We are beyond thrilled to announce that HMA and DigiBete have won silver at the DBA Design Effectiveness Awards 2021.

The global award scheme recognises examples of design across all sectors and disciplines, celebrating those organisations who are leading the way in effective design, which helps to improve society and enhance lives. Award winners are measured on the outstanding contribution their designs have made to the success of a business, demonstrating clear and measurable results.

With first-hand experience of how difficult the T1D journey is, DigiBete co-founders, Maddie and Rob, embarked on a collaborative project with the Leeds Children’s Hospital diabetes team to create a sustainable social enterprise… and DigiBete was born. HMA have been working closely with Maddie and Rob to help them create digitally enabled training and self-management resources to support families like theirs.

But how could DigiBete succeed where other similar resources had failed? They held the belief that by taking a design-led approach to digitalising what is typically provided as written or verbal information in a clinical setting, families would have 24/7 access to potentially life-saving information at the touch of a button.

Not only is the DigiBete platform evidence based and clinically endorsed, it is also the only resource of its kind specifically aimed at children and their families. The platform was developed using a co-creation approach with parents, clinicians and the T1D community. This approach extended right the way through the entire project from gathering requirements and testing functionality, to evaluating designs to ensure that it was engaging, met the needs of the end users and ultimately had a significant impact on peoples’ lives.

And the platform is achieving huge success including:

      • The app being rolled out across 93% of clinics in England
      • The web-platform being signposted as the go-to paediatric diabetes resource on NHS.uk
      • Engaging over 90,000 unique users via video content
      • Delivering huge savings across the NHS
      • Having a positive impact on the lives of thousands of children with T1D and their families

Emma Casimir, Client Services Director at HMA said, “We are extremely proud to have won this prestigious design award, an accolade which is given only to those who make the most effective use of design. This project is truly ground-breaking and it has been a privilege to work with the fabulous team at DigiBete. We are delighted that the work that HMA and DigiBete are doing has been recognised by the design industry for the positive impact it is having on children with T1D and their families’ lives.”

Managing Director of HMA, Nicola Tiffany said: “We are over the moon to win silver at this year’s DBA Design Effectiveness awards. We have seen first hand how design can solve the hardest of challenges and it’s great that HMA and DigiBete have been recognised in this field, amongst such outstanding competition. This win is testament to the forward thinking vision of our clients at DigiBete, and our exceptionally talented team for being able to bring that vision to life. We are really proud to partner with such an amazing client.”