Showcasing the Numbers
Challenge: Showcasing the many aspects of one unit
From student appointments and workshops to the engineering career fairs and employer engagement, Engineering Career Services supported all students within the Grainger College of Engineering. Through career coaching and professional development opportunities, the unit assisted with many projects and initiatives outlined by the college. As part of an administrative review, there was a need to showcase the unit's success in terms of facts, figures, and statistics.
Approach: A Celebratory Puzzle
With a high performing team, Engineering Career Services had multiple victories to celebrate. The student advising team had a variety of metrics to share including appointments and workshop numbers during a global pandemic; the employer engagement team had an impressive year connecting employers with students; and the communications team saw considerable growth in marketing efforts and online engagement. Instead of writing a report in essay form, the idea of a celebratory puzzle came after careful consideration of how each of the three areas "fit" together.
Solution: Leading with the numbers
Rather than hiding office metrics within large blocks of text or wordy callouts, I wanted to find a way to present the facts and figures that was concise and direct. Letting the numbers be front and center stage would allow administrators to see glimpses of the office's success while also providing the option to read more. No prefaces, no long-winded intros, just metrics to showcase the wins.
Outcome: Keeping it fresh
Created for both digital and printed formats, the design for each page was different to emphasize each separate aspect of Engineering Career Services. Inspired by infographics, I intentionally crafted each page to stand on its own--if need be--while also bringing in a playful tone through the design elements, including the graphics, vertical titles, and color palette. The end product was a report that was 50% business and 50% fun. Due to the importance of numbers within each of the three areas (e.g., advising, communications, and employer engagement), I opted for variety among pages to keep the overall look fresh and modern with straight-forward fun.
Extending the Work: Communications Report
As the marketing and communications coordinator, I was responsible for creating content for Engineering Career Services. Within my duties were graphic design, copywriting, editing, and consulting with my colleagues to determine communication strategies among several avenues. From creating weekly newsletters to 10,000+ engineering students to coordinating multi-channel campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, as well as two virtual management platforms (e.g., Handshake, CampusGroups), I was committed to maximizing the unit's reach to students, departments, and beyond. To conclude the 2020-2021 academic year, I created a report to capture growth, performance metrics, and showcase several campaigns. Designed for electronic or printed formats, the communications report summarized the unit's accomplishments and highlighted major areas of growth and variety of content.
• • •
Jump to another DESIGN project below by clicking on the thumbnail.
