As part of Amazon Web Services’ in-house design team, I was tasked with helping develop a more concise way of communicating complicated cloud computing products and services. The style originally known as “sketch”, was previously developed in a way to make cloud computing more approachable and fun, but it was unscalable, overcomplicated, and overcrowded page layouts. We wanted to approach illustrations to be read and understood quickly, was scalable (worked with an outside agency to develop brand guidelines), and kept pages cleaner.
At Amazon Web Services (AWS), I worked directly with stakeholders and Principle Marketing Managers to meet design needs for net-new product launches. I also helped strategize with the small, onsite design team to redevelop brand systems to better communicate AWS’ products and services.
Above is a side-by-side comparison of the aws.amazon.com homepage. The hero backgrounds (orange) were reworked to be much bolder with color gradient meshes, and much more minimized graphic language. The editorial illustrations (4 graphic boxes below hero-nav) are a much quicker read while still keeping some playfulness in the visual language.
Design build-outs for a Tier-1 product launch including hero (aws homepage), social, email, and on-page graphics (editorial & 2up). We developed design systems so we could create scalable assets as quickly as aws was growing and to create visual cohesion as multiple designers worked on tackling multiple asks from stakeholders. Line points, gradient meshes, colors, logo placements and graphic sizes were all designed strategically and added to the brand guidelines for reference or for outside agencies to help.
Features are illustrated concepts of products and services by using more objects and more variations. Below are some illustrations that I developed to communicate different features on product pages and were often a starting point for other designers on the team to work from to create illustration assets.
Aside from my work in developing a new design language and transitioning an incredible amount of assets on existing web-pages, I was able to create some other fun, internal promotional items.
In conclusion, I had such an amazing time working with the design team at AWS developing brand strategy, learning to be a better illustrator, working with all the great Product and Project Managers, and developing swag. To see the case study developed by Filter Digital (my agency at the time as AWS’s sole design contractor), click here.
Overview.
While working at Microsoft, I worked as a Comms and Visual Design Lead on the Enterprise Commercial CTO team (ECCTO). Here I was responsible for sending out major comms for one of Microsoft's CTO, Lorraine Bardeen, as well as all other comms work internally for presenting to client . Here I was given the opportunity to explore a brand logo and brand
ANATOMY.
We like to believe we’re soft yet firm, so we’ve rounded out to corners a bit throughout the logo’s apex. 2. The top of the t is reduced and chopped to create a “signal”, following the natural 18° angles in the font Segoe.
EXTENDED.
The ECCTO logo should be used primarily with a color signal in the yellow color specified. A solid black or white version can be used in a secondary context.
Expressive.
In special circumstances, you can use icon imagery to replace the signal. This is best done sparingly, with clear intent and purpose to celebrate an occasion, value, or achievement meaningful to ECCTO.
Color.
ECCTO’s visual language uses a spectrum of color combined into light and dark gradients and broken out into tonal color families. We also use a range of tonal black + grey to support this system.
Colors Applied.
ECCTO’s color palette features gradients that work well as backgrounds and washes utilizing colors that represent clarity, innovation, and leadership. These washes work well as backgrounds or as section dividers. The “light angle” featured in these washes is 18°, which is the same as the angle of the signal in the ECCTO logo.
Illustration.
the illustration language for ECCTO pulling features directly from the logo including the 18° angle, as well as honing key-characteristics in illustrations in the “signal” yellow