutions that look good superficially but miss your client's deeper needs. This often leads to multiple redesigns and extended timelines. While AI is a powerful tool, it can't replace the insights that come from understanding design fundamentals and real-world problem solving.

Experience gives you an edge with AI. You're not using it to figure out what to do, you're using it to speed up processes you've already mastered. When you have experience you know:

How to adapt AI outputs for real user needs

When to use AI and when to do things manually

The best bit? I can spend more time on the parts of design that matter - solving complex problems and crafting user experiences that just make sense.

The fundamentals of good design will continue to remain constant. That is:

The future of design isn't about AI replacing designers. It's about designers who understand AI working alongside those who don't. Your experience and understanding of core design principles will always be your greatest asset - AI just helps you apply that knowledge more efficiently.

If you have the experience, don't dismiss AI as something just for new designers. Your knowledge makes you better equipped to use it properly. And if you're new? Learn the fundamentals first. Get the experience.

Understanding user needs through real research, making data-driven decisions, solving client problems, and developing strong communication skills will always be essential - these are what make a great designer.

The tools will always change, but good design principles endure. AI is just another tool. A powerful one, but still just a tool.

AI in design: Experience is the real advantage

From Wordpress to headless CMS, the world of content management systems (CMSs) has quite literally transformed in recent years. While there remains a place for the tried and true solutions, we’re all for seeing what the latest technology can bring, especially as new features and solutions offer the opportunity to empower our developers like never before.

That leads us to Sanity CMS. Do you want composability? You’ve got it. Customisation? No problem. AI innovation? Coming right up. Driven by the need to deliver excellent and multi-platform customer experiences, this headless CMS has quickly become a favourite of the Voyage team, featuring in some of our most impressive projects (if we don’t say so ourselves).

We’ve covered all of the ins and outs of headless CMSs in our previous blog post, but to summarise, a headless CMS differs from traditional systems by decoupling the backend (where we manage our content) from the frontend (where we present said, hopefully beautiful, content).

This separation allows developers to deliver content across multiple platforms and devices, providing much greater flexibility and scalability, which comes into play for a whole range of use cases.

We like headless CMS solutions because they allow us to more easily distribute content across an array of platforms, enhance performance and function of the final product - be that an app or website - through content optimisation, and it gives our developers much more freedom where templates and constraints can be happily tossed aside.

Known for its real-time capabilities, flexible content structure and the ability to build custom content workflows, Sanity isn’t just a favourite with Voyage, it’s become a known name among modern development teams. And for good reason.

Sanity stands out with a range of impressive features. One is real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to edit content simultaneously and see updates instantly - an invaluable feature for teams working in sync, or in our case when we’ve collaborated with other agencies and experts.

Another feature is its use of GROQ, the query language specifically for Sanity, that when coupled with a hardy API makes for efficient management and retrieval of structured content. This goes a long way in making sure data remains organised and accessible. Speaking to the flexibility of the solution, custom workflows allow our developers to tailor content processes to fit whatever our client needs, and can be adapted as required.

What’s more, Sanity’s flexibility and real-time editing capabilities are massive for our team, helping to simplify content creation and collaboration across the board. The solution’s strong API and developer-friendly tools integrate well with our existing workflows and tech stack, meaning we can build and extend value without constraints.

And finally, Sanity’s scalable architecture ensures high-performance content delivery, capable of meeting the evolving demands of our clients and projects alike. These combined features make Sanity CMS not just a tool, but a strategic asset in delivering exceptional digital experiences every time.

Continual innovation to move with the times

The Sanity team is also known to move at pace to bring new tech to their users. Two excellent examples of this are the more recently released Visual Editing tool and AI Assist.

While we’ve all heard the term ‘game-changer’ bandied about to describe any new product release, I truly believe the features and enhancements Sanity is releasing are, quite literally, game-changers.

As described by Sanity, “Visual Editing is an umbrella term that Sanity uses for the different features that make it possible for content creators to work with content in the context of a visual presentation.”

This includes global preview, with immediate visual feedback when changes are made, overlays, with clickable visual indicators to get you where you need to go fast, and the Presentation tool that brings content previews and click-to-edit into the editing environment to simplify working between modes. At a high-level, these features make working on development and content more seamless than ever.

