enrolio documentation

John Fontaine Thesis Project 1


Project DocumentationContents

Discovery PhasePrimary ResearchSecondary ResearchUnderstanding the UserProject Proposal

Building a BrandBrand VoiceTypographyLogotypeVisual MarkColor

ApplicationInformation ArchitectureWireframesScreen DesignsLasting Impact

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Throughout my education I was given adequate opportunities to engage with the arts both during and after school.

I had an art class during school hours in every grade. My elementary school even offered an extra art enrichment class for gifted students. I took a half dozen art electives in high-school and was a member of a student organization called Art Club. I also participated in a creative problem solving organization called Destination Imagination for my entire K-12 experience.

For me, creativity is second nature.

It was not until after I graduated, that I realized this level of exposure was atypical. In fact, approximately 54,700 students in Ohio’s public schools did not have access to arts instruction in 2010. I decided to investigate the role art can play in a student’s life, and evaluate the resources currently available to creative students.

Discovery Phase

Identifying Opportunities


Discovery Phase

Primary Research

I began my research by talking to one of my mentors, a high school art teacher named Mrs. Green. We discussed the importance of art education and the challenges school art programs currently face.

Intrigued by the possibilities, I did some more digging and found that enrollment in the arts drops sharply in high school. I predicted that the pressure to choose a career and a focus on standardized testing were factors that contributed to this decline.

In order to put my hypothesis to the test, I decided to talk to high school students about their current situation. I was interested in their decision making process and any difficulties they had encountered. By conducting interviews I gained a genuine understanding of this dilemma.

I have chosen a few quotes that I feel capture the feelings and desires of my interviewees.


“ I am a social person, so I knew I wanted to go to a big university. Ohio State was the right fit for me. “

- Nicole Fontaine

How are you preparing for graduation?

“I have talked to my parents and my consoler, but I want to make discoveries on my own.“

- Mitchell Mahoney

“I have spent most of my time searching online, but It is frustrating trying to find what I need.“

- Grant Gualteri

How did you decide on which university to attend?

“ I was on the fence, but once I talked to students at each university I knew which one to choose. “

- Matt Mahoney

“ Most incoming students I have talked to are interested in job and internship placement. “

- Gabe Tippery Design Advisor

“I know what I’m good at, but I wish there was a way to get paid for doing what I love to do.“

- Alissa Cook


Discovery PhaseSecondary Research

The following are a few statistics that support my hypothesis:

According to the No Child Left Behind act art is considered a core academic subject.

10 % of major urban public schools provided no access to the arts.

Low-income students who are highly engaged in the arts are twice as likely to graduate college as their peers with no arts education.

72% of business leaders say that creativity is the number one skill they are seeking when hiring.

Benchmarking

In order to fully understand my problem space I took a look at existing websites for inspiration. My goal was to uncover the strengths and weakness of each site. This exercise provided me with useful techniques and guidelines I used when crafting my solution.


Linked In

This site is the world’s largest professional network. It is the web’s best resource for networking. I examined the site in order to get inspiration on ways to connect people. I want to create a creative community where students feel comfortable reaching out to professionals in their fields of interest. Overall it proved to be a fantastic resource.

Bigfuture

This site attempts to tackle the immense task of providing career and college advice to all students. It succeeds in many ways by providing credible information and useful tools, but lacks specificity and visual aids. Its features and functionality informed my initial design directions and helped me narrow my focus to creative careers.

Behance

This site is a beautiful portfolio sharing site. It’s minimal design allows users to showcase their work without distraction. The site is very well organized and uses a clever filter system to streamline the navigation. I was inspired by behance to craft the portfolio portion of my site. I hope to give students the opportunity to share their work with their peers.


Discovery PhaseUnderstanding the User

People are at the heart of every good design solution. I utilized a human-centered approach when conducting my research. I leveraged what I learned from my interviews to craft two personas that make up my target audience.

During my research I discovered an under served user group. I found that there were already several sites that displayed information for students approaching graduation, but there wasn’t a site dedicated to serving the needs of creative individuals.

I saw the opportunity to use my design skill to provide a solution that improved the current experience of enrolling in creative major.


Creative students

All high school students approaching graduation are forced to contemplate their purpose, and decide whether or not to continue their education. Creative students often struggle to find a career path that is right for them and often become discouraged. They need a better way to evaluate their options.

Concerned parents

Having a student who intends on pursuing a creative career can be stressful for parents. They want to ensure they provide proper guidance to their children. They face financial decisions and a plethora of unanswered questions . An online resource could provide them peace of mind when advising their child.


Discovery PhaseInitial Focus

How students utilize the resources available to them to make important decisions about their future.

Chosen Problem

Talented high school students lack proper exposure to creative career opportunities.

Problem Space

The transition from high school into college can be overwhelming for students. In some cases, lack of motivation prevents students from realizing their potential, but most of the time access to information is the problem. Knowledge is power and equipped with the right information students feel empowered to take action.


