The client
ECID (Evidence and Collaboration for Inclusive Development) is a UK Aid-funded programme, delivered by Christian Aid, a large UK-based NGO.
The ECID programme has three strategic objectives:
- improve access to services and participation in decision-making;
- increased effectiveness of civil society to address the priorities of key target groups;
- greater accountability and responsiveness of power holders to the priorities of key target groups.
Having designed the branding for ECID in 2019, and having worked on several reports, I was commissioned to redesign the website. I had a good understanding of the work of the programme, as well as its likely audience.
A very rudimentary website was in place, but after three years’ worth of funding was approved, there was a requirement to create a new website that was professional and informative, and covered in detail all the
work being done by the programme.
The brief
To review the programme’s dedicated website to advise on the use of the brand guidelines throughout and make recommendations for changes for overall design improvements.
Target audience
ECID partners, in country partners (ie Myanmar, Nigeria and Zimbabwe), in country civil society organisations,
in-country governments.
Look and feel
I worked on the branding design, so had a good understanding of ECID’s target audience, and the main aim of the programme, ie the collection, analysis and sharing of data related to marginalised people’s experiences of services is central to the programme.
It was important to reflect the research, data driven objectives. I researched other major NGOs to see how their online profile reflected their particular aims. These included Oxfam, ActionAid, WaterAid and Save the Children.
Having worked in a freelance capacity for Christian Aid for twenty years, I was already familiar with their main website. However, for ECID, they were the main partner in a consortium of NGOs, so it was important that ECID’s brand identity and consequently their website did not align to Christian Aid.
The process
After funding was granted, it was important to launch the website as soon as possible. Once a WordPress developer was appointed, with the client I worked quickly to create an initial design for the home page and after the layout of this was approved, we developed the design to cover all pages.
Working with the client and developer
The client, developer and I had weekly Teams meetings, more when necessary, and we used Asana to assign tasks and share updates.
The website is relatively small, so I was able to provide a layout for all the pages. However, I also created a small style guide for the developer so that he could quickly double check when the content needed to be updated.
ECID is an NGO-supported aid programme, and it had a tight budget. After the design was completed, the content would be updated by the client, who had some experience of using WordPress, but had little design experience. Therefore it was important to have a set of assets she could use easily that would allow her to update the website whilst retaining the original design integrity.
Going forward
I created a set of icons, infographics and maps that would allow the client to update the website. They were kept simple so that they could be shown without text for audiences who may not read English or who may be illiterate, but whose meaning would still be understood.
Sadly, due to Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) financial decisions which decimated the UK Aid budget, the ECID programme closed prematurely. However, the full website is still live, including later additions such as Our True Voice, a network of community reporters sharing first-hand accounts of the challenges and solutions of social exclusion.
The website can be viewed here.
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