Sanity AI Assist is designed to help our teams in automating content creation, and opens up whole new areas for how we can use content to connect with users and stakeholders. Common tasks can be easily automated with simple, repeatable prompts that are simple enough even non-developers can get high quality results. Examples of what AI Assist can do include language translations, SEO and search visibility optimisation, A/B testing and personalisation enhancements, imagery generation, and more.

 (MGH), have both been built on Sanity and are powerful examples of what makes the solution so good.

The Kete Education Hub is an online platform tailored to educators throughout New Zealand. Powered by Sanity, this initiative delivers a comprehensive array of resources, tools, and interactive elements to educators regardless of their location.

Built from the ground up with Sanity as the CMS backbone, the platform features a streamlined one-click login for visitors, allowing them to access and save resources conveniently through personalised profiles. Navigation is seamless, offering intuitive search functionalities by topic and age group.

Backend management is also streamlined to make sure the Netsafe team can easily upload and modify content, while the final design reflects the organisation’s re-brand with a sleek and inviting interface.

As the largest privately owned home-building company, Mike Greer Homes approached Voyage with a vision to improve their web presence, aligning it with their well-known brand. The resulting Sanity-powered website rebuild delivered a fully customised and feature-rich platform that allows the MGH team to focus on their first area of expertise: homes.

The backend is robust yet user-friendly, facilitating simple content management and updates. The design maintains MGH’s brand identity while infusing a modern and welcoming aesthetic, enhancing user engagement and navigation. Search functionalities are tailored to location preferences to optimise user experience and help visitors find relevant information.

Leveraging Sanity’s API-based architecture enables extensive customisation and efficient content modelling. With scalability in mind, the backend remains agile, allowing ongoing adjustments and expansions as MGH continues to grow and evolve in the housing market.

Looking ahead, the future of headless CMS appears promising. As Sanity continually improves its capabilities, introducing new features to cater to the ever-changing needs of the digital world, there are a few changes we see on the horizon. For one, I anticipate the team will continue to explore integrations with emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning, for richer content delivery and detail-oriented, hyper-personalised user experiences.

As Magnus Hillestad, co-founder and CEO of Sanity, himself attests to, Sanity is all about building a solution that genuinely speaks to both the pain points and incredible opportunities available when building content-driven web experiences.

At Sanity, we believe that the rigid and tangled web of CMSes today will yield to more elegant, developer-friendly ways to ship innovative experiences fast. Our ability to act quickly, tune in to our audiences, and create repeatable systems that serve users requires a new era of unity across departments. Starting down the path of practicing Structured Content, treating content as data, and building highly interoperable, composable systems requires strategic focus. But getting started is half the battle. It's time to put strategy into action, and go faster.
- Magnus Hillestad, co-founder and CEO of Sanity

No matter your preference of CMS, Voyage is here to step in as your partner in any digital transformation project. 

Sanity CMS in action

Sanity CMS in action: Real projects, real results

Headless CMS is marking a new era for every industry that deals with digital content. In fact, it's reportedly faster and easier to adopt than leaders even expected, and is now said to represent the future of content management.

Already it’s proving to help businesses across a variety of industries to deliver superior omnichannel experiences, make websites more automated and scalable, and make backend management far simpler.

The inception of CMS for online experiences

A good CMS is paramount for brand and budget management. Generally speaking, more than 33% of a marketing budget is utilised for technology, and of this 28% goes towards infrastructures such as CMS and WCMS. (Gartner) This investment has also shown to improve success in terms of customer retention and revenue.

Wordpress has long dominated the CMS market, which is expected to be valued at US$116.2 billion by 2025, generating around $123.5 billion by 2026. (WPBeginner) However, as the market flourishes, the long held leader of the pack isn't always able to deliver on mounting growth and greater, simpler functionality.

Often businesses or organisations come to us to help close the gap on technology, bringing what they need together with the systems and solutions that will deliver in kind. Through several iterations of different projects and use cases, we’ve found headless CMS is a standout resource we can draw on to simplify the backend of a website or platform while also delivering exceptional user experiences.