Discovery PhaseProposed Solution

An interactive online resource that provides students with the tools they need to make informed decisions about their future.

Objective

To raise awareness of career opportunities in the creative industries while promoting advancement to higher education.

Deliverables

Interface Designs for a responsive web application.

An exhibition board that illustrates project goals.

A promotional video that clear explain functionality.


Building a Brand

A brand is more than just a symbol it is a promise.

My brand promises to provide credible information and useful tools to students who intend on pursuing careers in the creative industries.

It was important to me that my project have a strong brand identity, so I worked hard to ensure that my brand captured the essence of my project and that it could be used to communicate my project goals.


Naming

Choosing a brand name is a difficult task. I choose to combine two words that described my site’s functionality to create my brand. By combining the word enroll with the word portfolio I created a unique and memorable name.

SocialApproachableInspirational

Building a BrandBrand Voice

CredibleTrustworthyEfficient


I choose to use a San serif typeface, because my solution is web based. I selected Effra because It has unique characters and is highly legible.

Effra Regular

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff GgEffra Bold

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg

Building a BrandTypography


Process

Building a Brand

Alterations from the original typeface

I decided to present my brand name in lowercase letters and round the ascenders to ensure my brand appeared friendly and approachable.

Logotype


Visual Mark

In order to create a visual mark that captured the enrolio brand I utilized the principle of synergy. I combined the representations of two objects; a light bulb and a fountain pen. The light bulb symbolizes creativity and innovation, and the fountain pen embodies the process of crafting ideas by hand.

Building a Brand

+ =


Horizontal Lockup

This is the proper arrangement of the visual mark and logotype.

Building a Brand


Color

I choose blue as my primary color because it conveys trust. My pallet in monochromatic, but effectively utilizes various tints and shades of blue to highlight key information and establish a clear hierarchy.

Building a Brand

Light Blue#12AAEB

Calm Blue#275481

Dark Blue#0D2440

True Black#000000


Mark Variations

The following are appropriate combinations of the brand elements.

Building a Brand


Application

After months of research and ideation it was time to craft the final deliverables. Being a site for creatives, my primary focus was the visual language. I also leveraged my knowledge of usability to ensure the interface was clear, and functional.


ApplicationInformation Architecture

The site began as an architecture diagram. This allowed me to take a content inventory and assess core functionality. This diagram also illustrates content flow and how a user would navigate the site.


Application

Wireframes

All of my screens began as wireframes. This low fidelity approach allowed me to easily make revisions and incorporate new ideas. This process gradually led me to a consistent layout that I could incorporate into my entire site design.


Application

Home Page

The landing page of any site is the user’s first impression. It is important to clearly convey the purpose of the site using visuals and text. I also included a call to action that prompts the user to leverage the site’s full functionality by creating an account.


I created icons for my site to streamline the navigation process. I wanted to using line-work to convey complex ideas in a simple way.

Careers Universities Gallery Portfolio

ApplicationIconography


Application

Explore Careers

On this page, students can evaluate their options before making important life decisions. Users can begin their guided exploration, by choosing their top three strengths. The site will then display suitable careers based on their abilities.


Application

Career Profile

Detailed information is available on each career profile page.It presents information relevant to decision making, such as job descriptions and major requirements. Users can discover new and exciting career paths and they also have the option to save potential careers to their dashboard for further review.


Application

Find a University

In this section, students can search the enrolio database for colleges. To begin their custom search, they simply choose relevant factors and arrange them in order of importance. Once their priorities have been established, the site will a list of display universities that meet their needs. This page displays important information at a glance, allowing students to make comparisons and quickly evaluate their options. .


Application

University Profile

More information about each school is available on its corresponding profile page. Additional program details are also available for each major offered by a school. With enrolio, students can compare school statistics, read student reviews, and even chat with current students


Application

Student Gallery

On this page, students can view, comment on, and be inspired by original work posted by their peers. This gallery is unique because it is exclusive to high school students. It is designed to promote meaningful peer interactions and facilitate collaboration.


Application

Create a Portfolio

In the creative industries, a person’s portfolio is their most important asset. When presented properly, student work can properly portray a student’s abilities. With enrolio, students can easily create interactive online portfolios free of charge. Once users have completed their portfolio, they have the option to send it to university recruiters, and share it with friends.


Application

Lasting Impact

I was fortune enough to have the unconditional support of my parents, and the guidance of several mentors, enabling me to follow my dreams. For my senior project I decided to pay it forward by using my design skills to create a resource for the next generation of creatives.

Enrolio helps students realize their full potential by encouraging them to continue their education and pursue their passion. I hope one day my design will be implemented so the positive influence I have envisioned will become real.

enrolio documentation

Documents

high school students

art class

high school art teacher

act art

art club

role art

challenges school art

creative students