Building a digital exhibition space showcasing DSO Singapore's accomplishments over the last 50 years.
Singapore’s largest defence R&D organization, DSO National Laboratories (DSO), sought to launch a commemorative website in conjunction with their Golden Jubilee dinner. Motion was appointed to undertake this momentous project, and deepened the collaboration through bringing their long-time partner and digital agency Bonsey Jaden on board.
Titled "A Relentless Pursuit", the website would commemorate DSO's legacy, and provide the public with a discernable yet expansive view of how the different parts of DSO functioned collectively. The journey would bring visitors through six interactive chapters, adorned with tales illustrating a core aspect of the organisation – from its conceptualisation in the hands of a three-man team in 1972 and the array of domains and cutting-edge technologies it has expanded into since, to the numerous collaborations with local and international partners to further its innovative work. It is a highly-immersive platform where visitors can experience the journey seamlessly through a narration that uses a myriad of interactive elements.
DSO showcased various stories regarding their achievements and milestones for the past 50 years into 6 storytelling chapters. Each chapters act as its own mini microsite with their own unique look and feel. The challenge lies in maintaining the 50th anniversary branding along with having a consistent look across the six colourful chapters. How can we design an interactive site while keeping it mobile-friendly?
CHAPTER 1: THE DSO STORY
The DSO Story in Chapter 1 talks about their milestones where we displayed the key historical points from three different eras with different themes in an effortless and easily digestible manner by using a yearly timeline for users to scroll and read through. While not forgetting to feature the messages from our key leaders and management team in this special chapter.
CHAPTER 2: PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES
In chapter 2, DSO's 50-year journey was illustrated through a series of stories, each of which highlights the journey of how pioneers of DSO started seeding R&D in key technology areas, leading to cutting-edge and innovative solutions, and how DSO works together with perseverance and commitment to deliver game-changing capabilities to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Motions and animations were incorporated into the narrative creating more impact on DSO's story of its people and technologies.
CHAPTER 3: BEYOND DEFENCE
DSO has come a long way in 50 years of tapping technology to help defend Singapore. DSO'S contribution to national security beyond military defence and the major timeline highlighting major threatening events related to it are displayed in chapter 3, Beyond Defence. The iconic Singapore red implementations into the chapter's theme aligned with the crisis Singapore had in the past and how DSO plays a big part in keeping the nation safe.
CHAPTER 4: TOWARDS THE NEXT FRONTIER
Chapter 4 focuses heavily on the DSO's game-changing technologies they have developed. Within the chapter itself, it is divided into five main stories which we want users to walk through the journey and discover the different types of technologies DSO have developed over the years. We gave the chapter dark and cyber technology look and feel to match the stories and images.
CHAPTER 5: STRENGTHENING OUR NETWORK & PARTNERSHIPS
DSO believes collaboration with its strategic partners is critical to generate the best research and development outcomes. Thus in chapter 5, we featured DSO's network along with partnerships over the last 50 years. Each partnership highlighted in the chapter features testimonials from representatives and a photo gallery on significant events.
CHAPTER 6: THE DSO SPIRIT
Featuring the people of DSO, chapter 6 displays the teamDSO's core values and beliefs in People, Passion, and Innovation. We experimented with bright colours as well as fun illustrations across the six different sub-chapters to distinguish each theme while adding the scrapbook feel and more personalised as the team tell their own stories.
