National organization rebranding
Restructuring STARS Computing Corps
COMPANY
Temple
University
ROLE
Product
Designer
Tasks
UX Design,
research, merch design
DURATION
September 2023- November 2023
Project description
Project description
Project description
The goal was to redesign branding for STARS Computing Corps in their national competition to optimize reach. This project included user interviews & research, website prototyping, STARS merch design, logo creation, and brand voice development.
Timeline
From explorations to final designs in 6 weeks while working with multiple projects at the same time
Background
STARS Computing Corps reached out to its chapters across the US in hopes of a team's ability to create a rebranded product. They wanted to have an appeal to students and alumni donors, even requesting two separate landing pages for the respective parties within the deliverables requested.
They needed new branded marketing materials to communicate the impactful work and messages that STARS incorporates in its dedicated mission to broaden the activity of underrepresented groups in computing.
I designed the user experience and interface of the redesigned website, created graphics for a t-shirt design, and led or was heavily involved with the following processes and deliverables:
User Research & Persona development
Website Sketching/Wireframing
T-Shirt design
Logo revision
Tone of voice design
My Design Process: Human-Centered Design
My Design Process: Human-Centered Design
My Design Process: Human-Centered Design
This category details the step-by-step approach used. I used the Human-Centered Design (HCD) process in this project.
Inspiration
The inspiration phase involved empathetic research to comprehend user needs, behaviors, and motivations. User interviews informed the understanding of the target audience, while the application of Henri Tajfel's social identity theory laid the foundation for creating a sense of belonging and culture.
Ideation
Ideation saw the generation of diverse ideas for the rebrand, including website design, merchandising, presentation, logos, and brand voice. The team collaborated to ensure a cohesive and innovative strategy.
Implementation
After defining our target audience and creating a working proof of concept, the final phase is where we introduced our solution to the marketplace. We recieved user feedback from our target audience to further refine our final solutions.
We pitched our redesign over Zoom to Temple University STARS leaders at the end of this stage. We presented for 1 5 mins about our new proposal for STARS' brand and won first place!
Inspiration: What is STARS?
Inspiration: What is STARS?
Key Questions:
Field Research 🤔
How far does STARS' brand travel to students?
Understanding how participants became aware of STARS and their interpretations of the acronym.
What are the motivations for joining an Academic club?
Exploring the factors that individuals consider when joining an academic club, providing insights into their expectations
What are our students doing?
Identifying the types of clubs participants are currently involved in, highlighting potential areas of shared interest with STARS.
Do students feel a sense of belonging?
How does our sample feel about their club?
My attempt to answer
My attempt to answer
In conducting my research, my approach was deeply interested in exploring the fundamental question of what makes clubs and organizations successful, and if STARS was on its way to be such.
In conducting my research, my approach was deeply interested in exploring the fundamental question of what makes clubs and organizations successful, and if STARS was on its way to be such.
It always comes back to psychology…
Inspired by Henri Tajfel's Social Identity Theory, my goal was to understand how people categorize themselves into groups and how these group dynamics influence their sense of belonging within an organization.
It always comes back to psychology…
It always comes back to psychology…
Inspired by Henri Tajfel's Social Identity Theory, my goal was to understand how people categorize themselves into groups and how these group dynamics influence their sense of belonging within an organization.
Inspired by Henri Tajfel's Social Identity Theory, my goal was to understand how people categorize themselves into groups and how these group dynamics influence their sense of belonging within an organization.
We surveyed over 50 students…
...And interviewed STARS alumni, STARS faculty, and corporate leaders...
STARS Faculty
"If you only have a certain group dominating, you’re gonna get a certain result, and that's why representation is important."
STARS Alumna
"My STARS experience was very helpful for defining and applying inclusion and equity in my interactions with student leaders."
