Designing for Collaboration is a communication design project focused on helping CityStudio clearly and effectively share collaboration opportunities with post-secondary faculty. The goal was to distill CityStudio’s value, process, and expectations into an accessible, high-signal format that can be understood in under two minutes.

Why This Matters

In the fast-paced digital environment, important information can easily get lost—leading to missed opportunities and lower engagement. For faculty, unclear or overwhelming communication can make it harder to understand what CityStudio does, what’s expected of them, and why partnering matters. This project responds to that challenge by creating communication tools that cut through the noise, making it easier for faculty to say “yes” and get involved.

What Was Created

The team researched faculty needs, mapped out the communication journey, and identified key gaps. The result is a refreshed communication system that includes:

• A personalized Project Folder
  
  A concise, inviting introduction to CityStudio’s process, value, and partnership expectations.

• A Microsite
  
  A scrollable, shareable reference that lays out how collaboration works, why it matters, and what faculty can expect.

Together, these tools provide both an immediate introduction and a long-term reference point that supports smoother, more confident onboarding.

Outcomes

The new communication system makes CityStudio’s value clearer, more visible, and easier to understand. It strengthens early touchpoints with faculty, supports more seamless collaborations, and helps students access meaningful real-world learning opportunities connected to Vancouver’s civic challenges.

Next Steps

• Finalize and refine content on the Project Folder and Microsite based on user testing and faculty feedback.

• Pilot the new communication system with a select group of departments to evaluate clarity, usability, and impact.

• Iterate and expand the tools to support additional partner institutions and diverse project types.

• Develop a long-term implementation plan, including integration into CityStudio’s onboarding workflow and staff training.

• Monitor faculty engagement to measure improvements in awareness, participation, and collaboration quality.