Background
SFJAZZ entered this project facing a concrete platform decision. They were running on an older version of their previous CMS that required upgrading, but the available upgrade path was incompatible with their existing ecommerce solution (Adage ACE Commerce), forcing a broader evaluation of their entire digital foundation.
What that evaluation surfaced went well beyond infrastructure. The existing codebase had become difficult to extend, slowing feature development and compounding long-term technical risk. The CMS experience was frustrating for editors, requiring workarounds that eroded consistency over time. And critical areas of the SFJAZZ mission, particularly education and community programs, were siloed across microsites, effectively invisible within the main site experience.
Underneath all of it was a visual system problem that was harder to name but impossible to ignore. The site's energy came from color, but an "every color" approach had turned that energy into noise. Users couldn't scan content, the hierarchy was unclear, and the visual language worked against the experience rather than guiding it.
It became clear that SFJAZZ didn't need a platform upgrade. They needed a modern CMS and a design system built to scale with the organization, one that could reflect its full mission, restore editorial
Solution
Adage partnered with SFJAZZ to deliver a modern, flexible digital foundation built for both the organization's evolving mission and the daily realities of managing a complex performing arts website. The solution combined a platform migration with a reimagined design and interaction system: expressive where the experience demands it, restrained where clarity takes priority, and maintainable by a lean internal team for years to come.
The work focused on three interconnected areas: modernizing the CMS, building a repeatable content system that empowers editors, and refining the visual and interaction design to better serve audiences and staff alike.
Adage migrated SFJAZZ to a current version of Umbraco, replacing a platform that had outgrown its usefulness with one scaled to the organization's actual needs. The move improved site performance, unlocked newer platform capabilities, and delivered a more intuitive editing experience without the licensing overhead and feature complexity that had accumulated over time.
Rather than relying on one-off layouts or fragile customizations, Adage implemented a standardized block library with clearly defined fields and behaviors. The blocks are flexible enough to feel tailored across different audiences and programs, while preserving consistency site-wide. Editors can build and update pages with confidence, knowing the system supports both creative expression and structural integrity.
We audited what was already working within the brand and streamlined a previously expansive "every color" visual language into something more intentional. Color now does semantic work: highly designed templates carry the weight of storytelling and excitement, while content-forward pages pull back to prioritize clarity and hierarchy. This rhythm reflects how users actually move through the site.
The experience is mobile-first and interaction-driven. Navigation, filtering, and discovery components provide clear visual cues at every step, with interactive elements that support tap, swipe, and visible controls so that every interaction offers multiple ways to engage. The result is a site that feels dynamic and alive, while remaining inclusive, accessible, and durable over time.
Impact
Adage partnered with SFJAZZ to deliver a modern, flexible digital foundation built for both the organization's evolving mission and the daily realities of managing a complex performing arts website. The solution combined a platform migration with a reimagined design and interaction system: expressive where the experience demands it, restrained where clarity takes priority, and maintainable by a lean internal team for years to come.
The work focused on three interconnected areas: modernizing the CMS, building a repeatable content system that empowers editors, and refining the visual and interaction design to better serve audiences and staff alike.
Adage migrated SFJAZZ to a current version of Umbraco, replacing a platform that had outgrown its usefulness with one scaled to the organization's actual needs. The move improved site performance, unlocked newer platform capabilities, and delivered a more intuitive editing experience without the licensing overhead and feature complexity that had accumulated over time.
Rather than relying on one-off layouts or fragile customizations, Adage implemented a standardized block library with clearly defined fields and behaviors. The blocks are flexible enough to feel tailored across different audiences and programs, while preserving consistency site-wide. Editors can build and update pages with confidence, knowing the system supports both creative expression and structural integrity.
We audited what was already working within the brand and streamlined a previously expansive "every color" visual language into something more intentional. Color now does semantic work: highly designed templates carry the weight of storytelling and excitement, while content-forward pages pull back to prioritize clarity and hierarchy. This rhythm reflects how users actually move through the site.
The experience is mobile-first and interaction-driven. Navigation, filtering, and discovery components provide clear visual cues at every step, with interactive elements that support tap, swipe, and visible controls so that every interaction offers multiple ways to engage. The result is a site that feels dynamic and alive, while remaining inclusive, accessible, and durable over time.
By modernizing the platform and standardizing how content and design are created and maintained, Adage helped SFJAZZ reduce ongoing resource consumption while extending the site's lifespan.
Key sustainability considerations include:
Platform consolidation and modernization.
Consolidating onto a single modern CMS reduced the need for workarounds, duplicated infrastructure, and custom fixes. A modern CMS foundation improves performance efficiency and reduces the operational cost of maintaining the site over time.
A standardized, repeatable design and block system.
By replacing one-off layouts with reusable templates and blocks, the site requires less custom development and fewer manual interventions as content evolves. This reduces technical debt and minimizes the need for future rebuilds
Editor-first design decisions that reduce rework.
CMS editors were engaged early to understand how they had been “hacking” the previous system to meet their needs. The new design system was built to support those use cases natively, reducing inefficient content workflows and repeated revisions.
Performance-minded design choices.
A more intentional visual system limits unnecessary variation and supports predictable, consistent page behavior across devices. This improves load efficiency and contributes to a more sustainable frontend experience without sacrificing visual impact.
Results
