The Backdrop

Client: A global accounting and consulting firm
Industry: Manufacturing
Timeline: 1 week (2024)
My Role: Lead Designer

What The Client Needed

The internal team was heading into a multi-day workshop designed to tackle a complex, high-pressure problem. They needed tools that could help them slow down and make sense of messy thinking, not just fill the walls with sticky notes (even though those are great too!!)

They also needed the room itself to support the work. Long days, hard questions, creative fatigue. The space had to feel encouraging, not overwhelming.

How I Helped

I designed a series of insight canvases with custom illustrations that acted as sense-making tools throughout the workshop. Each canvas focused on a challenge I anticipated the team would run into: getting stuck, struggling to generate new ideas, or feeling like the problem was impossible to solve.

I chose themes and language that acknowledged those feelings directly. The goal wasn’t to motivate in a generic way, but to make the team feel seen while giving them a visual framework to reflect on. The illustrations added warmth and creativity to the space, making the room feel more human during long, intense days.

What Changed

The canvases became anchors in the room. They helped the team pause, regroup, and surface insight when things felt stuck. Instead of pushing through frustration, people could name it and move forward with more clarity.

Beyond function, the posters shifted the mood of the space. The room felt lighter and more creative, reminding the team that the difficulty of the work was understood, and that progress was still possible.