Enter headless CMS, the future of web and mobile

Simply put, headless CMS is a content management system that separates out the frontend and the backend, meaning where the content is presented and where it’s managed. In this way, users can manage content in one place and deploy it anywhere they choose, adapted for any device.

From a content manager’s perspective, this makes it much easier to get the most out of content, and from a developer’s perspective it makes it easier to build, automate changes and manage digitisation of a web experience or platform.

With a regular CMS, the content, images, HTML and CSS are interlinked with the code, making it impossible to separate and, as a result, use independently. If a regular CMS is a fully recorded track, a headless CMS is a live performance, with the content manager the conductor of each instrument, orchestrating content across various platforms with finesse and precision.

Some real-world use cases of headless CMS

A few of our most used headless CMSs are Sanity, Contentful, Strapi and Dato. It’s important to note that not all options are the same, with each one offering its own unique collection of features and functionality. It can be helpful to understand this in a real world setting.

, for instance. Collaborating with other agencies (notably Maker.Tech - the Contentful partner), we utilised this CMS's easy implementation and emphasis on a content-first, multi-brand and omnichannel approach. Contentful proved powerful when working with a large ecosystem across multiple sites.

, when we were tasked with working with a large quantity of client and customer provided video. Stapi allowed us to build frameworks to manage content and distribute it from any device and platform.

Dato is an excellent example of a headless CMS that can be used across mobile as web experiences. With our work for 

, Dato enabled us to create online content at scale and deliver reliable app experiences that are also easy for the client to continue to manage.

Sanity is another top choice for us when it comes to headless CMSs. Our Sanity use cases range from improving educational resources with (

) to bringing the real estate industry into the digital age (

The benefits of a flexible and scalable system

Whether it's a website, mobile app, IoT device, or digital billboard, headless CMS enables content to be delivered consistently and efficiently across any platform. This not only enhances the user experience but also future proofs a content strategy, making sure it remains relevant even as our digital platforms evolve.

Another key advantage, as shown in our case studies, is flexibility and customisation capabilities. With traditional CMS platforms, developers are often constrained by pre-built templates and themes. With headless CMSs, developers have complete control over the frontend presentation, allowing for highly customised and unique experiences.

This flexibility also extends to the development process, allowing teams to work in parallel and iterate quickly without being tied to a specific technology stack. In fact, headless CMS can reduce development tickets by 40% to free up developers, and make content updates up to 30 times faster. (Contentstack) This is huge when collaborating with another agencies on the same project.

Overall, any project that requires dynamic, personalised, and multi-channel content delivery can benefit from a headless CMS.

A paradigm shift for exceptional digitisation

Headless CMS isn’t just a new tool, it’s a shift towards more powerful, flexible content management that lets developers and content creators deliver richer, more engaging digital experiences.

It’s about setting up for future success, ensuring that your content adapts seamlessly to new channels and innovations. If you’re looking to elevate your next digital project, consider diving into the world of headless CMS.

In the meantime, discover more about the world of Sanity in our next blog.

And to get your headless CMS project underway, 

why-we-use-headless-cms

A new era of content management: Why we use headless CMS

Are you curious about what transforms a good website into a great one? The answer often lies in the unsung hero of the Content Management System (CMS).

In our previous blog, we explored the different types of CMSs and their unique strengths. Now, we’re honing in on one CMS in particular: Silverstripe. Here we’ll uncover what sets Silverstripe apart, explore its key features and benefits, and share a few of our success stories.

A go-to choice born out of NZ’s capital city

Silverstripe was born in Wellington, New Zealand, when the three founders dreamed up the original concept in a tech incubator in 2000. Fast forward two decades, the three founders remain in the company as Directors and Silverstripe has become a known choice for companies public, private and not-for-profit.

In fact, the CMS became popular through widespread use in New Zealand’s public sector, as more Government websites adopted Silverstripe as a standard. At Voyage we quickly established ourselves as Silverstripe experts, offering insight and development partnership for many Govt projects.

Simply put, the solution is an open-source web CMS that combines an intuitive interface for content editors with a robust and flexible framework for developers. Silverstripe offers excellent versatility for a wide range of web projects. Whether you're building a simple website or a complex, dynamic web application, Silverstripe equips users with the tools to create engaging and high-performing digital experiences.

