The project team that developed the current AIATSIS website has won a gold award for digital design at the 2021 Good Design Australia Awards.
Relaunched with a new design and best-practice user experience in September 2020, the AIATSIS website is the result of a collaboration led by the AIATSIS communications and digital teams, the Indigenous-led communications and events agency 33 Creative, and strategic design company Folk.
The jury assessing the large number of submissions in the web design and development category singled out the redesigned AIATSIS site as ‘a culturally respectful and appropriate design solution’.
In particular, the jury commented on the
… attention paid to information architecture, navigation, wayfinding and orientation, and incorporating the colour palette into these elements … (w)hether the task at hand is research, transactional (or) anything at all, (the site) invites discovery and deeper exploration.
The brief from AIATSIS for the website redevelopment specified improvements in the visual appeal and improved information architecture and design to give users engaging and transformative online experiences.
In the first stage of the project, consultancy 33 Creative was engaged to develop the look and feel for the website, incorporating new AIATSIS branding based on artwork by Yuwaalaraay artist Lucy Simpson.
Folk undertook to research user needs, and applied those findings in developing the site’s information architecture to support optimal user experience.
Co-founder and co-director of 33 Creative, Mayrah Sonter, said her company was thrilled by the award and the recognition for the AIATSIS website redevelopment project.
‘This was a truly collaborative project, a partnership between AIATSIS, 33 Creative and Folk – sharing knowledge and expertise to create a rich, humanistic and educational destination that people can engage with to bring the work of AIATSIS into the hearts and minds of all Australians,’ Mayrah told AIATSIS.
Managing director at Folk, Michael Broadhead, said his company was honoured to receive the Gold Accolade for its contribution to the project.
‘Folk developed AIATSIS’ digital design and website to transform a traditional government website into an engaging, accessible, and vibrant information hub that celebrates the culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their cultures, heritage and contributions to our national story,’ Michael said.
Since 1958 the Australian Good Design Awards have promoted excellence in design, architecture, engineering, research and social innovation across categories ranging from everyday products to specialist applications.
