Development Media Intl.
Turning complex research into a clear digital story.
Development Media Intl.
Turning complex research into a clear digital story.
Development Media Intl.
Turning complex research into a clear digital story.
Turning complex research into a clear digital story.
Development Media Intl.
Development Media International (DMI) runs evidence-based mass media campaigns across low and middle income countries, using storytelling and data to influence life-saving health behaviours. While their impact is backed by scientific rigour and robust data, their website struggled to convey this clearly. My task was to help DMI reframe their message, balancing data, storytelling, and emotion to better engage partners, funders, and policymakers.
Development Media International (DMI) runs evidence-based mass media campaigns across low and middle income countries, using storytelling and data to influence life-saving health behaviours. While their impact is backed by scientific rigour and robust data, their website struggled to convey this clearly. My task was to help DMI reframe their message, balancing data, storytelling, and emotion to better engage partners, funders, and policymakers.
Sector
NGO
Role
UX Research, Web Design, Brand Development
URL
developmentmedia.net
Release Date
2021
Challenge
Science Meets Storytelling
DMI’s campaigns save lives, but their digital presence was falling short. They had mountains of credible evidence but lacked a clear narrative. Key messages were buried in dense reports, and the visual identity felt disconnected from their bold, creative fieldwork.
The mass media campaigns themselves were well-produced, featuring strong messaging, vibrant illustration work, and engaging storytelling. The challenge was pulling all of this together in a cohesive, user-focused way. We needed to create a site that told a compelling story, showcased their unique approach (Science, Stories, Saturation), and made their impact feel both credible and inspiring.
Discovery
Laying the Groundwork, Together
We kicked things off with a full-day workshop at DMI’s offices, bringing together myself, a copywriter, and a project manager to get under the skin of their mission, audiences, and goals.
Together, we identified what wasn’t working, aligned on what success should look like, and co-created a storyframe to guide the site’s structure and messaging. The session also set the tone for ongoing collaboration with DMI’s comms team to ensure the narrative stayed sharp and consistent throughout.
Approach
Turning Structure into Story
To lay the right foundations, I worked with the client to simplify the sitemap and improve the site’s structure. The original navigation was overly complex, so we focused on surfacing key content like DMI’s impact at scale, real campaign stories, and an updated projects section. The result was a more intuitive experience that made it easier for users to understand DMI’s work.
Evolving the Brand, Accessibly
I worked closely with DMI’s internal comms team to refine and extend their brand guidelines—introducing an updated colour palette that met WCAG AA accessibility standards while giving us more creative flexibility. This foundation allowed us to modernise the visual design, making the site more engaging, dynamic, and aligned with their mission.
High-Fidelity Visuals
Development Media International (DMI) runs evidence-based mass media campaigns across low and middle income countries, using storytelling and data to influence life-saving health behaviours. While their impact is backed by scientific rigour and robust data, their website struggled to convey this clearly. My task was to help DMI reframe their message, balancing data, storytelling, and emotion to better engage partners, funders, and policymakers.
Sector
NGO
Role
User Research, Interviews, Web Design
URL
developmentmedia.net
Release Date
2021
Challenge
Science Meets Storytelling
DMI’s campaigns save lives, but their digital presence was falling short. They had mountains of credible evidence but lacked a clear narrative. Key messages were buried in dense reports, and the visual identity felt disconnected from their bold, creative fieldwork.
The mass media campaigns themselves were well-produced, featuring strong messaging, vibrant illustration work, and engaging storytelling. The challenge was pulling all of this together in a cohesive, user-focused way. We needed to create a site that told a compelling story, showcased their unique approach (Science, Stories, Saturation), and made their impact feel both credible and inspiring.
Discovery
Laying the Groundwork, Together
We kicked things off with a full-day workshop at DMI’s offices, bringing together myself, a copywriter, and a project manager to get under the skin of their mission, audiences, and goals.
Together, we identified what wasn’t working, aligned on what success should look like, and co-created a storyframe to guide the site’s structure and messaging. The session also set the tone for ongoing collaboration with DMI’s comms team to ensure the narrative stayed sharp and consistent throughout.
Approach
Turning Structure into Story
To lay the right foundations, I worked with the client to simplify the sitemap and improve the site’s structure. The original navigation was overly complex, so we focused on surfacing key content like DMI’s impact at scale, real campaign stories, and an updated projects section. The result was a more intuitive experience that made it easier for users to understand DMI’s work.
Evolving the Brand, Accessibly
I worked closely with DMI’s internal comms team to refine and extend their brand guidelines—introducing an updated colour palette that met WCAG AA accessibility standards while giving us more creative flexibility. This foundation allowed us to modernise the visual design, making the site more engaging, dynamic, and aligned with their mission.
High-Fidelity Visuals