Supporting both content creators and developers

Silverstripe stands out for its flexibility that allows developers to customise and extend the platform to meet specific project requirements, supporting bespoke solutions tailored to unique business needs.

For content creators, Silverstripe offers a user-friendly interface, making the process of updating and managing content straightforward, without requiring technical expertise.

Security is an ongoing priority, and Silverstripe incorporates specific features to protect against common vulnerabilities and threats. Additionally, Silverstripe boasts an extensive developer community that contributes to its continuous improvement and provides support, making sure users have access to the latest enhancements and best practices.

One of the main reasons we use Silverstripe is its flexibility. Whether it's a simple website or a complex web application, Silverstripe’s modular architecture allows us to build customised solutions that fit our clients’ exact needs. The framework is built on PHP, providing a familiar environment for our development team to work effectively.

Silverstripe’s active developer community is another significant advantage. This community not only drives innovation within the platform but also offers extensive support through forums, documentation, and regular updates. Being part of this community helps us keep up with the latest features and best practices, which translates to better service for our clients.

Both news headlines and anecdotes we hear all the time emphasise the same point: security is increasingly paramount. Silverstripe’s built-in security features provide a solid foundation for building secure websites. Regular security audits and updates ensure that the CMS remains resilient against new and emerging threats, while the user authentication and permissions features help to protect against human error.

Love Better was another NZ Government project, this time completed in collaboration with Not Another agency and for the Ministry of Social Development’s campaign designed to support healthier love and relationships for our country’s youth.

As the MSD team attested to, encouraging young people to have healthy intimate relationships can have a far-reaching positive impact. It can lead to happier adults and give our up-and-coming generations the best foot forward. The website speaks directly to its target demographic with a robust backend that champions security and privacy, and a user-centric frontend complete with interactive elements.

The New Zealand Defence Force site rebuild and refresh involved a complex IA, with hundreds of pages of content to be added to the site. We provided full stack development for the CWP SilverStripe build to achieve the end result. The final refresh emphasises user experience, search functionality and innovative design elements to share important information in a clear and engaging way.

With a swift turnaround of eight weeks from conception to delivery, we used our Silverstripe expertise to stand up a complete site for Te Pūkenga, New Zealand's largest tertiary education provider. We were able to reskin an existing build with a refreshed and minimalist look, applying a clean green and grey colour palette, modern font types and a simplified UX/UI.

Another education client, Otago Polytechnic chose Voyage to rebuild their website prior to sit alongside Te Pūkenga. Voyage recommended that Otago Polytechnic create a new SilverStripe website, leveraging the internal knowledge of the Otago Polytechnic developers and Voyage's experience with creating modern component design focused sites.

This maximised our client’s budget while leveraging Voyages exposure to a wide gamut of SilverStripe site development, including a focus on performant and accessible web applications.

What we bring to you as a Silverstripe Partner

Being a Silverstripe partner speaks to the incredible depth and breadth of our in-house experience. In another life, over a decade ago, I worked for Silverstripe as an intern designer before moving into the development team. This gave me a great foundation to understand the origins of the technology and how it functions. Keeping pace with the evolution of the solution and onboarding more of our team to the ins and outs of the technology means we can now provide our clients with the best Silverstripe CMS product can offer.

As a Silverstripe partner we have access to the latest updates and features, priority support, and the assurance that client projects are being handled by certified experts. This relationship enables us to deliver innovative, secure, and scalable solutions that meet the evolving needs of our clients.

Even as more options become available to us (including headless CMS) Silverstripe continues to offer a versatile, secure and community-supported CMS. These factors make it a great choice for a wide range of web projects, and with our partnership our clients can rest assured we can deliver value for any Silverstripe investment.

Stay tuned for our next blog post, all about the new kid on the block - headless CMS.

If you’re looking for Silverstripe support we’re here to help - 

How we create winning websites with Silverstripe

The Silverstripe edge: How we create winning websites 

When it comes to creating digital experiences by the sheer fact we want the end result to be completely effortless there can be a lot that remains unseen, tucked away behind the curtain while the finished project shines in the spotlight.

