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The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water. AWWA produces an extensive amount of educational resources, which the water community relies on to provide safe and clean drinking water. These resources include standards, manuals, reports, journal articles, books, elearning, educational events, webinars, special programs, philanthropy, and government advocacy.
In September 2024, the American Water Works Association launched a website redesign to promote these resources. The primary goal was straightforward: to simplify the path for the water community to access resources. However, the design and development processes were intense.
The project included a comprehensive UX study, focus groups, surveys, and stakeholder meetings. A thorough discovery phase and a rigorous design review schedule led to an accessible visual branding system. Over 75 custom modules were used to redesign 500 pages of content. Additionally, 1,000 images and 75+ custom graphics elevated the site design.
The website’s re-envisioned wayfinding includes a global navigation that, with one click, drives users to important resource topics, the latest journal articles, and our annual events. The homepage promotes AWWA's primary initiatives and narrates the AWWA story while upholding its brand as the authority in the water space.
There are numerous engaging and informative UX designs across the site:
Most importantly, the new design allows users to easily locate resources through the simple yet elegant UX/UI. Resources are also cross-promoted throughout the website in “Related Resource” carousels. “Select Your Area of Interest” on the homepage drives users directly to topical resources within 2 clicks. A “Continue the Journey” feature at the bottom of each page leads users to further information.
Benefits of the Redesign:
- Enhanced User Experience: The intuitive navigation and engaging UX designs make it easier for users to find and utilize resources.
- Increased Engagement: The redesign resulted in a 32% increase in session duration, indicating higher user engagement.
- Positive Feedback: The redesign received immensely positive feedback from AWWA constituents, the board of directors, advertisers, and staff.
- Reduced Support Requests: There were fewer customer service phone calls and contact form submissions, indicating improved user satisfaction.
- Brand Reinforcement: The new design upholds AWWA's brand as the authority in the water space, reinforcing its mission and values.
AWWA is proud to submit awwa.org for an award for Best Non-profit Website Redesign. This recognition would highlight the significant improvements made to enhance user experience, accessibility, and engagement, ultimately supporting AWWA's mission to provide safe and clean drinking water through accessible educational resources.
Nomination Title: American Water Works Association