Industry Leader
At Microsoft
"[When it comes to donors,] if you speak to their heart, they donate. STARS has to have the potential to promise growth for the next generation. ”
Key Takeaways:
Low STARS Awareness
Not a lot of respondents (16 out of 54) have heard of STARS Computing Corps, indicating a low level of awareness within the survey's audience in this sample.
Diverse Awareness Channels
Despite the low engagement, awareness of STARS comes from various sources: word of mouth, social media, and personal involvement.
A significant number of respondents (43 out of 51) are currently members of clubs
This is showcasing a potential pool of individuals interested in academic and social engagement.
STARS have been useful for Alumni
Alumni have reported that the skills STARS have given them from their outreaches, symposiums, inclusion, and the like have given them opportunities to work with many different types of people.
With STARS relying on donations as a non-profit, [alumni] donors need to see the benefits
Having a positive impact on students allows for a faithful alumni audience, and hopefully then successful alumni that will be able to give back in the future
Student persona
Allison, a 22-year-old college senior, feels stuck. She wants a career in writing and media but shyness and a tough job market are in her way. She doesn’t know a lot about tech but has had a lot of friends recommend STARS to her. She’s unsure if it's the right fit but she’s desperate to gain the necessary skills to thrive in her career.
Alumni /partner persona
Angel is a passionate Project Manager at Epic Systems striving for a CFO role. Overwhelmed by a recent promotion, he grapples with finding a work-life balance. Angel aims to mentor aspiring project managers by leveraging his STARS college involvement, so he can help others avoid struggling with the lessons he had to learn the hard way.
Student persona
Allison, a 22-year-old college senior, feels stuck. She wants a career in writing and media but shyness and a tough job market are in her way. She doesn’t know a lot about tech but has had a lot of friends recommend STARS to her. She’s unsure if it's the right fit but she’s desperate to gain the necessary skills to thrive in her career.
Alumni /partner persona
Angel is a passionate Project Manager at Epic Systems striving for a CFO role. Overwhelmed by a recent promotion, he grapples with finding a work-life balance. Angel aims to mentor aspiring project managers by leveraging his STARS college involvement, so he can help others avoid struggling with the lessons he had to learn the hard way.
Student persona
Allison, a 22-year-old college senior, feels stuck. She wants a career in writing and media but shyness and a tough job market are in her way. She doesn’t know a lot about tech but has had a lot of friends recommend STARS to her. She’s unsure if it's the right fit but she’s desperate to gain the necessary skills to thrive in her career.
Alumni /partner persona
Angel is a passionate Project Manager at Epic Systems striving for a CFO role. Overwhelmed by a recent promotion, he grapples with finding a work-life balance. Angel aims to mentor aspiring project managers by leveraging his STARS college involvement, so he can help others avoid struggling with the lessons he had to learn the hard way.
Student persona
Allison, a 22-year-old college senior, feels stuck. She wants a career in writing and media but shyness and a tough job market are in her way. She doesn’t know a lot about tech but has had a lot of friends recommend STARS to her. She’s unsure if it's the right fit but she’s desperate to gain the necessary skills to thrive in her career.
Alumni /partner persona
Angel is a passionate Project Manager at Epic Systems striving for a CFO role. Overwhelmed by a recent promotion, he grapples with finding a work-life balance. Angel aims to mentor aspiring project managers by leveraging his STARS college involvement, so he can help others avoid struggling with the lessons he had to learn the hard way.
Website UX Audit
Student landing page
The STARS Computing Corps website had critical usability issues, including poor navigation, repetitive and uncertain links. Outdated informatio and an issue regarding its essential components also were evident. The issues in addition dates the website and that can make users unsure if the content is reliable.
alumni landing page
I was in such a shock when I found out that they shouted me out on their website!
Student landing page
The STARS Computing Corps website had critical usability issues, including poor navigation, repetitive and uncertain links. Outdated informatio and an issue regarding its essential components also were evident. The issues in addition dates the website and that can make users unsure if the content is reliable.
alumni landing page
I was in such a shock when I found out that they shouted me out on their website!
