SBA Ascent

The Client

SBA Ascent

The Challenge

Creating a national learning platform designed to support women entrepreneurs required a brand and digital experience that felt both empowering and practical.

Eleven Peppers was tasked with building an identity and UX framework that could carry a wide range of educational content while remaining approachable, modern, and scalable for long term growth. The solution needed to unify naming, branding, illustration, and platform design into a cohesive system that could meet the needs of a diverse audience of business owners at every stage of their journey.

Awards

• Gold Hermes Creative Awards, The Pitch Playbook Infographic
• Telly Awards, Mastering A Marketing Plan Video
• Platinum Viddy Awards, Culture and Values Video
• Silver Davey Awards, Best User Interface
• Silver Davey Awards, Best Visual Appeal Utility
• Silver Davey Awards, Best use of Animation/Illustration

The Services

• Logo Design
• Visual Identity
• Learning Experience Design
• User Experience (UX) Research
• Human-Centered Design
• Data-Informed UX/UI
• Animation & Motion Graphics
• Video and Audio Development

THE BRANDING JOURNEY

First, we needed to develop a name for the program. 11p collaborated with stakeholders to name the learning platform, Ascent. The name implies upward movement, from a lower to a higher state, degree, grade, or status; advancement.

Playing off the name, 11p designed a logo that used the visual mountain references as a metaphor for business obstacles and challenges, combined with a line graph moving in an upward trajectory to symbolize overcoming these hurdles to increased sales and business growth.

DIVERSE CHARACTERS

To support the learning platform and micro-learning tool development, 11p illustrated an extensive character library. We designed a variety of features and styles to reflect the diverse female audience. Creating a custom library enhanced the workflow for our designers, so they could produce over 100 micro-learning tools in a short period of time!

FEEDBACK AT EVERY STAGE

The UX process in building the Ascent platform consisted of five distinct phases: Discover, Design, Build, Test, Launch. Each phase of the project incorporated feedback from users, the business goals of stakeholders, and sound design decisions involving the small-business owner.

User Interface

Platform Design

Mobile Design

THE ASCENT EXPERIENCE

Ascent is comprised of “Journeys” that contain micro-learning tools pertaining to a specific topic, like marketing or access to capital. Female entrepreneurs can navigate through Ascent based on their needs and pick which Journeys will help them practice skills to elevate their businesses. The micro-learning tools come in a broad range of formats to address the time constraints of an entrepreneur on-the-go. Formats include infographics, worksheets, videos, key insights, success stories, and more!

23

Infographics

68

Exercises

9

Videos

23

Key Insights

12

Success Stories

7

Discussions

Infographics

Women have a big impact on the U.S. economy. 45% of all businesses are women-owned (or men & women co-owned).

Videos

Mastering Your Marketing Plan

Key Performance Indicators

Values and Culture

Tools

It is an incredible privilege to assist women-owned businesses – a key pillar of our nation’s economic firepower – thrive and achieve success.

Jovita Carranza, SBA Administrator

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