Rethink

Introduction

Welcome to "Rethink," a visionary microsite designed and built for Vancity. This platform not only showcases but also illuminates the diverse areas and topics that Vancity is deeply committed to. "Rethink" leverages powerful storytelling and striking visuals to inspire positive change, serving as a dynamic hub for news and stories that resonate with core values.

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My role

Responsible for research, conceptualisation, design, development, QA testing and final delivery.

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The team

2 designers, 2 copywriters and 1 project lead.

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Timeline

April 2022 - June 2022

Purpose of the Site

"Rethink" was created to emphasize Vancity's commitment to impactful investments and advocacy. It serves as a key platform for promoting social, economic, and environmental change through storytelling. Additionally, the site features an intuitive CMS, enabling stakeholders to share their stories and enhance community-driven advocacy and engagement.

Research

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Our research focused on identifying the most effective ways to communicate Vancity's commitment to social, economic, and environmental issues. Here’s how we approached it:

Stakeholder Interviews: We conducted in-depth interviews with Vancity members, employees, and partners to gather insights into their experiences and the impact of Vancity's initiatives. This helped us understand the types of stories and content that resonate most with our audience.
Market Analysis: A comprehensive analysis of similar platforms was undertaken to identify best practices in digital advocacy and storytelling. This helped in crafting a site that stands out in its ability to engage users meaningfully.
User Feedback Sessions: Early prototypes of "Rethink" were tested among select users to gauge the usability of the site and the effectiveness of the content layout.

Design process

Collage Technique: To represent the diverse social and environmental issues that Vancity is committed to, we employed a collage technique in the visual design. This method allowed us to combine various images and text elements artistically, creating a dynamic and engaging aesthetic that captures the essence of each topic. The use of collage helps to convey the complexity and interconnectedness of these issues, making a strong visual statement that encourages deeper exploration by users.

User Interface Development: The user interface was developed with the goal of ensuring that the visual complexity did not overwhelm the user experience. We focused on creating a clean and navigable layout that allows users to easily interact with the content, despite the visually rich collage elements. This included the strategic placement of navigation elements and the careful balancing of text and imagery to maintain clarity and readability.

Dynamic Story Hub: Alongside the topic pages, we designed a dynamic story hub where stakeholders can share their stories. This hub was developed to be intuitive and user-friendly, encouraging active participation and ongoing content renewal, which keeps the platform lively and current.

Iterative Design Feedback: Throughout the design process, we iterated based on internal feedback to refine visual elements and user interactions. Each iteration brought us closer to a design that not only looked good but also functioned well, ensuring that the site's usability was as strong as its visual appeal.

Effortless Storytelling: Streamlined Content Management in Rethink
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"Rethink" serves as a vibrant news and storytelling hub, enabling stakeholders to amplify their narratives through an intuitive and user-friendly Content Management System (CMS). I orchestrated the creation of a dynamic content database to fuel the stories feed and chronicle significant timeline milestones. This practical integration with Webflow ensures a straightforward and efficient storytelling experience.

Learnings

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Comprehensive Grasp of Stakeholder Needs: Wearing different hats allowed me to fully grasp the needs and desires of stakeholders. This insight proved invaluable in tailoring the microsite's design and functionality to perfectly match their expectations.
Seamless Integration of Research and Design: Being both a researcher and designer enabled a seamless flow of insights from my research directly into design choices. This integration ensured that the microsite's layout, features, and content effectively resonated with the intended audience.
User-Focused Design Philosophy: My dual role as a researcher and designer ingrained a user-focused approach in my mindset. This philosophy significantly influenced my design decisions, guaranteeing that the user experience remained central throughout the microsite's development.
Balancing Technical and Creative Aspects: Straddling the roles of developer and designer forced me to find the right balance between technical feasibility and creative expression. This equilibrium resulted in a microsite that not only looked visually appealing but also functioned seamlessly and efficiently.
Deep CMS Proficiency: Hosting the CMS on Webflow provided hands-on experience with its capabilities and limitations. This experience substantially improved my proficiency in working with this tool, giving me insights into optimizing its usage for future projects.