This blog series on CMS is both an homage to the technological solutions that make it possible to do what we do, and an effort to lift the curtain on what makes a great web experience. We’ll also share why we choose specific solutions for different projects, and why it’s important to match the technology with the outcome.

What is a Content Management System (CMS)?

Let’s start at the beginning. A Content Management System (CMS) is essentially the backbone of a website. It’s a software application that lets users create, edit, manage, and publish content without the usual load of manual coding.

With additional features offered according to the services provider, at its core a good CMS will help both our internal developers and our clients. From our end, we can achieve more with less, extending benefits to our clients - including making it easier to create, edit, organise and publish content on a site.

In turn, this can greatly improve how simple it is to keep websites fresh, improve user engagement, drive SEO and establish a strong brand reputation. Not to mention, our client can respond quickly to market changes and customer needs, updating content on the fly - even if there isn’t a coder in sight.

Defining the main types of CMS, and finding what works

There are different types of CMS solutions available - each with its own strengths and suited to specific needs or preferences. The ones we’re looking at here are traditional, headless and decoupled CMSs.

Traditional CMSs are like the Swiss Army knives of content management. They integrate backend content management with frontend display, offering an all-in-one solution. A good example of a traditional CMS is Wordpress, or Silverstripe, a lesser-known gem that provides a flexible, developer-friendly environment.

This type of CMS simplifies the process of building and managing websites by combining content creation, storage, and presentation within a single system. (Explore more about Silverstripe in the next blog in this series.)

Headless CMSs take a different approach by separating backend content management from frontend presentation. This allows users to utilise any technology to design the frontend, while the CMS delivers content via APIs.

Sanity is known for its real-time collaboration and flexible content modelling, making it a favourite among developers. (Sanity features in the last blog of this series.) Another popular choice for enterprises is Contentful, which offers a powerful API and robust content infrastructure. This flexibility makes headless CMSs ideal for delivering content across multiple platforms and devices.

Decoupled CMSs, also known as hybrid CMSs, offer the best of both worlds. They provide a traditional CMS interface for content management but deliver content through APIs, similar to headless CMSs. Essentially, a decoupled CMS maintains the familiar backend content management capabilities while enabling a headless approach for the frontend.

An example of this is using Silverstripe or Drupal with a decoupled frontend, where Silverstripe handles content management and delivers it to various frontend frameworks. With a single backend for both the CMS and any additional backend tasks, be that form submissions, search and more, Silverstripe allows for greater flexibility and ease of use.

This approach allows for flexibility and customisation in how content is presented to users - a big win when working across different browsers and devices.

So, how do you pick the right CMS? It all boils down to your specific needs and the factors that matter most to you.

Scalability: Can the CMS handle your website’s growth and increased traffic?

Flexibility: Does it allow customisation and integration with other tools?

Ease of use: Is the interface user-friendly enough for your team?

Pricing: What will you pay in the long run, considering licensing fees, hosting and the cost of maintenance for developers?

Making the most of your vision with expert direction

Choosing the right CMS isn't just a technical decision, it's a pivotal choice that shapes the future of your website's performance and user experience. By exploring the different types of CMS and their unique advantages, or teaming up with the experts (that’s us) you're better equipped to make a choice that aligns perfectly with your specific needs.

Whether you’re drawn to the all-in-one nature of traditional CMSs, the flexibility of headless CMSs, or the hybrid approach of decoupled CMSs, the right tool is waiting for you.

Want more? Our next blog post uncovers the unique features and benefits of Silverstripe CMS.

An abstract, three-dimensional composition created with light green rectangular blocks against a deep purple background.

Mastering web content: A dive into traditional, headless, and decoupled Content Management Systems

When we found out Voyage was nominated for a Best Places to Work Award for Diversity, it naturally sparked thoughts about what it means to build a diverse team, to the extent that we’re recognised for it.

It’s an undeniably important and interesting conversation, and one that has proliferated throughout businesses around the country and the globe in recent years. My perspective is that with a strong foundation it can be simple.

New Zealand is diverse, so if we hire on the basis of skill and someone who will mesh with the team, if we meet everyone on a human-to-human basis and make them feel welcome, and know our underlying values, our businesses will naturally reflect the population. I’m proud to say the Voyage team is a testimony to this.

