California Charter Schools Association
Developing Perspective and Strategy for the Future of California Education
The California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) leads the charter public school movement in California to increase the number of students attending high-quality charter schools.
Challenge
When CCSA approached us, they were concerned about technology. However, technology was the easiest aspect of their design problem. The most challenging piece of the project was convincing the team that their site is a tool for communication.
We wanted to establish CCSA’s site as the foremost destination for information about charter schools in California. To do so, the site needed to meet the needs of a variety of audiences, be modern, and reflect CCSA’s reputation.
Solution
Mule started with an eight-week Discovery phase. We interviewed stakeholders in the CCSA organization, schools, developers, and—most importantly—parents.
After completing our research, we set out to design a communication tool and brand to match the priorities of CCSA, their members, and interested parents. We developed a content strategy that improves CCSA’s publishing workflow and helps site visitors find what they need.
Mule created a new visual identity to connect CCSA’s name and mission with their new site. The mark is reminiscent of children’s blocks, with a mix of unique letters within a unified body. The mark speaks to people looking for education choices for their kids, as each charter school has an individual focus, but exists within a larger movement seeking to provide high-quality education to all students.
We designed a site that presents clear paths to a variety of content, with cues that a lot of the information is for CCSA members. The resulting site is aspirational, readable, and straightforward, without feeling childish or precious. We wanted to use imagery in a positive, optimistic way without using children as props. The site illustrates the diversity of the charter school movement by showing a variety of learning environments.
Our technical partner, Endevver, implemented the website in Movable Type 4.