Collaborative for Educational Services
Brand system, print design, and website visual direction for a statewide educational nonprofit
Skills Used
Brand Identity · Print Design · Visual Systems · Information Architecture · Cross-Team Collaboration · Publication Design · Brand Systems · Training and Facilitation
Project Objective
The Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) is a Massachusetts educational nonprofit serving 37 member school districts across Hampshire and Franklin Counties. Despite 50 years of operation, the organization lacked a unified visual identity and had never produced a brochure covering the full scope of its work. The challenge was to modernize the brand, establish consistent visual standards across departments, and introduce the organization clearly to new audiences.
My Role & Process
I led visual design across a multi-platform brand transformation that included a new brand standards guide, an organizational brochure, and collaborative visual direction for a full website redesign.
The brand guide, the first in CES history, established the organization's complete visual system: color palette with accessibility guidelines, logo usage rules, typography hierarchy, image standards, stationery specifications, email signature format, and presentation templates. The guide was designed to be used independently by staff across departments, reducing reliance on the communications team for routine materials.
The organizational brochure was the first to capture the full scope of CES's mission and services in a single document, structured around engaging visuals, clear messaging, and impact statistics in a modern style aligned with the new brand standards.
For the website redesign, I worked closely with a team of four, serving as the primary decision-maker on visual direction, including image selection, color application, and layout across the site.
To support brand adoption, I developed a Google Slides presentation template and delivered training to staff across nearly every department, including workshop facilitation, tip sheets, and a curated image library.
Impact
- Brand standards guide, first in organizational history, adopted across all departments
- Organizational brochure introducing CES's full mission and services for the first time in a single document
- Visual direction for full website redesign, including image selection and color system
- 25% increase in web traffic following the brand transformation and site relaunch
- Google Slides template and training program reaching 753 staff members across nearly every department
- 90% of training participants reported the program would improve their work; 97% would recommend it to others
The collaborative.org website before and after the brand modernization. Visual direction for the redesigned site included image selection, color application, and layout — resulting in a 25% increase in web traffic following relaunch.
The first organizational brochure in CES history, introducing the agency's full mission and services to new audiences. Interior spreads combine impact statistics, photography, and program information in a consistent layout aligned with the new brand standards.
A spread from the CES Brand Guide showing the color palette with accessibility contrast guidelines, ensuring all materials meet AA standards for web and print.
Google Slides presentation template designed for use across all departments, accompanied by staff training, tip sheets, and a curated image library. The training reached 753 staff members across nearly every department — 90% reported it would improve their work, and 97% would recommend it to others.