Barnardos: Wud U?

A difficult brief, handled with care

Barnardos came to us with a challenging remit: build an app that would help teenagers recognise the warning signs of sexual exploitation. The audience was young, the subject matter was difficult, and the tone had to be exactly right.

Wud U? — short for "would you?" — uses interactive scenarios drawn from the real accounts of young people. The user is placed inside each scenario and asked to choose how they'd respond, with the app explaining the implications of each path. Illustrated rather than photographed, designed to feel safe rather than alarmist, and structured so that the conversation can be continued offline with a parent, teacher, or support worker.

The app won the 2014 UK App Design Awards in the "Not For Profit" category. More importantly, it remains in active use by Barnardos and partner organisations.