BLUEPRINT OF THE BRAND
1.
BRAND ANALYSIS 180 Degrees is an an international consultancy organization that enables the most capable university students to develop sustainable solutions to challenges faced by socially conscious organizations. The main objective of 180 Degrees is to strengthen the ability of the NGOs while allowing the application of the knowledge and skills of the students involved. In order to do so, the organization works under several core values that we detected, which are: professional performance, individual empowerment, transparency and accountability, supportiveness, global collaboration and integrity. 180 Degrees provides various services for its major stakeholders, and therefore is an organization that seeks to satisfy complex needs. This also means a diversification of their target groups, which translates in different approaches to the organization. 180 Degrees requires a versatility of messages that appeal to four main advocates: students, NGOs, partners and sponsors.
Being an international consultancy group, 180 Degrees has developed various branches around the globe, bringing this service closer to more NGOs and allowing the development of a great quantity of students. To this day, there are twenty-two branches of the organization, and still growing, allowing the success of both students and NGOs at a global scale.
2.
HOW MANY DEGREES? VISION Be an international consultancy that achieves significant social impact by enabling the most capable university students to develop sustainable solutions to challenges faced by socially conscious organizations.
MISSION To strengthen the ability of socially conscious organization in achieving high impact social outcomes through the development of innovative, practical and sustainable solutions, creative ideas, practical solutions, lasting change.
MAIN OBJECTIVE 180 Degrees seeks to connect the untapped capabilities of university students with the unmet needs of non-profit organisations in a sustainable and mutually beneficial way.
CORE VALUES DETECTED • • • • • •
Professional Performance Individual Empowerment Transparency and Accountability Supportiveness Global Collaboration Integrity
3.
STAKEHOLDERS Due to the nature of the services that 180 Degrees offers, we’ve identified three main groups of stakeholders: • Students • NGOs • Partners and Sponsors
SERVICES CONSULTING SERVICES FOR NGOs • Organizational planning and development • Market research and analysis • Project review and realization
INTERNAL SERVICES FOR STUDENTS
• Allocate students to projects that match their skills and knowledge). • Give professional training (from the prestigious for-profit consulting companies we partner with). • Developing transferable skills (such as teamwork, problem solving, oral and written communication, creative thinking, client management, and cross-cultural communication). • Getting exposure to the consulting industry and to the work of various charities.
4.
WHAT’S IN FOR STUDENTS? Many of the students involved in 180 Degrees apply because they want to solve interesting challenges, to apply their university skills and to gain experience. The typical student who therefore applies to join 180 is intelligent, ambitious and academically minded.
EXTRACURRICULAR AND LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Students initially consult for non-profits and social enterprises. After a detailed performance review process, the best performing consultants are then considered for consulting projects with for-profit firms.
QUALITY TRAINING
Once selected, consultants receive regular training and ongoing mentoring from the world’s leading consulting companies.
SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Consultants are provided with the tools and resources necessary to undertake in-depth analysis, enable them to access 180 Degrees information-sharing platform to leverage the knowledge in our global network, and provide additional in-person assistance where required.
180 DEGREES ENSURES HIGH RIGOROUS SELECTION PROCESS QUALITY CONSULTING SERVICES BY SELECTING THE BEST STUDENTS AND TRAINING THEM
Each year over 450 students apply to become 180 Degrees Consultants, and after a thorough process that involves applicants answering written questions, submitting CVs, and undergoing interviews, only the best 200 of those students are selected. In 2011 the median UAI/ ATAR of successful applicants was 99.10, indicating that the majority are in the top 1% of Australians academically. Many also have extensive extracurricular and leadership experience. The rigorous selection process is not the end of the line. We try to allocate students to projects based on areas of interest, experience and specific knowledge to give them the best possible chance at delivering the best possible recommendations to our client.
5.
WHAT’S IN FOR NGOs 180 Degrees works with clients where there is significant potential for social innovation, whether due to intensifying problems or emerging possibilities. The two main types of clients are:
SMALL AND MEDIUM NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
180 Degrees assists charitable, educational, health and human service nonprofit organisations at the grass-roots level. Many such organisations are suffering from reduced funding and increased demand for their services in light of the global financial crisis, and so benefit from the assistance 180 Degrees provides.
