A Well-known Brand, A Complex Ecosystem

Working with a brand like this is both a privilege and a responsibility. Its digital presence is not merely a communication channel but a business-critical infrastructure: news sites, mobile applications, VOD platforms, live voting solutions, and advertising systems together form an ecosystem that serves hundreds of thousands of users daily — and, at peak moments, even several million.

When Virgo won the tender in 2019 to redesign rtl.hu, it was clear from the very beginning that this would not be a classic redesign project. The task was to transform a live, business-critical system used on a daily basis, on tight deadlines and within an existing infrastructure. Although the brief primarily focused on design and frontend renewal, Virgo already approached the project as a brownfield development. The solutions had to fit into the existing system while remaining scalable and maintainable in the long term.

Project Goal: Creating a Hybrid News Platform

During the first project, the goal was to redesign rtl.hu, a platform built around a video-first mindset. In the second project, we were tasked with renewing the site’s functionality as well — basically, Virgo was asked to create a full-scale news site.

Virgo’s task extended far beyond refreshing the visual appearance. The team was responsible for designing the entire UX/UI concept as well as delivering both frontend and backend development, ensuring optimal performance across web and mobile platforms alike.

Challenges: Complexity and Live Environment

The greatest challenge was the integration of various content types. The platform had to simultaneously accommodate live TV broadcasts, show-videos and text-based news, while ensuring a unified and coherent user experience. We needed to develop UX solutions that supported the editorial team’s new operating model and ensured stable performance even under heavy traffic.

All of this took place during a period when, prior to the rebranding, the site had to remain recognizable and usable with temporary visual elements in place, while the forward-looking concept had already been defined.

Research and Planning: The Foundations of Joint Thinking

Virgo began the work with UX research to uncover editorial, business, and user needs. In-depth interviews were conducted with leaders from various areas of RTL to understand the future model of content creation, monetization expectations, and operational challenges.

Mapping user journeys helped reveal how visitors navigate the site, what types of content they consume, and where it makes sense to encourage further content consumption. The homepage, the article pages, and the show pages went through multiple iterations, with continuous alignment with the RTL team to harmonize business, editorial, and technological considerations.

Design and Visual System

The visual concept was built on a long-term, sustainable, and extensible design system. The work started with mood boards and the definition of visual directions, resulting in a UI direction that paved the way for the rebranding, while temporary visual elements ensured recognizability during the transition period.

The design system provided a unified approach to colors, typography, grids, and components, laying the foundation for future platform expansions and adaptation to other digital surfaces.

Technology: Performance and Scalability

Virgo built a modern, Vue.js 3–based single-page application with server-side rendering to ensure SEO and performance. Dynamic content was delivered via REST APIs, and the system was integrated with external authentication and push notification solutions. The development approach was cross-platform, enabling web and mobile applications to be developed in parallel in a cost-efficient manner.

A Deepening Partnership

Following the successful launch, the collaboration quickly expanded. More and more tenders followed, now affecting not only the website but the entire digital presence: reimagining design systems, developing the news portal, mobile applications, VOD-related solutions, and campaign sites.

In the meantime, a completely custom homepage editor was created behind rtl.hu, integrated directly into the existing CMS. This tool allowed editors a high degree of freedom in shaping the homepage, while the technical framework ensured consistency and stability.

The collaboration did not operate on a project-by-project basis but through continuous support. New needs, new content and business goals emerged, to which Virgo responded quickly and as a partner. During this period, Virgo’s role went far beyond classic development tasks. The team maintained a constant presence: supporting, maintaining, and thinking together with RTL’s digital team about new requirements, business objectives, and content directions.

Live Shows: The Real Test of the System

One of the biggest challenges of the collaboration was the digital voting systems connected to live shows. Voting for X-Factor and other entertainment programmes generated traffic spikes that are difficult to prepare for using traditional planning methods. As a result, the mobile application and voting system associated with X-Factor was not only a development challenge but also an operational one.

Scalability, stability, and the legal environment (studio, notary, live production) all came into play at the same time. Virgo’s team was present at RTL’s headquarters during live broadcasts, working closely with operations and production teams. The first live vote that ran stably was a major milestone: confirmation that the architecture, operations, and collaboration all performed well in a live environment.

Design and Development in a Shared System

The RTL-project was a defining milestone for Virgo from an internal perspective as well. This was where the operating model truly matured — one in which design and development are not sequential steps but parts of a single, shared thinking process.

We were literally sitting next to each other: while designing, we were already thinking about how it would be developed — and vice versa.

Component-based design, shared prototyping, and immediate technical feedback made it possible for planned solutions to take development, maintenance, and scalability considerations into account from the very moment they were created.

This confidence defined the project from start to finish and later became one of Virgo’s core strengths in other collaborations as well.

Partnership in Everyday Work

Over the years, the relationship gradually evolved from a client–vendor setup into a genuine partnership. New projects, shared decisions, and mutual trust all reinforced this transformation. Trust was built step by step, but at a certain point it became clear:

Changes in scope, tight deadlines, and the need to align the interests of many stakeholders at RTL did not become sources of conflict, but shared challenges. The challenges did not disappear, they became manageable through open communication, joint decision-making, and sometimes even informal conversations. The focus was always on maintaining balance between business goals, content, and user experience.