Student landing page
The STARS Computing Corps website had critical usability issues, including poor navigation, repetitive and uncertain links. Outdated informatio and an issue regarding its essential components also were evident. The issues in addition dates the website and that can make users unsure if the content is reliable.
alumni landing page
I was in such a shock when I found out that they shouted me out on their website!
Student landing page
The STARS Computing Corps website had critical usability issues, including poor navigation, repetitive and uncertain links. Outdated informatio and an issue regarding its essential components also were evident. The issues in addition dates the website and that can make users unsure if the content is reliable.
alumni landing page
I was in such a shock when I found out that they shouted me out on their website!
The Alumni/Donor landing page is longer, allowing the user to scroll more. It was decided that we wanted to guide our alumni/donor user to ease them into understanding our cause. Here's also an example of the low fidelity of the shorter student landing page.
Field Research 🤔
Key Questions:
How far does STARS' brand travel to students?
Understanding how participants became aware of STARS and their interpretations of the acronym.
What are the motivations for joining an Academic club?
Exploring the factors that individuals consider when joining an academic club, providing insights into their expectations
What are our students doing?
Identifying the types of clubs participants are currently involved in, highlighting potential areas of shared interest with STARS.
Do students feel a sense of belonging?
How does our sample feel about their club?
We surveyed over 50 FSU students…
...And interviewed STARS alumni, STARS faculty, and corporate leaders...
STARS Faculty
"If you only have a certain group dominating, you’re gonna get a certain result, and that's why representation is important."
STARS Alumna
"My STARS experience was very helpful for defining and applying inclusion and equity in my interactions with student leaders."
Industry Leader
At Microsoft
"[When it comes to donors,] if you speak to their heart, they donate. STARS has to have the potential to promise growth for the next generation. ”
Key Takways:
Low STARS Awareness
Not a lot of respondents (16 out of 54) have heard of STARS Computing Corps, indicating a low level of awareness within the survey's audience in this sample.
Diverse Awareness Channels
Despite the low engagement, awareness of STARS comes from various sources: word of mouth, social media, and personal involvement.
A significant number of respondents (43 out of 51) are currently members of clubs
This is showcasing a potential pool of individuals interested in academic and social engagement.
STARS have been useful for Alumni
Alumni have reported that the skills STARS have given them from their outreaches, symposiums, inclusion, and the like have given them opportunities to work with many different types of people.
With STARS relying on donations as a non-profit, [alumni] donors need to see the benefits
Having a positive impact on students allows for a faithful alumni audience, and hopefully then successful alumni that will be able to give back in the future
Student persona
Allison, a 22-year-old college senior, feels stuck. She wants a career in writing and media but shyness and a tough job market are in her way. She doesn’t know a lot about tech but has had a lot of friends recommend STARS to her. She’s unsure if it's the right fit but she’s desperate to gain the necessary skills to thrive in her career.
Alumni /partner persona
Angel is a passionate Project Manager at Epic Systems striving for a CFO role. Overwhelmed by a recent promotion, he grapples with finding a work-life balance. Angel aims to mentor aspiring project managers by leveraging his STARS college involvement, so he can help others avoid struggling with the lessons he had to learn the hard way.
Student persona
Allison, a 22-year-old college senior, feels stuck. She wants a career in writing and media but shyness and a tough job market are in her way. She doesn’t know a lot about tech but has had a lot of friends recommend STARS to her. She’s unsure if it's the right fit but she’s desperate to gain the necessary skills to thrive in her career.
Alumni /partner persona
Angel is a passionate Project Manager at Epic Systems striving for a CFO role. Overwhelmed by a recent promotion, he grapples with finding a work-life balance. Angel aims to mentor aspiring project managers by leveraging his STARS college involvement, so he can help others avoid struggling with the lessons he had to learn the hard way.
