MARINE CORPS.

UNITED STATES

RESEARCH / USER EXPERIENCE / PROTOTYPING

OBJECTIVE

Create an engaging, informative, and immersive website experience tailored to attract potential Marine recruits aged 15-18 years, providing them with a comprehensive overview of Marine life, from intensive boot camps to deployment on global missions.

CHALLENGES

  1. Understanding the Target Audience: The age group of 15-18 is dynamic, heavily influenced by digital trends, and has a short attention span. Designing a website that caters to their specific needs and interests was imperative.

  2. Balancing Authenticity with Engagement: While presenting an accurate portrayal of Marine life is essential, the challenge was to do so engagingly, ensuring that the potential recruits remain interested and continue their journey on the website.

  3. Integration with Recruitment Tracking Systems: Seamless integration with tracking systems ensures that recruiters can monitor users' progression, gauge their interest levels, and reach out when necessary.

DESIGN STRATEGY

  1. Interactive Multimedia Content: Incorporate videos, interactive simulations, and quizzes to offer a firsthand experience of what life as a Marine entails. Use virtual tours of boot camps, interviews with current Marines, and 360-degree views of deployment areas.

  2. User Profiles: This allows users to create profiles to save their progress, bookmark content, and receive personalized recommendations based on their interests.

  3. Journey Mapping: Design the website to narrate a story– from a civilian's entry into boot camp to their eventual deployment. Use storytelling techniques to keep users engaged.

  4. Integration with Social Media: Recognizing the target audience's frequent use of social platforms, embedding sharing options, and having snippets suitable for platforms.

  5. Feedback Loops: Incorporate live chat features, where potential recruits can ask real-time questions or express concerns, bridging the gap between digital interaction and personal connection.

  6. Gamification: Introduce badges, points, or ranks for completing certain activities, watching videos, or answering quiz questions correctly. This engages the user and gives them a taste of the ranking system in the Marine Corps.

RESULTS

  1. User Engagement Metrics: Track metrics such as average time spent on the site, bounce rate, and return visits to measure the effectiveness of the design.

  2. Conversion Rate: Monitor the number of users who sign up for more information, contact a recruiter, or are interested in joining the Marines.

  3. Feedback Collection: Regularly collect user feedback to understand improvement areas, ensuring the site remains relevant and engaging.

CONCLUSION

The goal was to design a site that doesn't just inform but inspires. Through a blend of authentic content, interactive features, and an intuitive user interface, the website is an effective tool in the Marine Corps' recruitment strategy, ensuring the continued legacy of pride and dedication.