Silvia Grossmann

PROBLEM

Fragmented Digital Ecosystem & Urgent Digital Transformation

With the onset of COVID-19, ArtCenter College of Design faced the immediate challenge of migrating its highly tactile, studio-based curriculum to a remote environment. The existing digital landscape was fragmented across multiple legacy platforms, creating significant friction for users.

There was a critical need for a centralized "source of truth" that could:

• Bridge communication gaps between students, faculty, and administrators.
• Maintain the prestigious brand identity of the college across new digital touchpoints.
• Ensure technical parity and seamless navigation between the primary marketing site and the new learning interface.

SOLUTION

A Unified, Component-Based Learning Interface

As the Lead Designer, I spearheaded the design of a single, cohesive online learning ecosystem tailored to diverse user personas (students, faculty, and prospective applicants).

Key deliverables included:

• Unified Interface: A centralized dashboard that streamlined course management and administrative tasks.
• Scalable Visual System: An evolution of the ArtCenter brand into a digital-first Visual Style Guide, ensuring aesthetic continuity.
• Modular Component Library: Developed a robust UI kit and interaction toolkit to ensure rapid deployment and technical consistency across all ArtCenter online properties.
• Ecosystem Integration: "Dovetailed" the new platform with the existing marketing site to create a frictionless transition for users moving from public-facing content to private learning environments.