DESIGN

Heising-Simons Foundation

A digital and print advocacy report in support of California’s dual-language learners

Gif of the homepage animation for “California’s Gold” digital report. The homepage is in a white macbook on a yellow background.

The Client

The Heising Simons Foundation is a family foundation based in California. They partner with and support grantees who work within climate and clean energy, education, human rights, science, and community-based organizations

The Challenge

Dual language learners make up a growing part of California’s youth population. However, in the state’s current education system, tests and state assessments reveal that these children are at a greater disadvantage. In collaboration with Heising-Simons Foundation and Dr. Marlene Zepeda, we created California’s Gold: Capitalizing on California’s Diversity Today, for a Brighter Tomorrow, an advocacy framework report that analyzes dual-language education policy and practices. The report explains the issues behind education inequalities and explores possible solutions to overcome them.

Role
UX/UI Designer
Brand Designer

Focus Areas
Creative Direction
Information Architecture
User Experience Design
Web Design

Creating a Unique Brand Story

Visual Concept and Style Guide

While the nature of California’s Gold is serious, we still wanted to capture the spirit of children in the design. By curating a vibrant color palette and creating rhythmic illustrations, we evoked the enthusiasm and optimism of young learners. At the same time, we avoided showing faces that might box in our ideas and add stereotypes to the report’s goals. We used complementary sans serif typefaces to evoke the academic nature of reports in a voice that felt friendly and innovative.

Four illustrated icons that symbolize the four focus areas of the report. Each illustration shows a line drawing with a yellow circle in the background and descriptive text.
The brand color palette for “California’s Gold”, which consists of four main shades of green, orange, pink, and black each with their own secondary and tertiary shades.
Visual examples of the seri (Utopia Std) and san serif (Mr. Eaves Mod OT) typefaces used for the report. Each example shows one sentence on a dark and light green background.
One line drawing illustration that was used in the report. The report’s brand colors are added behind certain spots of the illustration as accent colors.

Prioritizing Print Design for Policy Makers and Education Experts

During our discovery phase, we decided to prioritize a printed report for policymakers and education sector experts. The report itself is large, so the content needed to have an easy-to-follow editorial rhythm. We chose a classic grid system that provided a structured design system and reinforced the framework’s evidence-based approach. In addition, we used bold headlines to attract attention and provide a clear information hierarchy for scanning. 

Establishing Grids and Guides

The front cover of the “California’s Gold” print report along with an example of a section opener spread.
Nine spreads from the “California’s Gold” report laid out on a white background.

One Sheets

California’s Gold dual-language learning framework is built on four key action areas. In order to help break down the depth of information in the full report, we designed one sheets for each action area. In collaboration with the Heising-Simons team, our design focused on the facts to quickly provide information to teachers, policymakers, community members, and activists. 

Two one sheet examples (front and back) of the near-term and longer-term opportunities for the Workforce Development focus area.

Designing a Complimentary Digital Reading Experience 

Digital Report UX

To ensure the report’s impact and influence, a digital strategy was essential to reaching a wider audience. We translated the print report’s linear experience into a responsive information architecture. To increase accessibility, we created multiple entry points through features such as search and an interactive glossary.

Four wireframes for the digital report of “California’s Gold.”

Digital Report

In the digital report, we visually extended California’s Gold into interactive elements that complement the report’s existing design system. We added iconography, buttons, and other elements for usability, wayfinding, and navigation. By animating the print design’s illustrations and bringing them to life, we captured the audience’s attention. The flow of the digital report complements the rhythm of the print report, furthering the continuity among all assets of the project.

The full design of “California’s Gold” Homepage screen.
The full design of the “California’s Gold” Workforce Development screen.
The full design of the “California’s Gold” About this Framework screen.
An example of various “California’s Gold” digital report screens in a white iPad and two white iPhones set on a green background.

Key Takeaways

TAKEAWAY 1

Don’t Forget to Put Pencil to Paper

Using design tools like Illustrator and Photoshop is great, but when it comes to ideating big ideas, we shouldn’t forget the magic that occurs when we put a pencil paper. By doing rough sketches, we avoid the designer’s downfall of being married to one idea too early on in the design process. When it came to creating illustrations for California’s Gold, we put much thought on the paper before we landed on the right voice and visuals. Since illustrations were a big part of the report’s visual storytelling, taking the time to “just draw things out” was an essential part of the process.

TAKEAWAY 2

Designing with the Audience in Mind

As mentioned, the report had many different audiences to reach, each with its own agendas and needs. With this in mind, we designed multiple entry points to digest the report’s content. Breaking up the content and summarizing it into more digestible chunks, we could effectively share the same story. By crossing both print and digital mediums, the report could reach wider audiences. 

Show Up

Seamore Virtual Art Gallery