Background
CIVIC Financial had successfully created a software solution to manage private-money mortgage origination. However, its close association with the parent brand was hindering its potential as an independent software solution, causing conflict with other resellers of CIVIC's loan products. Our task was to remake the product into a standalone brand, transforming it from a feature of CIVIC into a distinct solution for private-money lenders.
Challenge
The task was to create a modern, high-tech brand identity for Origin8 that distinctly separated it from its parent brand, CIVIC, while preserving the high standards of their customer experience. This was complex as CIVIC, being the creator, was also a user of the product. Additionally, despite CIVIC's belief in the uniqueness of their product, market research uncovered competitors, thereby raising the need to establish a new positioning for Origin8 in the marketplace.
Approach
Our diverse team of product designers and UX researchers worked with federal directors and educators to gather new data and identity key areas needed to improve the navigability of a rich and extensive database. A key area of focus was to ensure the data visualization would help foster a sense of comfort and safety for Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC).
Solution
To make the complex multi-dimensional data accessible, we employed interactive design and better infographics. These made navigating the site more natural and easier to digest the large data groupings. This achieved a primary goal for our client. Namely, to reach a broader audience and widen the user demographic from technical experts and government employees to non-experts, parents, and family members.
Key Takeaways
The success of this project underscored the importance of brand architecture and the symbiotic relationship between product and brand. Many organizations tend to isolate these two elements, hindering a successful product launch. By intertwining brand and product together, we established a clear brand strategy for both CIVIC and Origin8 that defined their unique positioning and facilitated clear communication with their audience. This case study underscores our belief in design as not merely an aesthetic element but a tool for world-changing impact.
