User-Focused Rebrand
ROLE
UX Lead
COMPANY
SPECIALTY
User Research, Branding, Graphic and Website Design
INDISTRY
eLearning, Online College Education
INTRODUCTION
When two leading EdTech companies merged to form Science Interactive, the challenge went far beyond designing a new logo, it was about earning the trust of professors and students while uniting two very different company cultures. As design lead, I spearheaded a user-focused rebrand that blended research, strategy, and cross-functional collaboration to shape a cohesive identity. This rebrand extended past visual design; we consolidated multiple websites, streamlined content libraries, and reimagined the digital platform into one seamless experience. The result was a brand system that not only looked unified, but also elevated usability, strengthened credibility in higher education, and positioned Science Interactive as the leader in at-home science curriculum nationwide.
MY TEAM
I led the rebrand as design lead, guiding UX research, design strategy, and cross-functional alignment across product, marketing, and sales. By facilitating workshops and translating user insights into clear design rationales, I built consensus quickly, cutting revision cycles by 30% and securing faster executive approval. Partnering with graphic design and multimedia teammates, we ensured the brand met user needs, streamlined internal workflows, and achieved rapid adoption across the organization.
TIMELINE
2019 - 2020
GOALS
DESIGN GOAL
To cut through the sea of established institutions by delivering a brand that stands out and embodies a truly modern educational approach.
BUSINESS GOAL
To transform at-home science education by delivering lab experiences that drive learner engagement, improve comprehension, and increase retention for digital education providers.
COMPANY GOAL
To transform our internal merger challenges into collective strength by rallying all employees around a brand we can feel proud to represent.
RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY
USERS
Our user-centered rebrand demanded deep audience insights. We deployed comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research across three key stakeholder groups: Students, Instructors, and Administrators. Through targeted surveys and in-depth interviews with volunteers from each segment, we uncovered critical user needs and pain points. We triangulated these findings with support ticket analysis and sales team insights, identifying recurring themes that shaped our entire brand strategy.
The personas below were created using the interactive persona tool by LucidSpark, a Lucid product.
PREVIOUS BRAND AND COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Our competitive analysis revealed a stark truth: both legacy brands were invisible in a sea of generic Ed-tech logos, most of which were a varying shade of blue. To lead this industry, we needed bold visual differentiation. In addition to the external Ed-tech landscape, we audited our internal course materials, and the case for dramatic transformation became undeniable.
EXTRACTING KEY THEMES
We distilled raw research into creative direction by identifying recurring themes across user interviews, surveys, and support feedback. From this analysis, we uncovered the emotional and functional keywords that shape meaningful learning experiences for professors and students. By clustering these words and translating them into visual attributes, we built a design system grounded in user motivations and aspirations, ensuring the new identity resonated both intellectually and emotionally.
EXECUTION
LOGO CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Our design exploration moved beyond predictable science imagery to capture the deeper themes our research revealed: progress, technology, inspiration, and those lightbulb moments that define real learning.
DEFINING THE COLOR PALETTE
As our competitive analysis revealed, many traditional education companies rely on blue, conservative palettes that feel academic but also distant. To stand apart, we first built a mood board that translated our visual attribute framework into colors, textures, and imagery, helping us explore how different tones could embody trust, energy, and innovation. Then, we used our visual attribute table to build a palette that communicates both credibility and energy. The foundation is a modern, metallic base tone, evoking the reflective surface of a lab bench, to anchor the brand in trust and rigor. Next, we layered a bold, contrasting accent color that conveys excitement, innovation, and accessibility. Together, these choices demonstrate that Science Interactive is a new generation of science education that delivers a trustworthy lab experience wherever a student may be.
ICONS AND ILLUSTRATIONS
We crafted a series of icons and illustrations to extend our flame-inspired brand energy through friendly, dynamic visuals that break away from sterile educational imagery. We embraced bold, simplified forms with high contrast and organic curves that bring a touch of whimsy to the brand and create approachable, human connections.
THE FINAL BRAND
INTERNAL COMPANY LAUNCH
Because this new brand represented a pivotal moment in uniting two previously separate organizations under one shared identity, we decided to reveal the new brand with cake and new swag. Our coworkers not only saw the new logo and colors, but also experienced the brand as a symbol of pride and belonging. This moment of celebration helped ease the lingering tensions of the merger, boosted morale, and created a sense of ownership around the new Science Interactive identity. It marked the shift from “two companies coming together” to “one team moving forward.”
APPLICATIONS
WEBSITE REDESIGN
The new website seamlessly integrates all elements of our research-driven brand strategy. User insights shaped the site architecture and messaging, while our distinctive color palette and playful illustrations create a visual experience that's both professionally credible and genuinely exciting. The new website reinforces our commitment to making science education feel like an adventure rather than a chore and ensures the website doesn't just look different from competitors, but fundamentally feels different to users. Because this was step one in the brand unification journey, we set the foundation for the website with scalability in mind. Take a look at how Science Interactive has progressed while building upon our foundation by viewing their current website: https://www.scienceinteractive.com/
THE “SI CLOUD” STUDENT PLATFORM
Some early research revealed that the physical and digital materials delivered by Science Interactive felt disjointed and unrelated. As a result, we redesigned the student portal to seamlessly weave together all elements of our brand strategy into a cohesive learning experience. User research informed both dashboard organization and course flow design, while consistent application of our visual identity ensured a unified experience.
LABELS AND PACKAGING
The new brand identity extends seamlessly into our physical product ecosystem, creating a cohesive experience from digital platform to lab bench. Our distinctive color palette and modern typography transform previously generic packaging into memorable brand touchpoints that students want to keep and reference. This highly detailed approach ensures that every physical interaction reinforces our brand promise of making science education trustworthy and exciting.
BEFORE
AFTER