Impact on Virgo’s operations

The RTL-project became more than just a key reference for Virgo. It served as a milestone for the company’s evolution. It reinforced the strategic role of design and the integrated operation of design and development, helping Virgo position itself not merely as a development shop, but as a provider of complex digital solutions. The methodologies developed during this collaboration — especially the close cooperation between design and development — have continued to shape the company’s operations ever since. As the team put it: they grew not only professionally but also became more adaptable on a personal level.

Summary

The shared story of Virgo and RTL clearly demonstrates how a successful tender can evolve into a long-term digital partnership. This collaboration is not the story of a closed project, but that of a continuously evolving digital ecosystem that simultaneously shapes the operations of a nationwide media brand and the professional identity of a digital agency. The story highlights that digital success is not only about technology, but also about trust, shared thinking, and adapting together to challenges.

Project Goals

Dorsum approached us with the goal of renewing the visual appearance of the Hungarian State Treasury’s online distribution channels – Webkincstár and Mobilkincstár – and redesigning certain user interfaces to improve the customer experience.

One of the most important objectives in the system renewal was to make the products more appealing to younger generations, while ensuring that the current users would not experience any discomfort in their use. Additionally, a fundamental requirement was to ensure that the updated interfaces would reach as many users as possible, so we paid special attention to complying with accessibility guidelines.

It was crucial that the visual renewal enhance the user experience with modern UI solutions, particularly for mobile applications (iOS, Android).

Challenges

One of the biggest challenges was designing an interface that meets the needs of different user groups. The younger generation requires intuitive and modern solutions, while older users value a familiar structure and simplicity of use. Additionally, the digital interfaces had to comply with accessibility regulations.

Design Process

During the project, we applied various UX and UI design methods to understand the needs of the client and the users.

1. Research & Analysis

• Stakeholder Interviews
  Conducted with Magyar Államkincstár to understand their business goals and challenges.
• Usability Testing
  Focused on different age groups to identify pain points in the current system.
• User Journey Mapping
  Mapped user interactions to design smoother workflows.

2. Design and Prototyping

Optimized Core Functions: Key processes such as registration, transaction handling, and portfolio management were streamlined to improve the user experience.

3. Design System Creation

A consistent design system was developed, based on Magyar Államkincstár’s visual guidelines, integrating modern UI elements.

Results and Outcomes

• Consistent UX Across Devices
  A responsive design approach ensured a seamless experience across desktop, mobile, and tablet devices.
• Improved Accessibility
  Adhering to accessibility standards made the platform usable by a broader audience.
• Enhanced User Interface
  Modernized, user-friendly design that meets the needs of both younger and older generations.
• Efficient Transaction Handling
  Streamlined workflows for improved usability and faster transaction processes.

Project Goal

Yettel Hungary approached us with the task of implementing their new brand identity across their digital platforms. We were honored to be entrusted with this task, especially since at the time, both the new name and visual direction were kept entirely confidential.
The goal was to ensure that by the time the company changed its name and visual identity, their web platforms and app would be updated accordingly, ensuring a smooth transition. We supported this effort through Product Design, Front-end, and Back-end development.

Challenges

One of the biggest challenges was the short deadline, requiring close collaboration between our experts and the client’s team. We had to rethink and redevelop many components and pages to ensure that the new brand would work seamlessly across platforms. In addition, we had to integrate a digital identity and design elements created by another agency, which served as the foundation for implementing the Hungarian website. All of this had to be done in a way that maintained consistency on both the responsive website and the mobile application.

Design Process

1. Delivery Strategy and Team Setup

In the initial phase of the design process, it was crucial to create a well-thought-out roadmap and establish a well-organized team from both the client’s and our side. This ensured that all processes were in sync and each step progressed in the most optimal way possible. By agreeing on milestones and tasks, we could more easily track progress and ensure that we delivered the required elements on time and with the appropriate quality.

2. UX and UI Design

• UX Optimization
  Since nearly every page had to be completely rebuilt, we took the opportunity to optimize the functionality alongside the visual refresh. Our goal was to not only update the interfaces visually but also enhance the overall user experience. This included designing entirely new pages to accommodate the introduction of new tariffs and services by Yettel.
• UI Design
  We redesigned each page and component, ensuring that every element met the digital requirements of Yettel’s new brand identity. By working simultaneously on both the web and app interfaces, we ensured consistency across platforms, creating a unified user interface.
• Design System
  As part of the project, we continuously expanded the new design system, incorporating new components while maintaining and updating existing ones to ensure coherence and scalability.
• Handoff
  We held regular internal meetings with developers to keep them updated on the progress of the designs and to ensure they had all the necessary information for implementation. In addition, we created developer documentation, which helped clarify expectations and streamline the development process.

Results and Outcomes

The project was successfully completed on time, and the Yettel Hungary website and mobile application were fully revamped, offering a cohesive user experience across all devices. This achievement was largely due to the well-organized approach and collaborative mindset of the client’s digital team, making the entire process smoother and more efficient.