Considering the context - do our workplaces reflect our population?

If anything, New Zealand is becoming more diverse. To take ethnicity as one example, economist projections find that by 2043 Aotearoa will be home to just over six million people, with more than a quarter of our population Asian, 21% Māori, and 11% Pacific. (

) While a lot of this diversity comes from migration, and that centres around Auckland, all regions of New Zealand are expected to become more ethnically diverse over time.

 defines diversity as gender, LGBTQ+, age, socio-economic background, neurodiversity, disability, migrant status and faith or religion. I understand the need to create definitions to ignite important conversations, but for me diversity is also about aspects of ourselves that are more difficult to categorise. It’s about people who are parents or have never had kids, people who were pilots or nurses turned developers, people with years’ of experience or none at all, those who are more quiet or loud, those who grew up in the country or a big city, are from big or small families, and the list goes on.

, the recruitment company, has shared, diverse teams can mean many benefits for a business including greater financial performance and the ability to attract and keep the best people. I’ve seen first-hand that when we can bring together different schools of thought we’re more likely to inspire creativity or innovation, the ability to come together during unexpected situations - be that global lockdowns or a seemingly impossible deadline, and the ability to be open to different points of view for a stronger team overall. Essentially, when our teams are made up of diverse characters that are all there to do great work, we thrive.

When I think about diversity and Voyage, it’s more about the environment we’ve created that encourages diversity to grow. If we create that environment where any and everyone is welcome, then naturally diversity occurs as it should. What I'm proud of is that for us its not just the ‘box ticking’ of diversity we’re interested in, it’s about all of our differences. I love the quote by Jesse Jackson, "When everyone is included, everyone wins." That sums it up for me.


- Shannon Holmes, General Manager, Voyage

The values of a business or organisation are often reflected in their hiring process. Larger organisations may have to implement systems and checklists to account for cognitive biases or to improve variety in perspectives. They’re often trying to formulate the process so it can be repeated by different people and still realise chosen goals. At Voyage, being small but mighty, with a clear set of values, has served us well and means we can really do things on our own terms.

When we’re hiring a new person for the team, for instance, we keep the conversation grounded in what life would be like at Voyage. Of course the hiring process is important for both parties, but we’ve found the best way to get to know someone is to talk to them, and be as open as possible. Wherever we can, we also include other people in the team, so the new hire has a chance to know our values through different areas of the business and different characters.

It’s a very down to earth approach and it makes it very clear when someone will mesh with the group. Without any need for quotas it’s naturally happened that the majority of our developers are women, and that our team is made up of a wide variety of backgrounds, characteristics and interests. It’s clear that this diversity, underpinned by the desire to deliver great work, makes for a stronger team.

What we strive to impart right from that first conversation, and one of the things I’m most proud of at Voyage, is that we’ve created an environment where everyone is welcome. In my view, this encourages diversity and a place people want to show up to more than anything else. I’m sure people can feel that sincerity, and that’s what has led to an amazing - and diverse - group. When everyone feels they can bring their whole selves to work, they’re more likely to show up and share ideas, which leads to greater enjoyment in the work itself and better outcomes for our clients too.

At Voyage I hope we can always celebrate our differences, our wins and share a sense of humour. By nurturing an inclusive culture, we’re always striving to ensure diversity isn’t just a concept but a lived experience that drives us forward.

The final results for the Best Places to Work awards will be announced at the ceremony on September 25th in Auckland.

Left image; photo of developer working. Center image; team celebrating at a Vineyard. Right image; Voyage sign

Fostering genuine diversity in a small but mighty digital agency

Careers are as diverse as we are, and these days it’s not uncommon to hear a story of a zig-zagging career path that takes unexpected twists and turns, but also has common threads running throughout.

Globally, non-linear career journeys are more common than ever, with analysts at Gartner finding 56% of employees are now applying for jobs outside of their current area of expertise, and this number only expected to grow.

Back in Christchurch, this trend rings true for a recent addition to the Voyage team, Sally Wright, commercial pilot turned full-stack developer. With our economy and digital industries in flux, at the end of last year Sally made a brave and surprisingly sensical career change that continues to serve her as a professional and a Mum.

