Maria Ressa, CEO of Rappler, during her Nobel Prize speech. She is holding a T-shirt with the message "BELIEVE THERE IS GOOD IN THE WORLD" prominently displayed. The setting includes a large Nobel medal in the foreground, symbolizing the prestigious recognition of her efforts and achievements.
a young man at a protest, his mouth covered with black tape, symbolizing a stance against censorship and the silencing of free speech. Behind him, a sign reads "DEFEND PRESS FREEDOM," emphasizing the protest's focus on safeguarding journalistic liberties.

Rappler

Rappler

An award winning Filipino news agency and platform for civic engagement.
An award winning Filipino news agency and platform for civic engagement.

An award winning Filipino news agency and platform for civic engagement.

An award winning Filipino news agency and platform for civic engagement.

Research, Product Strategy, User Experience, Design System, Product Design

Research, Product Strategy, User Experience, Design System, Product Design

Research, Product Strategy, User Experience, Design System, Product Design

Research, Product Strategy, User Experience, Design System, Product Design

In January 2019 DVXD, in partnership with the Google News Initiative, kicked off an initiative to reimagine Rappler, one of the most read news publications in Southeast Asia. Founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa. Rappler has received global praise for their journalism in the face of ongoing pressure from President Rodrigo Duterte.

In January 2019 DVXD, in partnership with the Google News Initiative, kicked off an initiative to reimagine Rappler, one of the most read news publications in Southeast Asia. Founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa. Rappler has received global praise for their journalism in the face of ongoing pressure from President Rodrigo Duterte.

In January 2019 DVXD, in partnership with the Google News Initiative, kicked off an initiative to reimagine Rappler, one of the most read news publications in Southeast Asia. Founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa. Rappler has received global praise for their journalism in the face of ongoing pressure from President Rodrigo Duterte.

In January 2019 DVXD, in partnership with the Google News Initiative, kicked off an initiative to reimagine Rappler, one of the most read news publications in Southeast Asia. Founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa. Rappler has received global praise for their journalism in the face of ongoing pressure from President Rodrigo Duterte.

Co-creating concepts with Rappler’s newsroom and readers, we imagined various ways to embolden readers. By understanding readers’ anxieties and challenges with mainstream social platforms, we learned about what to focus on to drive readership to civic engagement.

Co-creating concepts with Rappler’s newsroom and readers, we imagined various ways to embolden readers. By understanding readers’ anxieties and challenges with mainstream social platforms, we learned about what to focus on to drive readership to civic engagement.

Co-creating concepts with Rappler’s newsroom and readers, we imagined various ways to embolden readers. By understanding readers’ anxieties and challenges with mainstream social platforms, we learned about what to focus on to drive readership to civic engagement.

Our work centered around one core objective: Rappler’s mission to build communities of action.

Our work centered around one core objective: Rappler’s mission to build communities of action.