SMALL AND MEDIUM FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH AN EXISTING OR POTENTIAL SOCIAL FOCUS
180 Degrees also works with for-profit organisations who are currently implementing, or who would be willing to consider implementing, socially-oriented business strategies and CSR initiatives. In doing so, 180 Degrees strives to provide small businesses with ways to achieve a social impact without detrimentally affecting their bottom line.
NO MATTER HOW GOOD AN ORGANIZATION IS, IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO THINK THAT IMPROVEMENTS CANNOT BE MADE. IN THIS REGARD IT IS SOMETIMES HELPFUL TO HAVE PEOPLE COME IN WITH FRESH EYES TO OFFER THEIR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS FOR POSSIBLE CHANGES THAT COULD BE MADE
BENEFITS FOR CLIENTS
• Access to new ideas: Our consultant teams work to develop creative ways of overcoming specific obstacles faced by organizations. • Access to relevant expertise: We match students with particular expertise to the organizations where their knowledge will be utilized. • Access to research: We can provide talented and coached students to take on your research and problem solving needs. • Incur no cost: Our services are provided free-ofcharge to non-profit organizations. • Incur no obligation: There is no obligation on nonprofits to adopt the recommendations that are made, so organizations have nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain from this opportunity.
6.
WHAT ABOUT PARTNERS AND SPONSORS 180 Degrees welcomes support from organisations and individuals. The contributions from supporters, both financial and in-kind, help 180 Degrees to provide consulting, technical & administrative support to its branches across 14 countries. This helps their branches provide non-profit organisations and socially conscious enterprises innovative, practical & sustainable solutions at no to little cost to the client. Some of the current partners are: • University of Sydney Business School • University of Sydney Union • Australian School of Business • Podio – online project management software
FINANCIAL OR IN-KIND SUPPORT ENABLES 180 DEGREES TO:
• Provide pro-bono consulting services to non-profit organisations that otherwise would not have access to such services. • Ensure that all students involved in consulting receive training and preparation, ensuring the quality of our services. • Track the progress of past projects and clients over time to ensure there is a tangible social impact.
DEAL WITH MCKINSEY
Recently, 180 Degrees has comence stablishing an agreement with the global consulting group McKinsey & Company. Building on the successful arrangements currently in place, it is 180 Degrees desire and intention to seek a global partnership to extend the benefits of sponsorship to the ever-growing number of branches around the world. 180 Degrees considers that a long-term global agreement between McKinsey & Company and their organisation is preferable to allowing local 180 Degrees branches to pursue their own agreements with different corporate consultancies.
7.
BRANCHES AROUND THE WORLD
EUROPE
Denmark • Copenhagen Business School (2011) Germany • Goethe Universität Frankfurt (2011) France • Université de Strasbourg (2011) Sweden • Stockholm School of Economics (2008) London • Imperial College London (2012) • Oxford University (2012)
AMERICAS
United States • Indiana University, Bloomington (2011) • Ithaca College, New York (2011) • MIT, Boston (2012) • MIT, Cambridge (2012) • University of Pennsylvania (2012) Mexico • ITAM, Mexico City (2010)
ASIA - PACIFIC
Australia • Macquarie University, Sydney • University of Sydney (2007) • University of Melbourne (2012) • University of New South Wales, Sydney (2010) • University of Queensland (2012) Pakistan • Lahore University New Zealand • University of Canterbury Russia • Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok (2010) China • Peking University, Beijing (2011)
8.
