Civilla

A new website for a non-profit design studio committed to reimagining institutions and public services for all.

Service

Capabilities

A diverse group of people sits in a circle on stools in a brightly lit room, engaged in a discussion. The walls are covered with notes, posters, and images. The atmosphere appears collaborative and focused.

Background

Not your average service provider, Civilla is fueled by the momentum of its unique vision for the future. They believe the best and fastest way to create positive social change at scale is through our public-serving institutions. A non-profit design studio based out of Detroit, Michigan, Civilla leverages the power of human-centered design and partners with leaders and changemakers on the inside to create bold, scaleable, and compassionate solutions that put people first. Whether its health benefits, food stamps, unemployment benefits, or drivers licenses, Civilla’s work ensures that institutions are able to serve their constituents at full potential.

Visit civilla

The challenge

Head down and nose to the grindstone, Civilla was always doing good work, but under the radar, known only to a select few institutions. After a 5 year track record of success, they were ready to supercharge their reach. They were eager to harness the power of their brand, story, and digital presence to mobilize and inspire leaders, changemakers and institutions.

A diverse group of five people are smiling and engaging in a collaborative activity in an office. One individual in the foreground is gesturing with his hand. Behind them is a whiteboard covered with colorful sticky notes.

A tall, illuminated skyscraper stands in the background with a dimly lit facade, surrounded by shorter buildings with a mix of modern and classic architectural styles. An American flag is visible in the lower left corner. The sky is clear and light blue.

The opportunity

Change is hard, but possible. This was the singular message to drive home through this work. The Civilla website provides categorical proof that their smart, compassionate approach to change management works. It also imbues confidence in leaders and changemakers, by providing an open-source library of insights, white papers, online courses, and resources that can help them lead the change on their own.

Today, Civilla is not just a service design studio, it is a strategic partner and educator to institutions, a champion for and influencer in the public sector, and a community builder, well on their way to catalyzing a movement and impacting one billion lives.

Screenshot of Civilla's website. The header shows a dynamic city with a diverse crowd. Below, text reads "we're reimagining institutions & public services for all." Another section shows two women discussing papers, underneath the heading "why institutions." The header menu includes links for vision, work, stories, learn, about, and donate.

Everything is in the DNA

Civilla partnered with Order to create a brand identity inspired by the look of DNA sequencing. The anatomy of the mark they created reflects the 10-3-1-3 (10 years, 3 years, 1 year, 3 months) strategic framework used by Civilla to accomplish their aspirational goals. Hyperakt implemented this new identity, centered in both individuality and shared humanity, into the visual design and interface of Civilla’s updated website. Our team used the DNA strand in different color ways as a wayfinding device to signal different sections of the website.

DNA Wayfinding

Hyperakt implemented this new identity, centered in both individuality and shared humanity, into the visual design and interface of Civilla’s updated website. Our team used the DNA strand in different color ways as a wayfinding device to signal different sections of the website.

A webpage layout for 2023 Civil Society Futures displaying a colorful and modern design. Features include a header, various sections with images of people interacting, text blocks on organizing, educational equity, and system navigation, and a footer with contact details.

Modularity for two-track storytelling

The site’s modular construction allowed us to approach storytelling around their projects in two “tracks” to meet the needs of different audiences. Built with a shared set of content block types, readers on “track 1” can choose to view case studies in the form of a brief synopsis. Readers on “track 2”, who want to dive deep into the design process and use the site as a learning resource, can choose to read a detailed project story outlining the entire design journey and methodologies used to yield the final products.

“Hyperakt jumped in as true partners from the very beginning. They committed to getting to know our organization and culture in a meaningful way, and helped us shape a site that will truly move our mission forward.”

Lena Selzer

Co-Founder and Senior Director