Concept sketches for a Rappler news site, focusing on user engagement through customizable features. It includes designs for a news feed with timing adjustments, a localized news map, preference settings for different news categories like sports and politics, and an interactive map for election-related activities. These sketches were used for concept testing with Rappler readers.
a glass wall covered with sticky notes in a brainstorming session. The notes are categorized into "Hopes" and "Fears," reflecting team thoughts on a project or organizational goals. Under "Hopes," notes mention aspirations like contributing to a softer image of Rappler, leading in niche sectors like esports, and achieving better performance in 2019. In the "Fears" section, concerns include not being able to mobilize communities, making Rappler appear as PR, and team burnout.
Concept sketches for a Rappler news site, focusing on user engagement through customizable features. It includes designs for a news feed with timing adjustments, a localized news map, preference settings for different news categories like sports and politics, and an interactive map for election-related activities. These sketches were used for concept testing with Rappler readers.
a glass wall covered with sticky notes in a brainstorming session. The notes are categorized into "Hopes" and "Fears," reflecting team thoughts on a project or organizational goals. Under "Hopes," notes mention aspirations like contributing to a softer image of Rappler, leading in niche sectors like esports, and achieving better performance in 2019. In the "Fears" section, concerns include not being able to mobilize communities, making Rappler appear as PR, and team burnout.
Concept sketches for a Rappler news site, focusing on user engagement through customizable features. It includes designs for a news feed with timing adjustments, a localized news map, preference settings for different news categories like sports and politics, and an interactive map for election-related activities. These sketches were used for concept testing with Rappler readers.
a glass wall covered with sticky notes in a brainstorming session. The notes are categorized into "Hopes" and "Fears," reflecting team thoughts on a project or organizational goals. Under "Hopes," notes mention aspirations like contributing to a softer image of Rappler, leading in niche sectors like esports, and achieving better performance in 2019. In the "Fears" section, concerns include not being able to mobilize communities, making Rappler appear as PR, and team burnout.
 A computer screen showcasing the Rappler's new website. The main story visible is titled "Murder in Manila: Part 2 – Get it from the Chief,". Other headlines on the site cover various urgent topics, such as a hostage situation in a mall and reports on natural disasters and political issues. The design of the website is modern, with a clear and navigable layout, emphasizing important news with prominent, eye-catching visuals to engage viewers and provide quick access to different sections like top stories, latest news, and featured topics.
 A computer screen showcasing the Rappler's new website. The main story visible is titled "Murder in Manila: Part 2 – Get it from the Chief,". Other headlines on the site cover various urgent topics, such as a hostage situation in a mall and reports on natural disasters and political issues. The design of the website is modern, with a clear and navigable layout, emphasizing important news with prominent, eye-catching visuals to engage viewers and provide quick access to different sections like top stories, latest news, and featured topics.
 A computer screen showcasing the Rappler's new website. The main story visible is titled "Murder in Manila: Part 2 – Get it from the Chief,". Other headlines on the site cover various urgent topics, such as a hostage situation in a mall and reports on natural disasters and political issues. The design of the website is modern, with a clear and navigable layout, emphasizing important news with prominent, eye-catching visuals to engage viewers and provide quick access to different sections like top stories, latest news, and featured topics.
a young woman at a demonstration, holding a sign that reads "DEFEND PRESS FREEDOM!" The sign also includes the affiliation "Anakbayan-Youth," indicating her representation of a youth organization. This moment captures the active participation of youth in advocating for press freedom, emphasizing the importance of free speech and journalism in maintaining a democratic society. Her expression is serious, highlighting the gravity of the issue at hand.
 two smartphone screens featuring content from the Rappler news platform. The first screen, with a dark blue background, presents a news story headlined "Rappler asks Supreme Court to end Duterte coverage ban," reflecting a significant legal and press freedom issue in the Philippines. The second screen, with an orange background, serves as a movement page under the banner "#DEFEND PRESS FREEDOM," where users can find ways to take action and support press freedom. This design effectively differentiates between news content and advocacy efforts, providing clear paths for user engagement and action
a young woman at a demonstration, holding a sign that reads "DEFEND PRESS FREEDOM!" The sign also includes the affiliation "Anakbayan-Youth," indicating her representation of a youth organization. This moment captures the active participation of youth in advocating for press freedom, emphasizing the importance of free speech and journalism in maintaining a democratic society. Her expression is serious, highlighting the gravity of the issue at hand.
 two smartphone screens featuring content from the Rappler news platform. The first screen, with a dark blue background, presents a news story headlined "Rappler asks Supreme Court to end Duterte coverage ban," reflecting a significant legal and press freedom issue in the Philippines. The second screen, with an orange background, serves as a movement page under the banner "#DEFEND PRESS FREEDOM," where users can find ways to take action and support press freedom. This design effectively differentiates between news content and advocacy efforts, providing clear paths for user engagement and action
a young woman at a demonstration, holding a sign that reads "DEFEND PRESS FREEDOM!" The sign also includes the affiliation "Anakbayan-Youth," indicating her representation of a youth organization. This moment captures the active participation of youth in advocating for press freedom, emphasizing the importance of free speech and journalism in maintaining a democratic society. Her expression is serious, highlighting the gravity of the issue at hand.
 two smartphone screens featuring content from the Rappler news platform. The first screen, with a dark blue background, presents a news story headlined "Rappler asks Supreme Court to end Duterte coverage ban," reflecting a significant legal and press freedom issue in the Philippines. The second screen, with an orange background, serves as a movement page under the banner "#DEFEND PRESS FREEDOM," where users can find ways to take action and support press freedom. This design effectively differentiates between news content and advocacy efforts, providing clear paths for user engagement and action

Our work centered around one core objective: Rappler’s mission to build communities of action.