BRANCH EXPANSION
A number of 180 Degrees consultants are exchange students from foreign universities. 180 Degrees runs workshops for those students who are interested in establishing a branch at their home university. This method has already proven successful with the Indiana and Copenhagen Branches setting up in September this year. This method is preferred because branches are established by individuals who understand how 180 Degrees operates and therefore are more likely to successfully establish branches. Further, this growth method should support short-term exponential growth. To maximize this opportunity the Branch Management Office ensures that branches hold start-up sessions and focus on recruiting international stude
Many consultants go to youth leadership conferences, business plan competitions and debating tournaments. These conferences are melting pots of young ambitious people where the 180 story gains significant traction. It is expected that through formal events and informal relationships a number of branches will be established following the example set by the Mexican, Swedish and Russian branches. Our strategy to develop this channel is to train all 180 Degrees members on how to identify and take advantage these opportunities, where they can get support, and the process of setting up a new branch. It is hoped that with increased funds, we could allow executives who identify new branches, which are successfully established to go on a subsidized secondment to these to help their contact establish the branch. This would incentivize members to develop new branches at international student conferences.
180 DEGREES HAS AN ENVIABLE TRACK RECORD OF CONVERTING LEADS INTO BRANCHES. THIS IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AS THE INTERNATIONAL BODY NOW PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT TO BRANCHES.
9.
WORKING PROCESS - GENERAL STEPS
PROJECT BRIEF
SELECTION PROCESS
CONSULTING PERIOD
180 Degrees will work with students to determine the nature of the consulting project.
Based on the Project Brief, 180 Degrees will form the best possible consulting team, with consultants selected based on their areas of expertise, degree of experience, and consulting track-record. Teams normally comprise of between three and six consultants.
Consulting projects normally last for between one and six months, though there is significant flexibility as to the duration of projects. 180 Degreesconsultants generally work from our university offices, though may operate on-site if the nature of the project necessitate
DEVELOPMENT
SELECTION
CONSULTING
10.
BRAND IDENTITY
MEANING OF THE NAME • • • • • • • •
Transforming organization Facing challenges Turning ideas into action Improving Effectiveness of organizations and that they have Professional and creative They work in different countries and languages Bring the other half work together
• • • •
Looks like a world, moving forward, progressing Around in a circle, transformation Green, sustainability of the org Redesign: only if it has a congruent justification
SYMBOLISM OF THE LOGO
11.
WEBSITE ANALYSIS 180 Degrees administrates a website which reflects some of the organization values and presents the necessary literature to understand the main aim and the media to connect with them. This website is one of the most dynamic and important information media because it is the first media, that prospective partners, students, NGOs and can use to familiarize with. Being an international consultancy group, 180 Degrees has developed various branches around the globe, bringing this service closer to more NGOs and allowing the development of a great quantity of students. To this day, there are twenty-two branches of the organization, and still growing, allowing the success of both students and NGOs at a global scale.
12.
WEBSITE SWOT
STRENGHTS • • • •
Three different stakeholders groups. Essential information. Four language translation. Processes’ explanations.
OPPORTUNITIES • Extend web page objectives. Not only informative but a specific platform for 180 Degrees (everything). • Integration with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN and other social networks. • Infographics and different and attractive methods with the objective of presenting the information. • Different videos than YouTube’s. • FAQ section. • Create media-communication interaction for students, NGO’s and sponsors (boost cultural, academic and experience exchange, make use of forums, perform “project nomination”, etc.).
WEAKNESSES • • • • • • • •
Lack of audiovisual media. Poor energy-vitality appearance. Lack of dynamism. Real project’s remoteness. Distant routes (site-map). Extensive text. The webpage depends on a template. Incongruence between translated pages. • Non existent hyperlinks with other media. • Non-regular updates. • Lack of ‘Search System’ inside the page.
THREATS • Other organizations can use the same templates. • Lack of attractiveness = disinterest. • Too much information can be more harmful than helpful. • “Academic” impression.
13.
WEBSITE SWOT - AN OVERVIEW
STRENGHTS VS. WEAKNESSES • 180 Degrees must take advantage of the fortress of having a big variety of stakeholders, to impulse the efficient communication between organization members in the web page. • Information and process organization should glisten the real projects for which the company has worked. • By the right use of media, the dynamism of the page increases, along with the representation of the energy and vitality of the organization. • Reduce the gap between themes (information), creating a more intuitive navigation and connection. • Translations, seen from the point of view of communication, are very efficient, however, errors and differentiation of key points (information) between representation of one language and another, are a lot ; this means that, there should exist alike schemas with the same type of items.
