CLIENT
Academic Concepts
DURATION
4 months
Role
I worked as a freelance graphic & UX designer for Academic Concepts. I was responsible for ideating & implementing the branding. I also worked closely with the client to collate design & branding language. In addition, I helped the team to design a UX system for their website with focused targets for user interaction.
Design Objective
I was commissioned to create branding and a UX system for Academic Concepts. The objective was to establish an identity and a digital presence
BUSINESS PURPOSE
Academic Concepts are an educational organisation. They managed a variety of academic programs and services designed for the differently-abled.
The client wanted the identity to center around 'Growth', 'Study' or 'Innovation'. In addition, the client hoped to increase engagement and impact among potential donors.
IDEATION
I explored several different motifs that embody the keywords the client had outlined. I chose to focus on 'Study' & 'Growth' since that's what encompasses most of the client's services.
At this stage, I also suggested that the client use a template for the website. This was because a more custom approach would need complex maintenance. However, I still volunteered to edit and customise the template once obtained.
Some of the sketches from the ideation phase follow;
Ideation sketches exploring various options centred around academic motifs and monograms.
PRODUCTION
I explored various methods to represent the Academic Concept identity. I also procured a detailed understanding from the client about specific UX functionalities. After reviewing with the client, I created the final drafts that contained the following key features;
- The logo design; inspired by a graduation cap, contains the A and C (first letters of the brand).
- I updated the selected WordPress template with all relevant information and imagery.
- I also included a payment loop in the website to aid donors to make a digital donation.
- Visually highlighted the donate CTA to be more striking, for easy access to attract donors’ attention.
DESIGN LANGUAGE
As part of the branding exercise, I provided the client with a choice of colour palettes to choose from. The colour scheme was especially important because it had to establish a new identity. However, it also needed to provide a link to the V-Excel's (academic institutions managed by Academic Concepts) brand colours.
The font and iconography were also selected to represent innovation and modernity. Since there was a selected theme, I paid attention to adjusting the design to match the new identity. The final design language displayed below embodies this;
Design Language for Academic Concepts - Branding, Colour & Typography
FINAL DESIGN
You can see Academic Concepts' identity and website by following the link below or
here.The branding and visualisers below reflect what was finally presented to the client.
Academic Concepts - Final Identity
