Another Ruby project from the last few months was helping the team, led by Terri Haswell, UX manager, to provide graphic assets for their online sign-up site. In addition to the structure and content getting an overhaul, the graphics were designed to make the process simpler and easy to understand while getting the basic information needed to help and retain new customers, all while providing a great first impression of what working with Ruby feels like.

I love working with Ruby’s illustration library and creating new scenes with the Ruby character and all her accoutrements. To reinforce the step-by-step process of signing up, we created an iconographic navigation path that highlights user progress. Translating the usually large and detailed illustrations into small icons was a good challenge in keeping the Ruby flair intact at a small size.

At each step along the way, Ruby and her cohorts provide friendly assistance and encouragement in filling out 1) personal information, 2) choosing a plan, 3) selecting a greeting, 4) completing business information, 5) filling in team members, and 6) payment. Here are several more screens (the last screen is a “designer pick” that wasn’t used as a final).

Over the past year I’ve done several projects with Ruby Receptionists. A virtual receptionist company that focuses on friendly service, their brand is characterized by colorful and cute 50s-60s inspired illustrations of Ruby and her cohorts. And when I say “friendly service”, I really mean it. Think about the warm fuzzy feeling you get from, say, watching an old episode of Sesame Street where all the characters hug after an adventure. Well, that’s how it feels to correspond with Ruby. In that vein, one of my efforts was working with Marcella Vail, Director of Employee Engagement, to create an icon library for internal use in presentations, powerpoints, online media and generally peppy publications for the Ruby team.