OPPORTUNITIES VS. THREATS • Computer graphics and other visual methods should generate originality on the website and reduce the large volume of written information that is handled and creates confusion, and reduces the possibility that other organizations use a similar arrangement or design. • The mass-communication interaction within the page will bring an increase in the attractiveness-interest of users to the page. • Cultural, academic and experience exchange, will bring a higher volume of visitors, due to the high rate of interaction and interest it generates. • Social networks serve as links to get closer to the users of the site, increasing the interest, spread information and facilitating the work.
14.
WEBSITE DETAILED ANALYSIS
HOME
OBSERVATION: Topics could be better ordered “chronologically”, starting with History, Our people, Partners, Past projects and at the end News.
STRENGTH: Using audiovisual media, helps to grab visitors attention and to increase their curiosity. OBSERVATION: When clicking on the ABOUT menu, items that are displayed, are not the same as the listed below in the page.
OBSERVATION: It would be better to have the JUMP TO option at the end of the page, to invite the visitors to continue reading all the page until the end.
OBSERVATION: If the page format was widescreen: -visual impact -space would be better approached.
HISTORY
OBSERVATION: It would be helpful to have a timeline with the most important events of each year, as a resume of the detail information.
WEAKNESS: Lack of images.
OUR PEOPLE OBSERVATION: Paragraphs seem to be full of information, but adding some infographics or images would help the visitor to speed up he reading and comprehension.
Nat Ware
Erin Smith
contactc
ontact
Name
Ben Coles
contactc
Name
ontact
Name
contactc
ontact
OBSERVATION: It would be useful to have small images of each team member, and by clicking, display contact information.
STRENGTH: Tweet contact, excellent!
WEAKNESS: Lack of images.
PARTNERS
SERVICES
QUALITY
SOCIAL IMPACT
OBSERVATION: The use of infographics, can help to resume the 3 support helps.
PAST PROJECTS
STRENGTH: Is very important to show the organizations that have already been supported by 180 Degrees.
OBSERVATION: The images could be presented in a slide show, to make this section more dynamic.
SOCIAL IMPACT
HOW DO WE CONTRIBUTE? Meeting an unmet demand
+
Facilitating a mutually beneficil arrangement
+
Multiplying the social impact
OBSERVATION: Visitors attention can be called by displaying in a large print, a summary of what the section is about.
BRANCHES
OBESERVATION: Include a bigger and readable map.
OBESERVATION: It would be better to have small icons like this: above the different countries, intead of showing the complete name of the place,the icons coud have different colors differenciate each of the countries.
STRENGTH: Including the name and specific location of the organizations around the world is a good strategy to make a good impact to the visitors
WORK WITH US
OBSERVATION The topics: -What we offer -Our process -Quality -Assurance -Get involved Should be bigger to capt the attention of the visitors.
OBSERVATION Numbering the subtopics can indicate the visitors, the secuence or relevance of the services that 180 offers.
CLIENTS
STRENGTH The testimonials of the different clients are a very powerful resource, because people who visit the page, would know exactly how 180 degrees influence to the NGO´s.
OBSERVATION Maybe listing some examples of past ONG´s can help to future clients to know if they are already assisted ONG´s as them.
INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS
OBSERVATION The quality of the video is excellent, but displaying a bigger video size can be more attractive for the visitors. Other resources on internet as VIMEO can make this posible. OBSERVATION The testimonial of the girl is very attractive because it shows exactly how you can help others increasing your personal and proffessional skills , but we think that it can be better if you promote also the charity and social service that they do. Explaining how this experiences can be life changing, making students better humans, and at the same time better proffesionals.
OBSERVATION The video is very useful for the visitors to know how they can achieve their goals helping others as the girl in the video, but having extra images can help to amplify the knowledge of others places where this projects can take place.
STUDENTS
STRENGHT The video is a powerful resource.
OBSERVATION As we know, students are the biggest group of stakeholders, so this specific space can be best approach, displaying photos, testimonials, benefits etc. And after all this info, include the apply now option.
SOCIAL IMPACT
OBSERVATION Numbering how you can create a social impact, becoming part of collaborating in 180 Degrees is very useful. But as in Students section, you can explore and expose more facts about how you can create this lasting change.
