For this project, our team designed and prototyped an informational website to help users recognize and protect themselves against phishing attacks. The website served as an interactive tool, complemented by a social media campaign and physical handouts to spread awareness.

Problem

Phishing scams are becoming more common, targeting individuals through emails, phone calls, and text messages. Many people, especially older adults and younger internet users, struggle to recognize these scams, putting their personal data and finances at risk. The lack of accessible and clear information leaves them vulnerable to falling for these attacks.

Solution

Our website provides an easy-to-navigate resource that educates users on phishing risks, common scams, and protective measures. With a simple layout, clear language, and engaging visuals, it ensures that users of all ages can quickly learn how to identify phishing attempts and take action to protect themselves.

Design Process

Research

To create an effective and user-friendly website, we started with in-depth research to understand the problem, our audience, and the best way to present information. We gathered data on phishing trends to highlight its impact, conducted a competitive analysis of similar websites, and explored visual styles that would make our site both engaging and accessible. To ensure the content resonated with users, we developed personas and an empathy map, helping us refine the website’s tone and structure. This research laid the foundation for a well-informed, user-centered design.

User Personas

To better understand our audience, we created three user personas: an elderly person unfamiliar with phishing, a young adult concerned for a relative, and someone who had experienced an attack. An empathy map further helped us shape the website’s content and tone.

Moodboard

For the design, we explored visual styles that felt welcoming and trustworthy, opting for a simple layout, clear typography, and engaging illustrations.

User Flows and Wireframes

We designed a simple user flow to guide visitors through the website easily. Then, we created wireframes to organize the layout and content, ensuring a smooth and functional user experience.

Visual Design and Components

For the visual design, we drew inspiration from the fishing theme, using illustrations of hooks, fish, and a person fishing to represent phishing concepts. The color palette, typography, and components like buttons and icons were all designed with accessibility in mind. These elements not only enhanced the theme but also ensured a functional and inclusive experience for users.

Interactive Prototype

The final prototype featured a homepage that introduced phishing awareness, explained various types of scams, and provided a step-by-step breakdown of phishing tactics. The second section, ''Take Action'', guided users on what actions to take if they suspect they’ve been targeted. The goal was to keep the structure simple and direct, ensuring users could quickly find the information they needed.

User Testing and Insights

The website was tested with different users, and their feedback provided valuable insights. Users appreciated the simplicity and accessibility of the design, highlighting the large buttons and clear text, which made navigation easy for all ages. They found the straightforward layout helpful in quickly finding information, particularly on next steps after a phishing attack.

The site's use of real-life phishing examples was praised for helping users recognize scams, and its friendly, supportive tone made users feel comfortable learning how to stay safe.

Key Takaways

The project highlighted the importance of simplicity and accessibility in design, ensuring the website is easy to navigate for users of all ages and abilities. Real-life examples of phishing attacks effectively helped users recognize scams, while a friendly and supportive tone made the content more approachable. The feedback emphasized the value of creating a user-centered design that balances education with reassurance, making a serious topic like phishing feel manageable and safe to explore.

The project was made in collaboration with Maddie Fish and Hannah Cunningham.