Student persona
Allison, a 22-year-old college senior, feels stuck. She wants a career in writing and media but shyness and a tough job market are in her way. She doesn’t know a lot about tech but has had a lot of friends recommend STARS to her. She’s unsure if it's the right fit but she’s desperate to gain the necessary skills to thrive in her career.
Alumni /partner persona
Angel is a passionate Project Manager at Epic Systems striving for a CFO role. Overwhelmed by a recent promotion, he grapples with finding a work-life balance. Angel aims to mentor aspiring project managers by leveraging his STARS college involvement, so he can help others avoid struggling with the lessons he had to learn the hard way.
Student persona
Allison, a 22-year-old college senior, feels stuck. She wants a career in writing and media but shyness and a tough job market are in her way. She doesn’t know a lot about tech but has had a lot of friends recommend STARS to her. She’s unsure if it's the right fit but she’s desperate to gain the necessary skills to thrive in her career.
Alumni /partner persona
Angel is a passionate Project Manager at Epic Systems striving for a CFO role. Overwhelmed by a recent promotion, he grapples with finding a work-life balance. Angel aims to mentor aspiring project managers by leveraging his STARS college involvement, so he can help others avoid struggling with the lessons he had to learn the hard way.
Website UX Audit
Student landing page
The STARS Computing Corps website had critical usability issues, including poor navigation, repetitive and uncertain links. Outdated informatio and an issue regarding its essential components also were evident. The issues in addition dates the website and that can make users unsure if the content is reliable.
alumni landing page
I was in such a shock when I found out that they shouted me out on their website!
Student landing page
The STARS Computing Corps website had critical usability issues, including poor navigation, repetitive and uncertain links. Outdated informatio and an issue regarding its essential components also were evident. The issues in addition dates the website and that can make users unsure if the content is reliable.
alumni landing page
I was in such a shock when I found out that they shouted me out on their website!
Student landing page
The STARS Computing Corps website had critical usability issues, including poor navigation, repetitive and uncertain links. Outdated informatio and an issue regarding its essential components also were evident. The issues in addition dates the website and that can make users unsure if the content is reliable.
alumni landing page
I was in such a shock when I found out that they shouted me out on their website!
Student landing page
The STARS Computing Corps website had critical usability issues, including poor navigation, repetitive and uncertain links. Outdated informatio and an issue regarding its essential components also were evident. The issues in addition dates the website and that can make users unsure if the content is reliable.
alumni landing page
I was in such a shock when I found out that they shouted me out on their website!
Ideation: Putting pen to paper
The Alumni/Donor landing page is longer, allowing the user to scroll more. It was decided that we wanted to guide our alumni/donor user to ease them into understanding our cause. Here's also an example of the low fidelity of the shorter student landing page.
T -Shirt Sketches
T -Shirt Sketches
Temple University gave us the freedom to include extra deliverables.
I was aiming for a way to combine space with technology for a futuristic way to implement our call to actions!
Brand tone of voice
We were inspired by Duolingo's official brand narrative because of the adjectives used to personify the brand. We were most excited to personify the STARS brand into people, places, and things to allow future projects to hold cohesion with the concept of STARS.
We were inspired by Duolingo's official brand idenity because of the adjectives used to personify the brand. We were most excited to personify the STARS brand into people, places, and things to allow future projects to hold cohesion with the concept of STARS.We were most excited to personify the STARS brand into people, places, and things to allow future projects to hold cohesion with the concept of STARS.
Implementation: Showtime!
Previous iterations of the STARS T-shirt design.
Noteable Limitations
Noteable Limitations
This entire project was assigned with a workaround time of only 6 weeks, so the competition was a time crunch.
The STARS brand also needed to be deeply fleshed out due to constant inconsistencies in within the product.
This entire project was assigned with a workaround time of only 6 weeks, so the competition was a time crunch.
The STARS brand also needed to be deeply fleshed out due to constant inconsistencies in within the product.
Summary & Next Steps!
We know it will take more than a rebrand to continue to increase support for STARS. STARS has contracted us to continue working on the STARS initative, so my team and I hope to release more engaging content in the future.
