Site Upgrade

Case Study: A Scalable, Future-Proof CMS Upgrade with Umbraco v13

Planar engaged ProWorks to upgrade its website to Umbraco v13. This move was driven by the need to modernize legacy architecture and deliver a more powerful, flexible experience for both editors and end users.

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Planar's team celebrating their v13 upgrade

About Planar

Planar is a global leader in visualization technology, trusted by some of the world’s most demanding environments for its high-performance video walls, large-format displays, and desktop monitors. With a mission to help people “see” what matters, Planar’s website plays a critical role in communicating its innovation and supporting customer decision-making across industries.

The Challenge

The existing site architecture, built on the Doc Type Grid Editor and Nested Content editor, was becoming obsolete with Umbraco v13, which rendered those tools unsupported. Planar's website used these systems extensively, with a large volume of content tied to them.

There was no direct migration path, which meant ProWorks needed to design and develop custom migration tools to safely transition to the new Block Grid Editor format. Additionally, the new editor experience had to be implemented without disrupting ongoing business operations, all while planning for long-term support and scalability. Security, SEO, content management, and editor usability were key areas requiring improvement.

Key Objectives

Transition from deprecated editing tools to Umbraco's Block Grid Editor

to modernize content architecture.

Strengthen site stability and security

by adopting the latest supported Umbraco release.

Improve usability for editors

with a more intuitive, visual content editing experience.

Introduce advanced personalization and segmentation tools

to support targeted user engagement.

Optimize performance across SEO, mobile responsiveness, and image delivery

with modern front-end enhancements.

Our Umbraco Upgrade Approach

ProWorks led a structured, multi-phase upgrade process, beginning with prototype development and validation of the Block Grid Editor. Migration tools were custom-built to transition Planar's extensive content library from the obsolete Grid Editor into the new block-based architecture.

The Block Grid Editor allowed editors to use pre-designed, reusable content blocks with real-time visual editing and drag-and-drop functionality. These blocks support contextual customization and dynamic personalization, enabling Planar to deliver targeted content to different user segments based on behavior and demographics.

Umbraco v13 also unlocked advanced marketing capabilities such as A/B testing, audience segmentation, and behavioral triggers for personalized content delivery. WebP image support, schema markup, and SEO enhancements were implemented to boost performance and visibility. Editors were supported with contextual help, tooltips, and simplified workflows.

Visit: Planar

Replaced outdated editing tools with the new Block Grid Editor, simplifying layout control and future-proofing the CMS.
Improved site security, performance, and maintainability with the latest Umbraco v13 release.
Delivered a more intuitive editing experience with reusable content blocks and real-time visual previews.
Enabled dynamic content delivery and real-time audience segmentation for improved engagement.

Results & Impact

Successfully migrated to the Block Grid Editor with minimal disruption
Enhanced editor experience with visual previews and flexible layout tools
Future-proofed CMS infrastructure by aligning with long-term Umbraco support
Enabled Planar to deliver highly personalized user experiences at scale
Improved SEO, page speed, and integration with marketing tools
Reduced long-term maintenance by eliminating legacy dependencies

Future-Proof Your CMS Infrastructure

ProWorks helps tech-forward teams modernize outdated platforms with scalable, sustainable CMS solutions. If you're facing an upgrade or want to eliminate legacy blockers, let’s talk.

Contact an Umbraco Upgrade Advisor

Process Slider

Phase 1: Wireframes

Work closely with the client's original concept to learn their goals and challenges.

A thorough review of their wireframe concepts. We learned their goals and their vision for the site. We understood their approach even though the mockup was a rough estimate.We were asked to take this concept and create a completed design from it, staying close to their original ideas.

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Phase 2: Design Iteration

Create Photoshop designs based on client's wireframe mockups

We created designs from their wireframes and iterated through a few versions until we landed on the best solution for them.

We created new component layouts and refined the ones they had originally proposed.

Phase 3: Finalize design

Collect feedback and finalize the design.

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