Overview
The Digital Diversity Festival (DDF) is an event that brings together social media influencers, faith community leaders, and journalists to explore the challenges and opportunities of digital media in Malaysia. The festival featured dialogue forums, short video showcases, interactive games, and discussions with journalists. Held entirely online during the pandemic, the event spanned three days of live sessions.
©2020
My Role
As the UI Designer, I was responsible for creating the website interface. I used Adobe XD for wireframing, prototyping, and testing. My focus was on ensuring a visually appealing, user-friendly design that aligned with the festival’s theme and goals.
Team Involved
- Iqbal Hakim Boo: Illustrator
- Zulaikha Salim: UI/UX Designer
Problem
With the pandemic shifting the event to a fully virtual format, DDF needed an engaging and informative website to act as the event’s central hub. The website had to consolidate all necessary details—event schedules, session links, and speaker profiles—ensuring seamless navigation for participants over the three-day festival.
Challenges
- Virtual-Only Experience: Make sure all the live sessions are easy to update
- Information Overload: Streamlining complex content like schedules, session details, and speaker bios for easy user navigation.
- Live Event Dynamics: Designing a structure that could adapt to real-time updates and last-minute schedule changes.
01.
Action
Research
I began by diving deep into the DDF’s goals and audience, ensuring the website aligned with the event’s mission to promote religious harmony. I collaborated with the client and team to understand the key elements of the festival, while also researching how other digital events engaged their audiences.
Wireframing & Prototyping
Once the research was complete, I moved to Adobe XD, where I created wireframes and prototypes. The focus was on the user journey—how attendees would navigate the site to find session details, speaker information, and live event links. I aimed to create a fluid, streamlined experience, ensuring that all essential information was easily accessible from any device.
Internal Testing & Refinement
Once the initial design was in place, we conducted internal testing with the team, gathering feedback and making refinements. I adjusted the layout, typography, and focused on usability and accessibility, making sure the site would be smooth to navigate even with real-time updates during the live sessions.
02.
Solution
Centralized Information
All the event details, including session times, speaker profiles, and live streaming links, were clearly displayed and easy to navigate. The design focused on simplicity and functionality to ensure attendees could find what they needed without hassle.
Visually Engaging
Based on the event’s key visual, the website had a vibrant, aesthetic on the illustration, reflecting the festival’s inclusive. The use of imagery, typography, and layout ensured the website was visually appealing while maintaining the user’s needs.
Interactive User Experience
The website featured intuitive menus and buttons, with prominent call-to-actions to join live sessions. This made it easier for attendees to navigate between sessions, panels, and activities throughout the event.
03.
Impact
The website became the heart of the Digital Diversity Festival, providing attendees with everything they needed to engage in the event. The feedback post-launch was overwhelmingly positive—attendees found it easy to navigate and appreciated how seamlessly it hosted the live sessions. The website effectively enhanced the virtual event experience, contributing to the success of the festival, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Personal Takeaway
This project reinforced the importance of adaptability and collaboration in UI design. Working on an online-only event with live components highlighted the need for real-time flexibility in design. I learned how to balance creative aesthetics with functional design, ensuring the website could support the flow of the festival while keeping it user-friendly. Most importantly, this project taught me how essential clear communication is with the client and team. It was through constant collaboration that the project truly came to life.