RVL Website Launch: Designer Reflections
When I walked into Re-Vision Labs headquarters for the first time to discuss the design of a new website, I was struck by the open, naturally lit and inviting environment. They may have had little say about the architecture of the building, but architecture only contributes so much to the environment of a place. The working relationships and communicative energy of the partners and fellows filling the space practically begged me to grab a dry erase pen and go to town on the nearest white board.
No one’s ideas were unwanted and no one’s ideas were without value to the collaborative process. I really did leave the space with world changing ideas developed through constant constructive collaboration, the ethos Re-Vision Labs passionately champions.
So, I sat down to design a site that emphasized”Re-Vision Labs” with its first impression. Melinda Briana Epler and I had gone over some basic ideas of what the partners wanted portrayed, which conveniently fell inline with the idea of RVL I was already forming, so I went with it. I wanted to design a site that said, “We’re cutting edge, we’re knowledgeable, we’re idea generators and community builders.” The image that stuck in my mind, that said all of this to me, was those white boards leaning up against the wall.
I whittled all the content I was handed for the site down to what could fit on Post-it Notes, laid them arbitrarily on a white cutting board and spent hours moving them around, swapping pieces out, drawing arrows from here to there, indicating menus and sub menus until I had what looked more or less like the structure of the homepage as it is now: clean, clear, and sometimes-a-little-showy functionality.
The hand-drawn elements were a long debate in my head. Clean graphics adhered to the minimalist sensibility, but ultimately the rough sketchy look adds the “we’re always innovating” personality of RVL to the site. As it stands now, this site was one of my favorite design projects. So rarely does one get handed the job of representing such an inspired group of individuals. It is my hope that everyone who visits RVL’s new site reaches that homepage with a more complete understanding of their mission and purpose.
Similar Posts:
- Reflecting on the Launch of Our New Website
- Cooking Up Community: Part 2
- Re-Vision Labs and Three Degrees Collaborate for the Digital Media & Learning Competition
