WiEBE, Women in Engineering and the Built Environment, is committed to the ongoing support and development of women pioneering a path of gender equality in the engineering industry. Initiated by the UJ Faculty of Engineering and Group 5, the WiEBE women and their supporters are actively changing the face of engineering in South Africa.
WiEBE, and their student organisation SWiET, have consistently been developing a powerful network and support community for women pursuing a professional or academic career in the fields of engineering and the built environment. But their digital strategy needed to be brought up-to-speed with their offline activities.
Digital creative agency, So Interactive, was tasked with giving the WiEBE website a full redesign. And, the So Interactive team decided to do more than a simple touch-up. Drawing on their extensive experience in social, community-based digital strategy, the So team implemented a full digital community platform that would draw and engage national and international visitors. The idea was to increase site stickiness and convert visitors into members and supporters.
"One of WiEBE's biggest challenges was creating an effective digital platform that would actively engage key stakeholders and members. Open dialogue amongst all parties and generating a feeling of ongoing support and community is vital to WiEBE's success," says Darren Mansour, Managing Member of So Interactive.
Utilising simple and intuitive design, combined with ease of navigation, the team transformed the site into a platform that would attract market leaders, employers, would-be students and members into an environment filled with purpose and hope. Part of this improved stickiness was the effective use of the WiEBE Summit and Excellence in Engineering and Technology Awards, held every year in August, coinciding with Woman's Month. This, along with ongoing events and support from mentors and ambassadors has ensured the WiEBE digital presence is now on par with their real world endeavours.
Mansour revealed one of the key success factors: "Our creative process drew on the theme of supportive feminine energy within the context of the engineering and built environment setting. The result is a community portal that carries the complexity of the engineering sciences combined with the beauty and promise of womanhood, as symbolised by WiEBE's emblem, the strelitzia."
The final development has resulted in a digital community that is driven by clean interactivity and functionality. It is a platform that brings women together and assists them to feel the support of their peers, and the institutions that have the power to make their engineering and built environment dreams come true.
To find out more about the So Interactive and the WiEBE journey visit www.wiebe.co.za and login to connect with women who are making a difference in Engineering and the Built Environment. Looking for more information go to www.sointeractive.co.za.
