This site, by UN Women, is intended to raise awareness of the contributions, injustices, and power of women throughout history and into today. To accomplish this educational endeavor, UN Women implemented a highly detailed, incredibly curated, and attention grabbing experience. This homepage is emblematic of the design, structure, and intention of the rest of the site.
We see the title of the site, “Women’s Footprint In History”, behind which flashes varying pictures of the women underscored in the rest of the experience. As the pictures flash, a prompt appears and tells users the purpose of the website and how to navigate it. As a classical score swells in, in keeping with the site’s historical connotation, users descend into a stunningly visual educational experience.
This first page sets the structure of the rest of the experience. We begin at 400 BC, and learn of Agnodice’s plight, as a stunning classical image of the woman in question appears in the background. The music continues, and users read through her specific story before they are prompted to either share Agnodice’s tale on social media, or scroll through to the next page.
We move on to 1691, and again learn of the specific turmoil experienced by a woman in history. But what makes this experience so potent is that after you read each woman’s story, a little blurb about the tale’s modern day relevancy appears. On this page for example, we read the story of a Mexican nun who was scorned for reading secular texts and demanding education. Then, once users click to continue, a new body of text appears to espouse a valuable lesson for our world today. It explains that in some developing regions; women are still underrepresented in the education system.
This is a stunning example of how fluid web design and intelligent experience structuring can create a site that delivers it’s information more effectively. Using a rich aesthetic consistency, the site draws users into a specific exciting experience. Then, users can interact and experience these women’s stories first hand, only to have their significance reiterated after the fact. This is a beautifully coordinated experience that effectively reinforces the site’s intention.
At the end of the experience, users are brought to this page. Here they are encouraged to share this site and the aforementioned women’s experiences. This is an example of how a web mechanic can create a need and provide a solution all in one experience. Users have now witnessed the importance of empowering women and learning from history. Then at the end of the road, they’re able to lend their voice in assistance. This gives the experience an organic and satisfying conclusion; in a way that also increases it’s ability to reach more people.
Women's Footprint In History is an awesome website design in the Non-Profit industry.
