Designed for:
The Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives or PEO ACWA, a joint program lad by the Department of Defense and U.S. Army.
Design & Digital Strategy Transformation for Program Outreach
The ACWA public outreach program utilized my visual products across all outreach channels, including web, social media, interactive displays and traditional print-based materials. These outreach products were instrumental in keeping stakeholders informed and engaged.
What I Did:
UX, Web Design/Development Visual Design, Digital Strategy
The Challenge
PEO ACWA was responsible for the safe and environmentally compliant destruction of the remaining U.S. chemical weapons stockpile stored at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado and the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky.
This high-visibility effort involved improving trust and transparency with a variety of stakeholders groups that were concerned with the safety of destruction operations. These groups included:
- Environmental Activists
- Local Colorado and Kentucky Communities
- International Treaty Regulators
- Congressional Oversight Committees
- Army Depot Workforce
The Solution
The path to building trust was to engage stakeholder with more transparency, robust community outreach and timely communications. This approach required an overhaul of the program’s website and digital communications strategy, along with a building an award-winning social media outreach program.
My Project Role
Digital Creative Direction & UI/UX Design
While with Booz Allen Hamilton creative solutions, I served in a lead consulting role for this Department of Defense client from 2007-2017. I served as the Digital Creative Director and Senior UI/UX Designer, leading all creative projects and digital transformation initiatives for the PEO ACWA public affairs office.
My responsibilities included the creation of wide-ranging communications products to keep stakeholders informed and engaged. PEO ACWA’s robust outreach program utilized visual products across all digital channels, interactive displays and traditional print-based materials.
My Contributions to the Project
Engagement & Research
Web & Digital Design
Brand Design & Outreach Products
Engagement & Research
User Experience Design
Brand Design & Outreach Products
Engagement & Research
As a digital creative and UX designer, user feedback guides and heavily informs my design decisions. Our team was able to collect user feedback via multiple channels and methods.
User-Centered Approach
Stakeholder Engagement & Research Methodologies
Stakeholder Interviews
Our team’s constant interaction with members of the community at events and inside our public outreach offices allowed for constant feedback on our messaging and communications products.
Digital Analytics & Insights
As a key tool in measuring the success of communications campaigns and products, digital analytics provided vital insights to improve content, react to trends, and tailor content to reach more users and stakeholders through omni-channel outreach efforts.
Competitive & Comparative Analysis
As digital communications continuously evolved with the explosion of mobile devices, it was important to monitor and learn from the actions of other public agencies/companies as new ways to communicate with stakeholders matured.
Lessons Learned
Features Driven by User Research & Feedback
Lessons learned from research allowed me to refine my creative approach to better reach stakeholders across a variety of outreach communications channels.
Simplify the Destruction Technologies
Stakeholders wanted more accessible information to better understand a very technical ACWA mission.
Deliver a More Dynamic Experience
The dated static brochure-type website required a shift in strategy. The website was digitally transformed to become a dynamic hub of outreach communications.
More Transparency
Stakeholders wanted more accessible information to better understand a very technical ACWA mission.
Target Different Stakeholder Audiences
Analytics from the website, e-newsletter campaigns and social media provided valuable on-demand insights.
Target Different Stakeholder Audiences
Analytics from the website, e-newsletter campaigns and social media provided valuable on-demand insights.
Web & Digital Design
The website was digitally transformed to become a dynamic hub of outreach communications.
- Designed a robust responsive content management system
- Implemented a news-driven content strategy and editorial calendar
- Timely dynamic web content would fuel social media channels and digital outreach products
ACWA Digital
Delivering a More Dynamic Web Experience
Brand Design & Outreach Products
Beyond digital, certain audiences and events required branded displays and print products that utilized a more simplified tone and content to explain very technical processes.
- Designed infographics to simplify content
- Developed more workforce & job-related graphics and content
- Designed interactive plant site site tours
Reaching Stakeholders
Messaging Targeted to Audiences & Events
User-Centered Approach
Stakeholder Engagement & Research Methodologies
Stakeholder Interviews
Our team’s constant interaction with members of the community at events and inside our public outreach offices allowed for constant feedback on our messaging and communications products.
Digital Analytics & Insights
As a key tool in measuring the success of communications campaigns and products, digital analytics provided vital insights to improve content, react to trends, and tailor content to reach more users and stakeholders through omni-channel outreach efforts.
Competitive & Comparative Analysis
As digital communications continuously evolved with the explosion of mobile devices, it was important to monitor and learn from the actions of other public agencies/companies as new ways to communicate with stakeholders matured.
Lessons Learned
Features Driven by User Research & Feedback
Lessons learned from research allowed me to refine my creative approach to better reach stakeholders across a variety of outreach communications channels.
Simplify the Destruction Technologies
Stakeholders wanted more accessible information to better understand a very technical ACWA mission.
Deliver a More Dynamic Experience
The dated static brochure-type website required a shift in strategy. The website was digitally transformed to become a dynamic hub of outreach communications.
More Transparency
Stakeholders wanted more accessible information to better understand a very technical ACWA mission.
Target Different Stakeholder Audiences
Analytics from the website, e-newsletter campaigns and social media provided valuable on-demand insights.
A Design Snapshot
Delivering a More Dynamic Web Experience
Reaching Stakeholders
Messaging Targeted to Audiences & Events
Making an Impact with Results
Increased Engagement and Perception
- Built robust social media program from the ground up increasing engagement
- Digitally transformed website to become a dynamic CMS for efficient outreach communications, saving time and money
- Injected best practices and guidelines for accessibility and improving the mobile experience
- Analytics from the website, e-newsletter campaigns and social media provided valuable on-demand insights
Award Winning Outreach Program
PEO ACWA received the Major General Keith L. Ware Communications Award, the highest honor in U.S. Army public affairs.
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