May 2nd, 2023
FFW Awarded “The Internet’s Highest Honor” For Best Website Navigation/Structure For Work With IES Abroad.
Leading global digital agency, FFW, announced today it has been honored for Best Website Navigation/Structure in the 27th Annual Webby Awards, for their innovative platform design work with IES Abroad.
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet.
“Honorees like FFW with IES Abroad are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet,” said Claire Graves, President of The Webby Awards. “It’s an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the nearly 14,000 entries we received this year.”
FFW is a global leader in building solutions to the challenges and opportunities that come with digital scale. Composed of a global team of digital experts, FFW empowers the world’s leading organizations, like IES Abroad, to build and optimize cutting-edge digital platforms, to achieve maximum impact and sustainable success.
In support of the design and replatform for one of the global leaders in study abroad and internship programming, IES Abroad and FFW collaborated to create a single, cohesive, and detailed design system constructed around key user journeys.
“The IES Abroad website is the only way to access and apply to IES Abroad programs,” said Amy Ruhter McMillan, Senior AVP of Global Marketing & Strategic Communications. “It’s where people first learn about IES Abroad and what we offer; where students 'try on' a study abroad program through our program finder, blogs, photos, videos, program information, and more.”
- Amy Ruhter McMillan | IES Abroad Senior AVP of Global Marketing & Strategic Communications
Such architecture enabled a smooth handoff from design to development of an experience that included a vast library of components, templates, and graphic elements, supporting the full spectrum of IES Abroad’s editorial and functional needs. It also provides a seamless, responsive user experience, to empower students to easily find and apply for academic programs at the schools or in the communities of their choosing.
“We are really proud of the innovative approach we took to the design of the navigation,” said Amanda Konopko, XD Lead on the IES Abroad platform design project. “Not only does it make IES Abroad stand out, it speaks directly to the exploratory nature of the student when choosing a study abroad program.”
IADAS, which nominates and selects The Webby Award Winners, is comprised of Internet industry experts including Questlove, DJ and Producer; Werner Vogels CTO, Amazon; Quinta Brunson, Writer, Director and Actor; Reshma Saujani, Founder, Girls Who Code; LeVar Burton, Actor, Podcaster and TV Host; and Comedian Samantha Bee.
About FFW
World-Class Scalable Digital Experiences Made Here. FFW is the industry leader in defining and building solutions to the challenges that come with digital scale. FFW is a global team of 800+ inspired experts collaborating across 17 time zones, together aligned in purpose to create powerful digital experiences for many of the world’s most notable brands such as Panasonic, NBC Sports, Prologis, and Stanford. For more information, visit: www.ffw.com.
About IES Abroad
Founded in 1950, IES Abroad is a global, not-for-profit providing premier study abroad and internship programs. With an academic consortium of 275 top-tier American colleges and universities, IES Abroad educates students worldwide across IES Abroad, IES Internships, Customized & Faculty-Led Programs, and The Study Abroad Foundation. Operating 130+ programs in 33 locations around the world, IES Abroad has educated more than 150,000 alumni since its inception. IES Abroad is mission-driven and committed to championing meaningful academic and cultural education; providing millions in scholarships and aid; representing and integrating a variety of perspectives, cultures, and ideas; prioritizing and setting the standard for health and safety in study abroad; and doing all that we can to be an active participant in bettering the world through our Global Good Commitment.
More information on IES Abroad can be found at www.IESabroad.org.