University of Leeds: Continuous Improvement
Communicating a culture of continuous improvement
The challenge
Underpinning the University’s strategy for growth, was a key commitment to building a culture of continuous improvement across the University. The object of this programme was to engage staff at all levels, empowering them to identify where improvements could be made and to take action to make things better. Here was an opportunity to look at every aspect of university life — from managing emails to developing strategic plans — and agree ways to improve effectiveness, responsiveness and efficiency. In short, to make work life better and easier for everyone.
To support the programme and help communicate the benefits of Continuous Improvement, the University team tasked us with developing an overall look and feel, along with a well-defined proposition and messaging that would engage, educate and inspire all staff.
Our approach
Following a phase of immersion and discovery, we set down a proposition for Continuous Improvement, one that recognised the opportunity to change things for the better and encouraged staff to get involved. Review. Rethink. Refine. This became the mantra for Continuous Improvement.
From this starting point, we created a series of consistent brand assets and developed an illustration style, highlighting particular challenges in a fun and interesting way — encouraging staff to shift their mindset and challenge behaviours around Continuous Improvement. After winning approval from senior stakeholders in the University, we worked with the team to extend the tactics, delivering summary design guidelines for new communications and designing templates for use in Continuous Improvement workshops.
