Description:

The expectations of the tertiary education system have shifted. Education seekers want to learn in their own time, and in the ways that suit them best. Up Education wanted to create an online-only platform that was focussed around helping Australians either upskill in their current career or help them grow into new career paths. The platform would be for people already in the workforce, so it needed to work for their already busy lives.

Rather than trying to fit current learning systems into an online experience, we worked with Up Education to create Colab, an online learning platform that was built web-and-mobile first. Timetables, lessons, and interactions with tutors are flexible and built around your life, not the other way around. Students could pick their own pathway, and this approach informed the entire brand identity.

Because Colab is digital-first, we took a digital-first approach design. We designed a website wireframe and mock up to get a sense of what we want the platform to be. Then we took the elements from the mock up and transformed them into a design system for the brand.

Ryker, a typeface with unique terminals, was selected for the logo. It let us craft a unique “a” that folded back around on itself – showing the never-ending pathways students can take.

On web and mobile, pill forms that house copy are connected by a fine line. More than just navigation, this continues the idea of the pathway and helps tether information together.

For the colour palette, we introduced a modern suite of colours with different uses. A natural green for sustainability, a vibrant purple for future-focus, and a grounded terracotta for business.