Australian Academy of Science - Nova
Overview: In 1997, the Australian Academy of Science launched the successful Nova: science in the news website to offer clear and accessible scientific information on current topics for students, educators, and the general public. Webplace evaluated Nova's audience, objectives, and content delivery methods, updating the website's design for a modern appeal. One of the Academy’s key aspirations is to foster a more scientifically informed public. Our task was to support this objective by developing a site that delivers timely, relevant, and accurate scientific information in an engaging and interactive manner, making Nova the preferred science reference site for students, teachers, the media, government, and the public, thereby expanding its audience over time.
Solution: We conducted multiple focus groups and interviews with stakeholders, including some of Australia's esteemed academic fellows, representative users, and the project team. Based on this, we developed user personas, created stories, designed wireframes, and established an Information Architecture, which we validated with users. The next phase involved crafting an innovative, multi-layered user interface and a content framework tailored to users of various ages and backgrounds. Finally, we implemented the Drupal content management system to manage diverse functionalities and content types for the launch, including highlighted quotes, insights, a glossary, additional reading materials, activities, and infographics. For more details, visit https://www.webplace.com.au/folio/nova-website-redevelopment/.