OBSERVATION Lack of images, images can explain much more than words, take advantage of that.
TESTIMONIALS
OBSERVATION: You can create an space with different faces of the satisfied people who have collaborate or work in 180 Degrees at some point of their life, having a variety of opinions and stories can increase the expectation of the future stakeholders, and at the same time increase their willing of participating.
OBSERVATION: The text size can be bigger for a bigger impression.
15. WEBSITE EVALUATION. WHAT DOES EVERYBODY THINK? A small survey was created in order to evaluate international students’ impressions while visiting 180 Degrees Webpage for the first time.
The survey consisted of 6 questions. It was applied to 16 international students. Their answers revealed important information about the webpage and the message that 180 Degrees is trying to transmit.
16. THE SURVEY
SURVEY DESCRIPTION This survey is intended for graduate students to identify elements that can improve the 180 Degrees website. We appreciate your time; your feedback is invaluable to us. Please enter to our site and answer this survey after browsing through it.
STATISTIC INFORMATION This information is just for an internal statistic. Your name: University you belong to: Country & City:
WEBSITE ACCESS (FIRST IMPRESSION) 1. What perceptions did you get at first sight? (Choose four) Academics sense. Intuitive. Modern. Boring. Professionalism. Attractive. Formality. Monotone. Other. (Specify)
ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION (180 DEGREES) 180 Degrees is a nonprofit organization that employs students from different universities around the world, to train them in an environment of professional standards, to work in socially responsible companies through projects that generate positive impacts.
17.
THE SURVEY
NAVIGATION (IDENTIFYING ATTRACTORS) 2. Which of the following menus caught more your attention? (Order from 1 to 6, where 1 is the most interesting) Home. Social Impact. Work With Us. About. Branches. Contact. 3. While browsing through the web page, did you read all the text, or did you have to look for key words to comprehend the content? I read all the text. I only read the keywords.
RECEIVE COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS (FAQ). 4. Was the information obtained useful to understand the services that the organization provides? Yes. No. (What kind of information do you need?) 5. Did the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section answer your doubts? I didn’t find it. Yes, it did. No, it didn’t. 6. In which aspects are you identified with the organization? Theme. Experiences. Content. Projects. Images. 7. Is there any aspect in which you are not identified? (Name it, and please tell us why)
18.
THE ANSWERS
What perceptions did you get at first sight? (Choose four) Answer percentage
85.7%
Academic sense
71.4%
Formality
64.3%
Monotone
64.3%
Boring
35.7%
Professionalism
28.6%
Intuitive
28.6%
Attractive
21.4%
Modern
Which of the following menus caught more your attention? (Order from 1to 6 , where 1 is the most interesting) 123
45
6
Home
16.7% (2)
8.3% (1)
33.3% (4)
16.7% (2)
8.3% (1)
16.7% (2)
About
16.7% (2)
41.3% (5)
25.0% (3)
0.0% (0)
0.0% (0)
16.7% (2)
Work with us
8.3% (1)
16.7% (2)
33.3% (4)
16.7% (2)
16.7% (2)
8.3% (1)
Social Impact
33.3% (4)
16.7% (2)
0.0% (0)
25.0% (3)
16.7% (2)
8.3% (1)
Branches
16.7% (2)
8.3% (1)
25.0% (3)
25.0% (3)
25.0% (3)
0.0% (0)
Contact
8.3% (1)
8.3% (1)
16.7% (2)
8.3% (1)
25.0% (3)
33.3% (4)
While browsing through the web page, did you read all the text, or did you have to look for the key words to comprehend the contect?
8.3%
I read all the text
91.7%
I only read the keywords
Was the information obtained useful to understand the services that the organization provides?
91.7%
Yes
8.3%
No
Did the Frequently Asked Questions section answer your doubts?
58.3%
I didn´t find it.
25.0%
No, it didn´t.
16.7%
Yes, it did.
Answer percentage
58.3%
Content
41.7%
Theme
41.7%
Project
25.0%
Experiences
8.3%
Images
19.
