0 to 100
Showcase website for a first-of-its-kind scientific study on sedentary lifestyle and ultra-trail running.
Project Brief
| Project | 0 to 100 |
| Client | Jean Monnet University, Saint-Étienne / Pr Guillaume Millet |
| Type | Showcase website |
| Duration | 2 weeks of development, then minor adjustments |
| Role | Web developer and integrator |
| Tagline | The web presence for a first-of-its-kind scientific study: 40 sedentary people, 18 months, 100 km of trail. |
The Challenge
Context
Pr Guillaume Millet, an exercise physiology researcher at Jean Monnet University in Saint-Étienne, is launching an unprecedented study: taking 40 sedentary people and training them over 18 months to finish a 100 km ultra-trail (the CCC, one of the UTMB races). The goal: scientifically measuring the effects of a high dose of exercise on physical and mental health.
It's a world first. The project involves the Saint-Étienne University Hospital, around twenty researchers, coaches from the École de Trail, and targets partnerships with major players: France Télévisions, Le Monde, UTMB, Hoka, among others.
The problem
To convince these partners, the project needed a website that matched its ambition:
- a professional showcase that could establish credibility with institutional and media partners
- a site easy to update by a team of researchers, not developers
- a tool that could run for the full duration of the study (18 months minimum) without depending on a technical contractor
- a tight deadline: about one month to have something presentable
The team already had the brand guidelines, logo, and an image library. What was missing was someone to bring it all together into a cohesive, fast, self-sufficient website.
What was at stake
Without a professional website, approaching partners like France TV or Le Monde was a tough sell. The site wasn't just a communication accessory, it was the project's presentation tool for decision-makers. Every week of delay pushed back partnership discussions.
The Solution
Overview
A complete showcase website presenting the study, its team, its partners, and its news. Designed to be managed independently by the research team, with no technical skills required.
Key features
Project and team presentation
Visitors discover the study, its protocol, and the team behind it: over 40 people including researchers, physicians, coaches, and communications staff. Each profile is presented with their role, which immediately lends credibility to the project.
Partners section
A dedicated page showcases all partners organized by category (academic, institutional, official, media, technical). For a project actively seeking new supporters, this page serves as social proof: when France TV and Le Monde are already listed, the next ones hesitate less.
News system
An integrated blog lets the team publish articles regularly: study progress, events, preliminary results. Content is published directly from the WordPress interface, no code involved.
Full autonomy
The choice of WordPress with Breakdance was deliberate. The team can edit text, add partners, publish articles, and update pages without any technical help. And if they ever want to switch providers, WordPress is the most widely used platform in the world: finding someone to take over the site is never a problem.
The Process
Guillaume Millet already knew my work. I had built several websites for Jean Monnet University (including the Master HPS and GS Paths sites), and he'd been happy with the results. When the 0 to 100 project came together, he reached out directly.
The main development took 2 weeks. The team provided the brand guidelines, logo, and an image library. From there, I designed the entire site: page structure, content integration, blog setup, and admin panel configuration.
WordPress was chosen on purpose. My usual tool is Next.js, but the need here was different: a non-technical team that needs to manage the site on their own for 18 months. WordPress is the best fit for that context. It's an approach I stand by: the right technology is the one that matches the client's needs, not the one the developer prefers to use. I rounded off the delivery with a training session so the team could be up and running from day one.
A few rounds of feedback over the following weeks helped fine-tune the last details. Since then, the team has managed the site entirely on their own.
Results & Impact
What was delivered
- a complete showcase website with project, team, and partner presentations
- an integrated blog with autonomous news publishing
- an admin interface accessible with no technical background
- a training session to make the team self-sufficient
- a high-performance site that handles traffic spikes from media coverage without issues
Results
The site fulfilled its primary objective: serving as a credible presentation tool for partnership discussions. Today, the 0 to 100 project counts among its partners France Télévisions (7 reports on Stade 2 and a 90-minute documentary), Le Monde (documentary series and articles), UTMB, Hoka, the Saint-Étienne University Hospital, and over a dozen other institutional and private partners.
The site remains fast and stable despite significant visibility on social media and in the press. A point often underestimated with WordPress, but one that hasn't been an issue here thanks to careful configuration from the start.
What's next
The team has managed the site in complete autonomy since delivery. News articles are published regularly, new partners are added as they sign on, and the site keeps pace with the study. The original goal is met: a tool that runs without depending on anyone.