Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island (ERSRI)

ERSRI required a modern, scalable, and content-driven digital platform to effectively communicate retirement-related information to diverse audiences. As a public-facing organization, accessibility, accuracy, and ease of content management were critical. The client engaged Eway to rebuild their existing Drupal-based website with a strong focus on editor flexibility, custom functionality, and adherence to a specific design system.

Challenges and Requirements 

Problem Statement 

The existing website did not provide the level of content flexibility and customization required by the client. Editors needed full control over page content without relying on developers. Additionally, the client had unique functional needs—particularly for events and forms—that could not be fully met using standard, off-the-shelf Drupal modules. 

Requirements 

• Fully editable, content-based website managed entirely through the Drupal backend 
• Implementation of a specific, custom design provided by the client 
• Custom-built functionality for Events and Webforms due to the absence of suitable pre-built modules 
• Responsive design to ensure usability across devices 
• Clean, maintainable codebase aligned with Drupal best practices

Project Scope 

Implemented Solutions 

• Initially built the website on Drupal 9, establishing a flexible and scalable foundation aligned with the client’s content and design requirements 
• Subsequently upgraded the platform to Drupal 11 to ensure long-term support, enhanced security, and compliance with the latest Drupal standards 
• During the upgrade process, identified multiple deprecated core APIs, contributed module dependencies, and custom code patterns introduced in earlier Drupal versions 
• Refactored and modernized custom code to replace deprecated functionalities with Drupal 11–compatible approaches, ensuring stability and future readiness 
• Designed and developed a custom Drupal theme tailored precisely to the client’s design specifications 
• Built custom Drupal blocks and Views to enable dynamic content management across the site 
• Ensured all site content is editable and manageable by non-technical users via the Drupal admin interface 
• Developed two custom Drupal modules: 
  • ERSRI Calendar Module for managing and displaying events
  • ERSRI Web Form Module to support customized form requirements beyond standard Drupal capabilities 
• Implemented a fully responsive layout to ensure consistent user experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices

Services Provided: 

• Drupal site architecture planning and implementation 
• Drupal 9 to Drupal 11 upgrade and compatibility remediation 
• Deprecated functionality audit and code refactoring 
• Custom theme development 
• Custom module development 
• Content modeling and backend configuration 
• Frontend development using modern web standards 
• Quality assurance and cross-browser/device testing 
• Deployment support and handover documentation 

Eway worked closely with the client throughout the project lifecycle to ensure alignment with requirements, timely delivery, and adherence to the approved design and scope. 

Results and Impact 

Project Results 

• Successfully delivered a fully editable, content-driven Drupal website 
• Enabled ERSRI staff to independently manage and update site content without developer dependency 
• Delivered custom event and form functionality tailored specifically to the client’s operational needs 

Stats and Metrics 

• 100% content editability achieved through Drupal backend 
• Reduced dependency on developers for routine content updates 
• Delivered the project within the approved scope and budget 

Business Impact 

The new website significantly improved ERSRI’s ability to communicate critical retirement and benefits information to its stakeholders. The flexible content management system empowered internal teams, reduced long-term maintenance costs, and ensured the platform is scalable for future enhancements. The custom-built solution positions ERSRI with a robust, reliable digital presence aligned with public-sector standards and user expectations. 

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