During the height of the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, OEC faced a critical communication challenge. State agencies needed to deliver time-sensitive information to families, but legacy websites weren't flexible enough to meet rapidly evolving needs. With a fast-moving situation like COVID-19, it was imperative that we support OEC with a communication tool that could be updated at a moment's notice.
Like many state agencies, OEC struggled with inflexible infrastructure, technical limitations preventing rapid updates, accessibility barriers, and reliance on PDF-based content that created obstacles for mobile users and those using assistive technologies. The existing system made it difficult for non-technical staff to publish urgent information when families needed it most.
Connecticut’s OEC is dedicated to supporting children, and its website provides families with the resources they need to thrive. As part of Skylight's team, Fearless was tapped to help create a new WordPress website based on human-centered design and accessibility best practices.
To support OEC's users through the pandemic, we created a microsite bursting with COVID-19 content, while establishing an information architecture and content strategy that enables these pages to be continuously updated.
When the pandemic hit, families needed information immediately. Our team worked around the clock to deploy critical resources within just 18 hours, creating a foundation that could expand as needs evolved.
We created a new section of the OEC style guide specifically for COVID-19 response so that staff could quickly understand how to get new information on the website while aligning with OEC's goals. This governance approach ensured consistency while enabling rapid updates.
With nearly half of visitors coming from mobile devices, we ensured the platform worked seamlessly across all screens. Responsive design principles guided our implementation, ensuring everyone could access critical information regardless of device.