Sea Turtle General Project Brief: https://pxstudio.us/blog/?p=76065
Following our site visit to Sea Turtle, Inc., students will translate real-world conservation challenges into design solutions that strengthen outreach, education, and community engagement. This collaboration allows our students to directly support an organization that rescues, rehabilitates, and releases sea turtles while also advancing public awareness and research.
Each group has been assigned a focus area, Impact Dashboard & Visual Storytelling, Cold-Stun Emergency Toolkit, and Sea Turtle-Friendly Lighting Campaign. Within these frameworks, students will develop professional-quality design proposals and pair them with a written designer’s statement articulating their process and rationale.
The final outcome will be a set of applied design projects that highlight how branding, information design, and communication tools can play a role in marine conservation. Together, these projects will form a cohesive “Sea Turtle, Inc. Outreach Package” showcasing how design can amplify science, mobilize communities, and inspire action.
Group Assignments
The following three frameworks give students different angles of design practice:
- Framework-1 (Group-A): UI/UX + 3D animation
- Framework-2 (Group-B): Illustration/Infographic (SOP poster/icon set or infographics + storyboard)
- Framework-3 (Group-C): Branding + campaign identity (poster, billboard, and teaser…)
Group-A: Impact Dashboard & Visual Storytelling
- Objective:
Communicate Sea Turtle, Inc.’s conservation achievements in a clear, engaging, and shareable format. - Project Focus:
Information Design + UI/UX (app & web) + 3D animation - Designer’s Statement Focus: Explain how your design system integrates data visualization, storytelling exhibits, and interactive apps to create an engaging, multi-platform experience. Emphasize how the RV installation extends Sea Turtle Inc.’s mission beyond the island, bringing hospital, research, and conservation education into communities through a portable, immersive underwater-inspired environment for both digital platforms and immersive, in-person experiences within the Mobile Outreach Unit.
- Deliverables:
- Web + App Prototypes: Web & App Prototype (Adobe XD or Figma) showcasing sea turtle rescue, rehab, release, nesting, education, and volunteer data.
- Infographic Poster + Social Media Graphics that adapt the same visual system for donor and public engagement across print and digital platforms.
- Data Visualization Style Guide: Document color codes, iconography, and typography rules to ensure consistency.
- Mobile Outreach Unit Integration: Propose how the dashboard and visuals can be adapted for interactive displays inside the Mobile Outreach Unit (Winnebago RV). Consider touchscreen kiosks, app-based exploration, or projection mockups to support immersive, underwater-themed learning experiences.
- Content & Exhibit Design
- Inside the RV, immersive educational stations will be built around illustrated storytelling panels paired with interactive features:
- Rescue Station: Illustrated scenes of stranded sea turtles being discovered and transported to the hospital. Story text explains what community members should do when finding an injured turtle.
- Rehab Station: Panels depict x-rays, surgeries, feeding tubes, and daily husbandry. Illustrations emphasize the vital role of veterinarians and volunteers.
- Release Station: Vibrant imagery of turtles returning to the ocean, symbolizing hope and resilience. QR codes and augmented reality features link to real release videos from Sea Turtle Inc.
Interactive Apps & Digital Learning
- X-Ray Explorer App (UI Kit & Prototyping): Children can “click” on x-rays to explore injuries like broken flippers, swallowed plastics, or boat strikes, with explanations of treatments.
- Sea Turtle Species App (UI Kit & Prototyping): A touch-screen quiz/game matching turtle species (Kemp’s ridley, loggerhead, green, hawksbill, leatherback) with traits and threats.
- Conservation Challenges: Choice-based games where kids see how small lifestyle decisions (e.g., reusable cup vs. plastic straw) impact sea turtle survival.
- You may also combine the two apps into a single app to create an integrated user experience as part of your app product design.
Group-B: Cold-Stun Emergency Toolkit
- Objective:
Provide the local community with clear, user-friendly visuals to guide immediate action during cold-stun events. - Project Focus:
Illustration + Infographic + Cross-Cultural Communication + Motion Graphics / Storyboard - Designer’s Statement Focus: Reflect on clarity in emergency communication and how design can mobilize communities quickly.
- Deliverables:
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) SOP posters illustrating “what to do if you find a cold-stunned turtle.”
- Motion graphic storyboard (30-60 seconds) for social media.
- Quick-response QR card or magnet design linking to hotline/info page.
Group-C: Sea Turtle-Friendly Lighting Campaign
- Objective:
Raise awareness and encourage local businesses and residents to adopt turtle-friendly lighting. - Project Focus:
Branding + Environmental Campaign (Awareness Poster and Billboard) - Designer’s Statement Focus: Discuss how branding and environmental campaigns encourage participation and shift community behavior.
- Deliverables:
- Campaign logo and identity system (“Turtle-Friendly Certified” badge).
- Merchant-facing collateral (shop decals, certificates, reusable bags).
- Public awareness visuals (billboards, social ads, community Facebook banners).
Designer’s Statement Guidelines
Each student must submit a short (300–400 word) designer’s statement that:
- Defines the project problem and your design approach.
- Explains key visual decisions (typography, color, format, tone).
- Connects your design choices to Sea Turtle, Inc.’s mission of conservation and outreach.
- Reflects on your group collaboration and the intended audience impact.
Frame Size Considerations
If you plan to include a storyboard as part of your project, here are some suggestions:
For a 24″ X 32″ storyboard layout, 9-12 frames work best. Each frame is about 6″ X 4″ or 5″ X 4″, providing a clear balance between visuals and captions. This layout looks professional and supports smooth storytelling. For animation projects needing more motion beats, up to 16 frames can be used, but adding more may reduce readability.
Common Layouts on 24″ X 32″
- 3 X 3 grid (9 frames): Balanced and easy to read, with room for notes under each panel.
- 4 X 3 grid (12 frames): Standard professional storyboard look, fits the page nicely.
- 4 X 4 grid (16 Frames): Denser: best if you want to capture many action beats, but text/drawings will be smaller.
Final Integration
At the end of the project:
- Each group presents their work individually.
- Final deliverables are combined into one cohesive “Sea Turtle, Inc. Outreach Package” showing how branding, information design, and educational outreach can work together.
Adjusted Project Timeline (Fall 2025 – Spring 2026)
Deadline-1 for Designated ARTS-4396 Students: October 13, 2025
Deadline-2 for Designated ARTS-4334 Students: December 15, 2025
Deadline-3 for Designated Graduate Students: March 26, 2026
Phase-1: Kickoff & Research
- Project introduction, overview of Sea Turtle, Inc. mission, group assignments (Dashboard, Toolkit, Campaign).
- Research + mood boards + initial sketches.
Phase-2: Concept Development
- Each group develops low-fidelity prototypes (wireframes, storyboards, logo drafts).
- Early concepts ready before Winter Break.
- Checkpoint: End-of-semester critique.
Phase-3: Refinement & Midpoint Critique
- Refine concepts into mid-fidelity designs.
- Checkpoint: Midpoint critique
Phase-4: Production
- Push designs to near-final quality.
- Group A: Polished dashboard + infographics.
- Group B: Posters + motion demo.
- Group C: Campaign package (logo + applications).
- Cross-group integration: Align tone, typography, colors.
- Checkpoint: Integration critique
Phase-5: Final Presentation
- Final refinements + presentation prep.
- Deliverables:
- High-fidelity design mockups, posters, videos, campaign collateral.
- Process documentation (sketches > final).
- Final Presentation: Optional guest review with Sea Turtle, Inc. staff.