Software Consulting Firm
2021
Leading a companywide brand refresh
When a shift to remote work prompted a software consulting firm to reaffirm its mission and values, I led a cross-functional team through a comprehensive brand refresh. Through research, remote workshops, and iterative design, we transformed a brand that was "usable but didn't feel like us" into one that achieved near-universal adoption.
A brand worth acquiring
One year after launch, the company was acquired. The refreshed brand was specifically noted as signaling a polished, modern, well-run organization—demonstrating that brand isn't just visual identity, it's organizational value made visible.
Problem area
Usable but not authentic—employees couldn't see themselves in the brand
The existing brand was functional but lacked authenticity. Inconsistent font usage and a restrictive color palette made it difficult for non-designers to create on-brand assets. The goal became creating a system that empowered employees to be creative while staying on brand—without needing design team approval.
When a brand is usable but not authentic
Design decision 01
Workshops as Alignment and Education
Leadership was eager to improve the brand but didn't share vocabulary for how. I designed remote workshops that served dual purposes: stakeholder alignment and brand education. Real-time personality mapping exercises revealed where leadership had different mental models—making abstract disagreements concrete and discussable.
Workshops created shared understanding and design direction
Design decision 02
Three palette options to explore identity
After workshops aligned on brand direction, I led the team through three distinct color palette explorations. Each option represented a different interpretation of the company's personality—giving leadership tangible choices rather than abstract opinions. This made the final decision collaborative and grounded.
Iterating on color to find the company's personality
Design decision 03
Guidelines that empower, not restrict
Rather than creating restrictive guidelines, we designed a "brand companion" that empowers employees to be creative while staying on brand—without needing design team involvement. The system included flexible color palettes, accessibility guidelines, and templates for common use cases.
A brand companion, not a rulebook
Retrospective
Near-universal adoption within weeks of launch
What started as a brand refresh became an opportunity to teach brand theory to executives. That teaching became the project's foundation—when leadership understood why brand decisions matter, they became advocates, not just approvers.
