Rural Women Online
Rural Women Online is an inclusive, judgement-free program and platform made by women for women.
We were approached by the non-profit organisation, Victorian Women’s Trust to design and develop RWO which would act as a central hub for fast-tracked access to three things; training, support and mentoring. Our research confirmed that the women who would be using the platform valued simplicity over anything else. Across all areas of the project, familiarity, ease of use, and approachability anchored our design solutions.
Developing education and support for women who reside in rural and remote Victoria.
In the last two years, evidence has emerged outlining the critical barriers encountered by women living rurally and remotely that are impacting their online presence and participation. Lack of digital ability is one of them.
From a number of workshops, we learned that since COVID-19, a lot of these women were experiencing feelings of loneliness and inadequacy from not being able to connect with their loved ones or find employment after losing their jobs.
Visually, we needed to ensure the design spoke directly to the women it was intended for; placing both familiarity and accessibility at the forefront of both the brand and user-experience.
The thread of connection.
Our brand exploration confirmed that the women who would be using the platform valued simplicity over anything else.
A sense of familiarity and comfort led the direction for the graphic identity; incorporating images of the rural Victorian landscape in everything from the marketing material to the website. Establishing this visual connection meant users could relate to the brand and its imagery on a much more personal level.
We also wanted the brand to feel less intimidating, more approachable and empowering. This ethos guided our brand narrative; building a visual language that invites, guides, and provides insight to the aspirations of Victoria’s Rural Women.
Establishing a visual connection meant users could relate to the brand and its imagery on a much more personal level.
Breaking the mould of a typical ‘tech explainer’ platform.
The platform had to be easily accessible and navigable for women of all ages and backgrounds. Stripping back the homepage to a menu bar with clear call-to-actions allowed users to find what they were looking for almost immediately.
The entire user experience is about passive engagement with technology, serving as the first step to bridging the gap in digital literacy.
As a platform, Rural Women Online acts as a conversational space to engage with and encourage users to embark on their own online journey.
Advocating for connection and digital equality.
By working with the Victorian Women’s Trust, we want to improve the current digital literacy level of all women in rural and remote areas, empowering them to participate online, connect with loved ones, learn new skills and find employment.
Ultimately, we hope to help close the 8% margin in digital ability between metropolitan and regional areas, connecting women to technology and each other.
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