Our work centered around one core objective: Rappler’s mission to build communities of action.

Our work centered around one core objective: Rappler’s mission to build communities of action.

 three smartphone screens with different content from the Rappler news platform:  Left Screen: Features a headline about "Debates, Discourse, & Dissonance" with a minimalist design in white and red, indicating a section possibly focused on opinion pieces or analytical discussions.  Middle Screen: Shows a sports news story titled "Swimming in Success," related to the Olympics 2020. The visual of a swimmer preparing to compete adds a dynamic element, focusing on sports journalism.  Right Screen: Contains a report titled "Get It from The Chief" from the series "Murder in Manila: Part 1," with a compelling image that seems to cover serious topics like crime or political issues in Manila, highlighted with an intense orange and black color scheme.  Each screen effectively uses visual and textual elements to attract different reader interests, from sports and political analysis to critical investigative reporting.
a screenshot showcasing the Rappler design system, which illustrates the versatility of the Rappler news site in accommodating various types of content. It highlights different content modules such as in-depth articles, interactive feedback mechanisms, political coverage, civic engagement prompts, and investigative journalism. Each module is designed to engage users effectively, whether they are reading about political developments, participating in social movements, or reacting to diverse news stories. This system ensures that the platform can cater to a wide range of news preferences and user interactions, emphasizing Rappler's commitment to diverse and dynamic content delivery.
a screenshot showcasing the Rappler design system, which illustrates the versatility of the Rappler news site in accommodating various types of content. It highlights different content modules such as in-depth articles, interactive feedback mechanisms, political coverage, civic engagement prompts, and investigative journalism. Each module is designed to engage users effectively, whether they are reading about political developments, participating in social movements, or reacting to diverse news stories. This system ensures that the platform can cater to a wide range of news preferences and user interactions, emphasizing Rappler's commitment to diverse and dynamic content delivery.
a screenshot showcasing the Rappler design system, which illustrates the versatility of the Rappler news site in accommodating various types of content. It highlights different content modules such as in-depth articles, interactive feedback mechanisms, political coverage, civic engagement prompts, and investigative journalism. Each module is designed to engage users effectively, whether they are reading about political developments, participating in social movements, or reacting to diverse news stories. This system ensures that the platform can cater to a wide range of news preferences and user interactions, emphasizing Rappler's commitment to diverse and dynamic content delivery.

“After you embrace your fear, what’s next? You build for the future. You imagine the world as it should be, and you create.”

Maria Ressa

CEO, Rappler News

“After you embrace your fear, what’s next? You build for the future. You imagine the world as it should be, and you create.”

Maria Ressa

CEO, Rappler News

“After you embrace your fear, what’s next? You build for the future. You imagine the world as it should be, and you create.”

Maria Ressa

CEO, Rappler News

“After you embrace your fear, what’s next? You build for the future. You imagine the world as it should be, and you create.”

Maria Ressa

CEO, Rappler News

Co-creating concepts with Rappler’s newsroom and readers, we imagined various ways to embolden readers. By understanding readers’ anxieties and challenges with mainstream social platforms, we learned about what to focus on to drive readership to civic engagement.

Co-creating concepts with Rappler’s newsroom and readers, we imagined various ways to embolden readers. By understanding readers’ anxieties and challenges with mainstream social platforms, we learned about what to focus on to drive readership to civic engagement.

Client

Rappler

Areas of Focus

Equity

Disciplines

User Research

Content Strategy

Product Strategy

Product & UX Design

Design System

Team

Derek Vaz

Silvia Gonzalez

Josiah Bilagot

Sam Rodrigues

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