Swapping a pilot’s chair for lines of code

Sally’s time as an airline pilot lasted a good 14 years before naturally coming to a halt when two young children and overnight flights simply didn’t mix anymore. When her youngest was born, Sally hung up her pilot’s hat and took a break from the working world to be with her kids.

About seven years later, the time came to re-enter the workforce, and the tech industry presented itself as an open door. Sparked by a tech-related paper completed during her aviation studies that was “really enjoyable”, Sally was inspired to explore software development. She started a diploma in the subject and soon came across Canterbury Tech, and by extension, Voyage. It was this introduction that spelled the beginning of an all-new chapter of her working life.

Uncovering unexpected commonalities and transferable skills

When asked what drew her to the world of tech, Sally says, “I like problem solving, and I like a challenge. I like the fact that you can create something at the end as well.”

She says, “The problem solving part, that’s very much a transferable skill from being a pilot. Every three months we were put in a simulator and it was all about problem solving in emergency situations. Tech may not have the same pressure, but there are very strong correlations.”

Sally says her natural enjoyment of software development, and the chance to leverage her ability to remain cool under pressure and find solutions to tricky problems is what kept her interested, and inspired to finish her studies and launch into a new role.

Hitting the ground running with ‘the best fit’

Sally decided to make the most of the PowerUp programme - a series of events and support offered by ChristchurchNZ and proudly supported by Canterbury Tech.

The programme focused on helping people get a job in the local tech sector, and included workshops that helped people to get ready for interviews, prep their CVs and consider the options available.

Sally comments, “Women, particularly, tend to undervalue and downplay our skill sets, yet this program was immensely empowering. It not only provided a platform for recognising and celebrating our strengths but also helped in acknowledging the multitude of transferable skills from my past career and my time as a stay-at-home mom, proving invaluable in both discovering and expanding upon these capabilities.”

While there was a lot of practical help, Sally says it It was the combination of practical help and far-reaching camaraderie that Sally really appreciated.

She says, “Having a group of people together you suddenly realise you're all on the same boat and you're not the only person starting out fresh. Having those conversations in and out of the workshops, sharing fears and issues, you realise everyone has the same concerns and you’re not alone.”

As part of the programme, Sally and the other participants were invited to do a speed introduction round with potential employers, spending about five minutes with each.

Sally comments, “I learnt a lot from people and their businesses, and how cool the tech sector is in New Zealand. I learnt just how big it is and the innovation that’s going on. You don’t realise this just by looking at job adverts - it’s very different to talk to people face-to-face.”

This is how Sally came to know about Voyage. She says, “Out of all the companies I spoke to, Voyage was the best fit.”

Finding and thriving in an agile environment

With Voyage, Sally found an environment that was agile in terms of how work was done, and the work itself. This meant she could more easily juggle a return to work and her family life, without having to give up her responsibilities in either area.

On the flexibility of work Sally says, “Being able to work from home makes a huge difference to me. I’m sure anyone with kids would tell you, having that flexibility is huge. If it’s school holidays, or you’ve got an early pick-up, you can be there.”

When it comes to the work itself, Sally champions the projects, team support and lack of egos.

She says, “I really enjoy the projects and the variety of work. I like the support and the challenges as well. Voyage is a very supportive environment so you can try something, and if it doesn't work you can talk to a multitude of people about it and it's no big deal.”

Just do it - advice from Sally for Mums and pros

Making a career change can be a daunting decision, and there’s no denying that starting from scratch can test anyone. Even so, it can pay dividends, and there may be surprising overlaps with your existing skills or background.

Sally says, “Just do it. I think the biggest hurdle is actually making the decision to make a change. For me, flying was a massive career, it was part of my identity, and to not be that person any more was difficult. But once the decision was made it was easy, and I realised just how good it was on the other side.”

She continues, “I almost didn’t make the change because I didn’t think I could go back into learning mode. But once I found somewhere that suited me, my lifestyle and my kids, it worked brilliantly. And just remember, University’s not the only path. At Voyage people are coming from all walks of life and different backgrounds. Just so long as you have the mentality to learn, you can start anywhere.”

This blog was originally posted on the Canterbury Tech blog.

