The Information Assurance Support Environment (IASE) run by DISA, is the DoD’s central resource library for cybersecurity training. The site receives more than 1.6 million new users per year, and more than 6 million page views. It’s a critical online resource for personnel across the DoD, but to date, the site had presented serious UX challenges. Complex navigation, lack of responsive design, and a dated user interface left much to be desired for a site that serves so many members of the national security community. Not only was the site in need of a refresh, but the IASE brand was as well. As the term “information assurance” gave way to “cybersecurity,” the organization needed both a new name and revitalized user experience to meet today’s demands.
DoD Cyber Exchange
Branding and website design for DoD’s cybersecurity training library
The Solution
Working as a subcontractor to BCMC, Punch led the naming, visual identity, website design and front-end development of what would soon become Cyber.mil. Punch worked closely as a partner to the government customers at DISA, as well with the program team at the prime. We led a comprehensive brand identity exercise, developing a series of brand names, and logo concepts, from which “DoD Cyber Exchange” was ultimately selected. Next, we worked through an iterative UX and UI design process, presenting sitemaps, wireframes and designs for all variable pages throughout the site. Punch developers provided front end code for implementation on the server side by the BCMC team.
Scope of Work
- Brand strategy, identity, logo design
- Website sitemap, wireframes
- Website design
- Front-end development
- Consulting
Results
The rebranded, redesigned DoD Cyber Exchange site at Cyber.mil now provides a modern and engaging user experience, on par with commercial brands that users know and depend on. The new site provides improved technical performance, responsive functionality and streamlined navigation. But most importantly, it represents an innovative approach to delivering digital services for government. We used commercially available, off the shelf technologies, low code applications and agile methodologies to design and develop a solution in a highly cost-effective and efficient manner. The resulting product is leaps forward for users, but also symbolic of how a leaner, more commercial approach can deliver stellar results for government projects.
”The resulting product is leaps forward for users, but also symbolic of how a leaner, more commercial approach can deliver stellar results for government projects.