Summary & Next Steps
Summary & Next Steps
We know it will take more than a rebrand to continue to increase support for STARS. STARS has contracted us to continue working on the STARS initative, so my team and I hope to release more engaging content in the future.
We know it will take more than a rebrand to continue to increase support for STARS. STARS has contracted us to continue working on the STARS initative, so my team and I hope to release more engaging content in the future.
Made with ♥️ (& ☕️)
How far does STARS' brand travel to students?
Understanding how participants became aware of STARS and their interpretations of the acronym.
What are the motivations for joining an Academic club?
Exploring the factors that individuals consider when joining an academic club, providing insights into their expectations
What are our students doing?
Identifying the types of clubs participants are currently involved in, highlighting potential areas of shared interest with STARS.
Do students feel a sense of belonging?
How does our sample feel about their club?
We surveyed over 50 students…
...And interviewed STARS alumni, STARS faculty, and corporate leaders...
STARS Faculty
"If you only have a certain group dominating, you’re gonna get a certain result, and that's why representation is important."
STARS Alumna
"My STARS experience was very helpful for defining and applying inclusion and equity in my interactions with student leaders."
Industry Leader
At Microsoft
"[When it comes to donors,] if you speak to their heart, they donate. STARS has to have the potential to promise growth for the next generation. ”
Key Takeaways:
Low STARS Awareness
Not a lot of respondents (16 out of 54) have heard of STARS Computing Corps, indicating a low level of awareness within the survey's audience in this sample.
Diverse Awareness Channels
Despite the low engagement, awareness of STARS comes from various sources: word of mouth, social media, and personal involvement.
A significant number of respondents (43 out of 51) are currently members of clubs
This is showcasing a potential pool of individuals interested in academic and social engagement.
STARS have been useful for Alumni
Alumni have reported that the skills STARS have given them from their outreaches, symposiums, inclusion, and the like have given them opportunities to work with many different types of people.
With STARS relying on donations as a non-profit, [alumni] donors need to see the benefits
Having a positive impact on students allows for a faithful alumni audience, and hopefully then successful alumni that will be able to give back in the future
User Personas
Allison, a 22-year-old senior, feels stuck. She wants a career in writing and media but shyness and a tough job market are in her way. She doesn’t know a lot about tech but has had a lot of friends recommend STARS to her. She’s unsure if it's the right fit but she’s desperate to gain the necessary skills to thrive in her career.
Angel is a passionate Project Manager at Epic Systems striving for a CFO role. Overwhelmed by a recent promotion, he grapples with finding a work-life balance. Angel aims to mentor aspiring project managers by leveraging his STARS college involvement, so he can help others avoid struggling with the lessons he had to learn the hard way.
You can also find me here:
Made with ♥️ (& ☕️)
T -Shirt Sketches
Temple University gave us the freedom to include extra deliverables.
I was aiming for a way to combine space with technology for a futuristic way to implement our call to actions!
Brand tone of voice
We were inspired by Duolingo's official brand idenity because of the adjectives used to personify the brand. We were most excited to personify the STARS brand into people, places, and things to allow future projects to hold cohesion with the concept of STARS.We were most excited to personify the STARS brand into people, places, and things to allow future projects to hold cohesion with the concept of STARS.
Implementation: Showtime!
The Alumni/Donor landing page is longer, allowing the user to scroll more. It was decided that we wanted to guide our alumni/donor user to ease them into understanding our cause. Here's also an example of the low fidelity of the shorter student landing page.
Website ux audit
The STARS Computing Corps website had critical usability issues, including poor navigation, repetitive and uncertain links. Outdated informatio and an issue regarding its essential components also were evident. The issues in addition dates the website and that can make users unsure if the content is reliable.
I was in such a shock when I found out that they shouted me out on their website!
Made with ♥️ (& ☕️)
Previous iterations of the STARS T-shirt design.