WHO WAS INTERVIEWED
1. Adrian C, Stanford University, Palo Alto, United States 2. Kristin, Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College, New York, USA 3. Axel Menning, Hasso Plattner Institute - School of Design Thinking, Germany, Berlin 4. Magda Perla González Sáenz, ITESM, Monterrey México 5. Regina, ITESM, Monterrey, Mex 6. Hanna, University of Cooperative Education Ravensburg, Germany, Berlin 7. Gustavo, Università della Calabria (Unical), Italy - Rende (CS) 8. Maria Zapata, Universidad San Jorge, Spain, Zaragoza 9. Amy, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, England 10. Fazilet, University of Yeditepe, Istanbul-Turkey 11. Dan Manuela, Padova, Italy 12. Thuy Chinh Duong, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, Berlin 13. Baptiste Serra, Arts et Métiers Paristech (France) - exchange student TEC de Monterrey, Mexico 14. Juan Carlos Rojas, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, España, Valencia 15. Analilia Morales, Quaxar Miami, Miami Florida 16. Valerie Dy Sun, Pepperdine University, Philippines
20.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS After evaluating the webpage thoroughly, analyzing the answers of the surveys and applying our own knowledge of Experience Design we were able to identify various key points and develop a list of recommendations for the improvement of the website and the general organization of 180 Degrees Consulting.
FINDINGS • The web page displays essential information, but they can extend in the projects information content and experiences. • The web page has four language traduction (*) • Poor audiovisual media. • Poor energy-vitality appearance. • Poor interface dynamism. • Real project’s remoteness. • Inadequate connection between organization members; the information displayed on the different branches section, is not consistent with other branches because it is different, or because it´s not update. wa you mean? • Distant routes (site-map). • Extensive text. • The web design depends on the template. • Incongruence between translated pages. • Non existent hyperlinks with other media. • Lack of frequent information update. • Lack of ‘Search System’ (inside the page). • Although the layout of the page is Wordpress, details may be included to make it original • Lack of attractiveness = disinterest. • Too much information can be more harmful than helpful. • “Academic” impression.
RECOMMENDATIONS • Integration with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN and other social networks, can make the different members of 180 Degrees share their opinions and ideas on an immediate way, increasing their routes of expansion in a more socially network way. • Infographics and other attractive ways of presenting information, make people understand the general concept of an idea without reading a long text, by synthesizing the most important points. • Including other platforms to upload videos rather than YouTube as Vimeo, give a more professional, image to the web site. • FAQ section. Having a space for visitors to ask their questions is a direct way of receiving feedback, as it gives them an idea of exactly what they are trying to find on the page or topics that are of greatest interest. • Create media-communication interaction for students, NGO’s and sponsors (boost cultural, academic and experience exchange, make use of forums, perform “project nomination”, etc.). • An easier sign-up process. The selection process could benefit from being more transparent. More students would be willing to sign-up if they have a clear idea of what they are submitting themselves into. • Portray a much more human face of consulting. Showing the actual effects of a good organization process applied in real cases. • Improve the website in other languages. Avoid mistakes in translations but above all, avoid limiting the contents of the webpage when switching languages.
21.
WHAT’S NEXT? • Products to Deliver Determine the products expected by 180 Degrees Consulting. These can be picked out of a range of office products with a correct branding process, after discussing the image 180 Degrees desires to portray. • Content Once the products are selected, it will be necessary for 180 Degrees to provide the contents and information wished to be displayed. All the contents of the documents and products, would be responsability of 180 Degrees Consulting. • Due Dates Determine the due dates for each product.
ABOUT US ANABEL DÍAZ DE LEÓN • • • • •
22 years old. Product design Student. Currently living in Monterrey Mexico. Interested in product innovation and development. addll90@gmail.com
CONTACT
• addll90@gmail.com
BRENDA S. CORTÉS • • • •
21 years old. Product Design Student at Tec de Monterrey. Currently living in Monterrey Mexico. Creative Director at Cultural Platform “Extraordinarios” and literary magazine “Puño y Letra” • Interested in Graphic and Editorial Design
CONTACT
• brendascortes@gmail.com
NOVEMBER 2012 DESIGNMODE