Case Study
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GO-Live Date
July 20, 2023
Trusted Web Experts
Charlie Stanley
Web Solutions Architect
Caleigh Pickard
Project Manager
Michael Confalone
Content Strategy
Joanna Velasquez
Content Integration
Martha Stopa
Design & Layout
Mehran Aziz
Web Developer
Kenneth Kimbrell
DNS & Site Launch
Lydia Burris
Vector Illustration
Katie Morman
Content Visualization
Leanna Thesken
Marketing & Case Study
Deanna Frimann
Resource Allocation
Goals
Overview
About
Wayne White Electric Cooperative (WWEC), a not-for-profit electric cooperative located in southern Illinois, has been a cornerstone of community service for years. Serving over 10,100 members across 11 counties, WWEC is not just a provider of electricity, but a symbol of community strength, resilience, and care. To ensure they continued to represent themselves as modern, forward-thinking, and able to meet the evolving needs of their members, WWEC partnered with Powerful for a comprehensive website redesign.
WWEC’s family-oriented philosophy had to be mirrored in the new design; intuitive, accessible, and reliable, just like the service WWEC provides. The website serves as the online interface of the co-op, providing vital information and services to the members, including bill payment, office locations and hours, outage and capital credit information, rebate options, and details for starting a new service.
Cooperative Roots
Central to the redesign was the concept of community. This was artistically integrated into the new design through a custom illustrated footer. This feature depicts the distinctive landscapes of Southern Illinois, notably the farm fields– a heartwarming and familiar sight for the co-op members. Every time visitors navigate to the end of a page, they’re met with this visual tribute to their community. This inclusion serves as a constant reminder of WWEC’s deep roots in the community it serves, subtly reinforcing the cooperative’s commitment to its area. It provides a unique blend of the cooperative’s tradition with a modern online aesthetic, making the website not just a service platform, but an online home for the community.
This unique touchpoint fosters a stronger emotional bond between the co-op and its members, further deepening their trust and engagement. The result is an improved visitor experience that resonates at a deeper level, embodying the community-driven values of WWEC in a visually delightful and memorable way.
Challenges
The unique challenge faced during the website redesign of WWEC was reconciling the paradox of tradition and modernity. WWEC, deeply rooted in history and community, had a strong identity as a traditional, reliable, and family-oriented organization. However, the need for modern, online adaptations posed an interesting paradox: how to embrace the new without losing the charm of the old.Solutions
The solution was a careful blend of the old and the new. The color palette and illustrated footer are reflective of WWEC's branding and local environment, preserving the sense of familiarity and connection. The site structure was also simplified, and visitor experience optimized to reflect modern web design principles. The navigation was designed to be intuitive, the content made dynamic, and the site made fully responsive, catering to users on all devices.Results
The harmonious blend of tradition and modernity resulted in a website that truly represents the essence of WWEC. It offers a sense of continuity to its members, an assurance that despite the changes, the core values and service they were accustomed to remained the same, even as it embraced the conveniences of the digital era.Mobile gallery
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Quotes
Team Comments
Understanding that WWEC was not just a utility provider, but a symbol of community strength and resilience, we aimed to mirror that in our content strategy. Every piece of information, update, and news item was carefully curated and positioned to reflect the cooperative's commitment to its members. From practical information like bill payment, office hours, and outage updates, to more community-focused content like rebate options and capital credits, we sought to make every interaction on the site meaningful for the members.
Content Integration Specialist
Our team worked closely with the cooperative's stakeholders to understand their unique needs and goals. From there, we meticulously planned and executed the project, ensuring a seamless integration of design, functionality, and content. This project serves as a reminder of the transformative power of a well-executed website redesign in enhancing visitor experience and fostering stronger connections within a community!
Project Manager
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