From flying to coding - making a massive career change look easy

We get it, agency life can sometimes feel like you’re running to stand still. While we feel blessed to be busy, even the best of us can forget to stop and smell the roses, or take a moment to appreciate the work we do. A recent, and pretty exciting, email from CSS Design Awards (CSSDA) gives us a chance to do just this.

We’re proud to announce we’ve received CSS Design Awards for our work on the Netsafe Kete Education Hub

. We took home four awards - one for Innovation, UI and UX, and the judge’s Special Kudos Award. These awards give us a chance to acknowledge the fantastic work the team accomplished. We’re proud to have built a team that brings together an impressive depth and breadth of expertise, and can roll with the unexpected challenges or aims of any project. We know without a doubt Voyage wouldn’t be what it is without its people.

The CSSDA, founded in 2009 and launched in 2010, honours and celebrates studios, agencies, and freelancers for work that pushes boundaries in UI, UX and development. The international panel of expert judges are looking for standout projects that highlight what can be done with web design and development, championing creativity and functionality (two of our favourite things).

Our Netsafe Kete Education Hub project saw us developing a platform specifically for New Zealand’s educators, built to help them find the resources they need to create learning programmes and inspire the next generation. We wove in some special features, including interactive quizzes, intuitive search and prompts, with everything brought together by cohesive and aesthetic design.

“Our focus for this build was to make it as simplified as possible while still leveraging the advanced website solutions that are available. We feel the final product strikes a wonderful balance between delivering on what Netsafe wanted and needed, while also allowing for future growth and innovation.” – Deanne Alabastro, Developer, Voyage

The CSSDA is an excellent chance to appreciate not only our work but that of our peers. Perusing the winners and nominees on the CSSDA site is nothing short of inspiring, with many of our design and developer compatriots reminding us why we love what we do - we get to come up with clever and beautiful solutions for a whole range of requirements.

Here at Voyage we’re all about lifting each other up - in our team and the industry as a whole. We’re no stranger to collaborating with other experts or agencies on our projects, and are continually focused on fostering a culture of continued learning and exploration. As our industry continues to evolve, driven by changes in technology and the economy at large, we think this will only become more important.

So what makes award-winning work? We put it down to our people and what they bring to the table, and a company culture that allows everyone to have a voice. To take part in any of our discovery sessions is to witness our team’s skills in offering diverse, considered and creative ideas, and being able to listen to what our client really wants and needs.

A big thanks to CSS Design Awards and to the Voyage team that poured many hours into this new web platform for New Zealand’s educators. From no. 8 wire to lines of code, you best believe our innovative Kiwi hearts are fired up.

Netsafe Kete Education Hub case study page

 for a more in-depth look at the project.

UI elements used on the Netsafe Kete Education Hub with CSSDA badge next to it

Celebrating our CSS Design Awards for the Netsafe Kete Education Hub

Imagine walking into an office where everyone is genuinely happy to see you (and not just because you bring donuts on Fridays). A top place to work is like a party where everyone’s invited and no one feels left out. Creating this atmosphere isn't just about fancy perks or a slick office design, it’s built on mutual respect, inclusiveness, and shared values. It makes you feel like you belong to something bigger.

Celebrating our Best Place to Work shortlist!

 is a testament to our efforts to create a positive and fulfilling work environment for our employees, and motivates us to continue delving into what makes a truly wonderful workplace culture. It also closely follows the announcement of 

We know without a doubt this achievement would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our amazing team. This one goes out to them.

I knew that if I was to lead a company it had to be underpinned by strong values - one of them being 'all aboard' which speaks to the importance of company culture. I've seen first hand that if people feel genuinely valued, and you invest in building a strong and united team, you will achieve great things.

Without further ado, here are our top 8 ingredients that we think make a workplace truly exceptional:

1. A strong and inclusive company culture

At the core of a top workplace is a strong and inclusive company culture. This is the invisible thread that binds the team together, promoting a sense of belonging and shared purpose. An inclusive culture values diversity, encourages open communication, and ensures that every voice is heard. When employees feel respected and valued, they’re more likely to bring their best selves to work every day.

2. Work-life balance: A modern imperative

Latest updates, thinking and insights from the team at Voyage