Recognizing that abilities change throughout our lives, SVA's redesigned identity and website embrace the idea that there is no single “normal” way to engage with content. Instead, the website is a celebration of interaction in multiple formats, ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, can explore, connect, and participate fully.
A PROGRAM THAT TAKES US BEYOND THE SCREEN
Located in New York City, the 2-year MFA in Interaction Design program at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) equips its students with the diverse skills and deep knowledge required to excel in the dynamic field of interaction design. Its curriculum is curated to reflect a wide array of interactions that center accessibility and aren’t just limited to the screen.
“The redesign was about serving the people who matter through timeless interaction that is revealed once we do away with the layers of flashy digital wrappers.”
BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TOOLKIT
The focus of our collaboration with the SVA ixD team began with establishing the need for a joyful and future-proof visual identity. This would then become the basis for designing and developing an ADA compliant website to effectively communicate the qualities of the program to current and prospective students.
EVERY LETTER A CONTAINER
The logo mark can be used to create various layouts by stretching and repositioning its 3 primary components, the letters. Rearranging and resizing the building blocks create a wide array of compositions and styles that retain a link to the program name.
The program’s “ixD” notation was turned into a strong and recognizable logomark. This visual foundation added versatility for the brand to transition between being constrained and bold.
DESIGNING FOR RADICAL ACCESSIBILITY
For the website, we envisioned an experience that decentralized the norm by creating a multi-modal interface. Focusing fully on celebrating the diverse constraints of different people, this direction emphasizes customizability and the ability to choose the right content representations.
DESIGNING A SITE THAT FEELS LIKE THE PROGRAM
Can a website feel like a place? We explored this core value by translating SVA IxD’s open, human, and path-breaking culture into a digital experience shaped by accessibility concepts that rarely take center-stage among online platforms.
The Screen Reader feature allows viewers to consume sections on the website through audio.
The color blindness feature represents how the same visual would be interpreted by people with different types of color vision deficiencies.
Keyboard navigation is essential for accessibility, enabling users with mobility impairments to navigate the web efficiently without a mouse.
A distraction-free mode that enhances the ability to focus, process information, and engage with content especially useful for neurodiverse people.
FORGING A PARTNERSHIP IN THE LONG RUN
Our partnership is not about one-off projects, but operational shifts to transcend the brand. Together, SVA and DSI have established a long-term roadmap to incrementally anchor the brand’s role in inclusive design with the addition of each brand expression.