The Collaboratory at Ringling College of Art and Design
A sub-brand of Ringling college that houses experiential learning opportunities.
Students are not participating in experiential learning opportunities because they don't know how to find them, so we need a system of visual identification for all of our on-campus opportunities so that more students take advantage of them.
RCAD Students
Upon receiving this client brief, we knew that we needed to dive into the presumed problem with user research to uncover the root cause behind the lack of engagement. Then, we could truly determine if visual badges are the right solution before beginning the design process. This ensured that our work would address the real problem and improve students’ experience of preparing for the professional world after college.
Our survey garnered over 600 responses from Ringling students, which is around half of the entire student body. This was huge. We now had student opinions from every year group and major, giving us an incredibly valuable source of information to decode where exactly the experiential learning program was hitting a roadblock.
In tandem with our big-picture data, we needed to take a closer look at how people felt in relation to the problem. What emotions were students experiencing that might be deterring them from participating in opportunities that are so valuable to their future? We were able to answer this question through 15 individual interviews with students from all majors at the college.
Research led to the realization that the target audience doesn't even know what experiential learning even is. Our three key insights revealed that this wasn’t a design problem, it was a brand communication problem.
With our newfound knowledge of the real human problem behind the lack of participation, our strategy began to take shape. We knew that we needed to get in front of the confusion by streamlining and simplifying the language used to describe the opportunities and unify all the options under a single umbrella brand. Enter INDEX, Industry Experience at Ringling College of Art and Design.
The name change was the most obvious strategic move, but it was paired with an overhaul of the entire framework on the back-end of how the experiences are disseminated to students. An updated communication and roll-out plan accompanied our strategic recommendations.
After our pitch, we continued working on the project outside of class aiming for a full greenlight from stakeholders and leadership. After another round of pitching, we passed INDEX off to an internal production team for implementation. Our strategy received quite a bit of recognition, winning Best of Ringling Gold as well as being mentioned in the press. The Ulla Searing building lobby on campus was transformed into an INDEX showroom, displaying Industry Experiences at Ringling for current and future students, parents, and other members of the community to see.
Watching my work go from the initial messy stages of conception to the polished real-life execution was an experience like no other. It showed me the potential that I held to innovate and improve brand experiences with the right thinking, research to back up my ideas, and drive to always push forward. By bringing INDEX into fruition first-hand, I was able to see the positive impact the right strategy and brand design has on people.
Problem Discovery Interviews
Survey Development and Analysis
Qualitative Data Analysis
Brand, Naming, and Language Development
Student Engagement and Culture Creation
Initial INDEX Brand Identity Design
Deck and Presentation Narrative and Design