Playsafe

Playsafe was an ambitious project commissioned by the NSW Ministry of Health, aiming to provide young people in New South Wales with a reliable, engaging, and informative platform for safe sexual health practices. The website targeted users aged 15 to 24, a demographic in need of accessible, youth-friendly resources on sexual health and wellness. This project was my first venture into Drupal development, and it became a pivotal achievement in my career. Despite being new to Drupal, I successfully delivered a high-performing, award-winning site that reached millions, underscoring the impact of meticulous planning, development, and design.

One of the defining aspects of the Playsafe project was the rigorous adherence to W3C usability and accessibility standards. In collaboration with stakeholders from NSW Health, we conducted real user testing and survey sessions to identify key usability needs and preferences for this young audience. I utilized contrast and font-size testing tools to ensure full compliance with WCAG guidelines, with special attention to color contrast, accessibility for visually impaired users, and overall readability across various devices. This adherence to accessibility standards was crucial, as Playsafe needed to meet government standards for inclusivity and ease of use.

The backend development in Drupal was configured to handle both high traffic and frequent content updates, creating a sustainable and scalable site that could grow as new features were added. Given the site’s potential for large-scale usage, we optimized the codebase to ensure seamless functionality and quick loading times for users accessing the site from both urban and rural areas. This Drupal setup allowed NSW Health to easily manage and update content, providing them with a flexible CMS for future content expansion without compromising performance or accessibility.

A standout feature of Playsafe was the integration with the NSW Health API to offer a doctor and clinic locator tool. This functionality enabled users to find nearby health facilities where they could get tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Integrating with government health services ensured the platform was not just informative but also actionable, empowering users to take the next steps in managing their sexual health. This feature proved to be particularly valuable for users in remote or underserved areas, giving them access to health resources they might not have known about otherwise.

The design of Playsafe was crafted to engage and retain the target audience of young users. This required a mobile-first approach to ensure compatibility across devices, especially smartphones and tablets. I implemented an interactive quiz feature and other interactive content to make learning about safe sex approachable and engaging. Each element was designed with user experience in mind, fostering an environment where young people felt comfortable exploring sensitive topics. Through a combination of responsive design and visual appeal, we delivered a site that not only met but exceeded the client’s expectations.

Post-launch, I continued to support Playsafe by maintaining and expanding its features, ensuring it stayed up-to-date with evolving standards and user needs. This ongoing collaboration with the NSW Ministry of Health was a testament to the site’s success and relevance in the community. Receiving an award for this project was a proud moment, recognizing the dedication, technical skill, and user-focused approach that went into making Playsafe a trusted and influential platform. This project honed my ability to build for high-traffic environments, respect high usability standards, and manage government-level project requirements with professionalism and precision.