Work 06 of n • operational design • 2025
The Center for Residence Life at Rochester Institute of Technology supports students living on campus through events, leadership programs, and community initiatives that shape their campus living experience.
How can institutional communication feel alive to students?
shift
From Functional campus graphics to a lively, scalable communication system.
system
Event graphics (posters, display assets)
Recognition & campaign visuals
Signage systems
Recruitment & training materials
Institutional communications
impact
90% faster production • 30% faster approvals • 45+ assets per semester
Co-Created with Adobe Suite (Illustrator, Express), Canva, Mircosoft Office Suite, Google Workspace
The GAP • The PROBLEM • the Opportunity •
The ResLife communications were clear but lacked visual energy to engage students.
Posters, flyers, and informational graphics followed brand standards yet lacked visual energy that resonated with students.
At the same time, the department supported more than 20 concurrent initiatives, creating a constant demand for new materials across digital and physical channels.
The challenge was twofold: elevate visual engagement within brand guidelines while managing high-volume communication so Residence Life visuals matched the experience it creates for students.
Requests were collected through a structured Google Form to streamline project intake.
Staff submitted project details, deadlines, and content through a dedicated form, allowing requests to be organized and prioritized efficiently. This process helped manage time effectively while handling multiple design projects simultaneously.
With Gen Z as the primary audience, the visuals embraced a more modern, playful tone.
The Story • The BRAND • the APPROACH •
Residence Life materials extended the RIT brand across everyday touchpoints.
From desk signage and bulletin boards to door hangers and internal communication materials, the goal was to translate institutional brand guidelines into practical, student-facing formats.
Each piece maintained visual alignment with the RIT identity while adapting layouts, graphics, and hierarchy to fit specific communication needs.
Note cards for quick internal communications
LT Punch Cards for encouraging participation
Door Hangers to leave updates and messages for students
Standardized bulletin board layouts designed for different residence halls
Front desk communication signage
Standardized bulletin board layouts designed for different residence halls
The SCALABILITY • The KEY PROJECTS • the SYSTEM •
System 01
Golden Awards in one file, one system.
Golden Awards is a monthly recognition program celebrating Resident Assistants and staff contributions within the ResLife community.
Because the awards recur every month and across multiple categories, the graphics needed to be produced quickly while maintaining consistency across print and digital displays.
challenges
Design Decisions
FORMATS
Separate sizes for print and digital
Standardization
Single master square format for all outputs
color system
Single orange color across awards, weak differentiation
Color coding
Category-based award colors, easy identification
VISUAL LANGUAGE
Single banner-style layout
GrAPHIC sySTEM
Playful line icons & shapes
printing
Inconsistent print colors
Color Control
Defined values for print and web
Review
Two files per award, slower checks
Documentation
Single file workflow + guide, faster review
System 02
Grocery Bingo, playful and easy to scan.
The event required communicating multiple activities and incentives quickly. A bold headline, bright colors, and simple graphic elements were used to create a lively tone while keeping the information clear and accessible for students.
Extended Display Graphics
System 03
Closing instructions, simplified with icons and structure.
The original closing boards relied on dense text across multiple pages. The redesign simplified the information through icons, clearer hierarchy, and a structured layout so residents could quickly understand the steps before leaving for break.
challenges
Design Decisions
INSTRUCTIONS
Text-heavy explanations
iconography
Icons represent key actions
HIERARCHY
Dates and steps hard to identify
Color coding
Scannable structure, schedule
System 04
Recruitment communication, designed for clarity and access.
Brochures, displays, badges, and guides clarified the Resident Advisor role through clear hierarchy and concise content.
Accessibility was integrated through improved readability and screen-reader–friendly formats to support RIT’s diverse student community.
2024 Recruiting Program Material System
RA Rotating Session Guide
RA Training Brochure
Screen-reader Friendly Brochure
Digital Display 2025
Department graphics, adapting visual language to each brief.
The RESLIFE • The NEW ERA • the IMPACT •
Raising the Bar for Residence Life Communication
By elevating both the visual language and production workflow, Residence Life communication evolved from routine graphics to a clearer, more engaging system—improving both student-facing design and internal efficiency.
45+ assets per semester across events, campaigns, and communications
90% faster production through a streamlined master-file system
30% faster approvals with structured workflows
Stronger visual consistency across departmental materials
Most importantly, the work established a scalable design foundation future designers can build upon and raise the bar further.
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