Graphic design to communicate. To inform. And to inspire.
Designsmith is a creatively-led information design studio. We have a strong track record of helping exec teams and business leaders communicate their insights or big ideas to others effectively, through design.
Essentially we tell the story of your strategy or numbers with a structured approach, engaging narrative and clear visuals. This often takes the form of a presentation or pitch deck, a report or longer internal/external document, data visualisation, polished charts, series of infographics, or micro-site.
Uncovering key insights is one skill—and communicating them is another. We have the ‘last mile’ skills that create impact, help your audience to understand and make better decisions, and convert those insights and strategy into action.
We create design to communicate…
To get ideas and insights across…
To bring your brand to life…
To make business strategies and data easy to understand…
And to make information look good.
STORY-POWERED DATA—brand development, learning and workshop materials, and marketing collateral. This eight-week training program combines data, story and visualisation to communicate insights in data.
Developmental concept for a series of awareness infographics—to help organisations prioritise taking the next steps in developing their safety culture, and to build their workers' skills in making better individual safety decisions.
One of a series of key financial diagrams from a five-year strategy pitch. Not just better looking charts, but better communication of key insights and financial data.
PRINT3D—pitch deck for investor funding round. Our approach: introduce the opportunity and communicate the value proposition clearly and quickly. Use a combination of text, data, and imagery to build a cohesive deck.
STORY-POWERED LEADERSHIP—an experience-based learning program that helps business leaders improve their communication and presentation skills. The workbook makes core information engaging, and combines actionable tools with practice exercises. Designed for print/interactive pdf.
STORY-POWERED LEADERSHIP—brand development, instructional design including learning & workshop materials, and marketing collateral for an integrated program to help business leaders become better communicators using stories.
ON-BRAND PARTNERS—company profile and services overview, defining their expertise and track record to prospective clients in the financial services sector.
Business models and brand comms that work in print are not the same as digital-first. One of a series of brand-aligned assets for use in presentation decks, digital reports, and corporate microsites.
EDEN OFFICE—product launch brochure / look book, part of a range of collateral to introduce this new chair range to the specifier market.
Sometimes an interactive pdf is a more effective format choice, as in this aide memoir for a strategic story. Intuitive buttons guide readers through learning the content, building memory and retention of the key strategic points.
EDEN OFFICE—one of a series of informational product resources, focusing on clear presentation of key features and technical specs across a range of commercial seating ranges.
TAC (Victoria's Transport Accident Commission)—working closely with Melbourne-based company Anecdote, we crafted the visual storytelling material to embed their strategy of moving towards 'a future where every journey is a safe one'.
DANONE (China)—interactive pitch deck to outline a change in product and service offering, share market insights, and outline the 5-year financial forecast for a multi-lingual audience.
EDEN OFFICE—product decks for use at industry conferences and inhouse training to refresh existing client product knowledge in a fun and interactive way.
TAKE-ON!—start-up company aligning brand, culture and customer service across four key business areas. Brand development and B2B collateral.
Working with you
In our experience, the most successful solutions are the result of a close collaboration between client and designer. That’s why we enjoy working with our clients, not just for them.
Our approach is process driven—based on thinking followed by creative execution. We’re naturally curious, and want to understand your content and goals, and then help you achieve them.
We focus on that area where data storytelling meets visual storytelling.
And our integrated approach means that key messages are communicated consistently and accurately, across a range of media, with each separate element building on the success of others.
Our design agenda is simple: to craft effective, creative solutions that address your commercial needs.
Some of the organisations we’ve worked with—and for—include:
What our clients say
Designsmith get to the heart of the communication issue very quickly, then produce insightful ideas that really get cut-through.
The true measure of success is what people say about you, and I’m always getting compliments about the clarity of our material.
—HAMISH McLACHLAN, KONNECT NET LIMITED
Who we are
Kerenza Smith
Graphic designer and visual communicator with over two decades of experience. Combines a strong design aesthetic with an understanding of business strategy.
Established Designsmith, a multidisciplinary design company, to concentrate on integrating brand, information, and communication design – working with organisations of all sizes, from local start-ups to global industry leaders.
Awarded a Fellow Member (FDINZ) of the Designers Institute of New Zealand in 2010, for long and active support and contribution as a professional review panelist.
A previous Chair and Member of Auckland University of Technology’s Communication Design external Advisory Board, she also mentors several young designers.
She received a B.GD and a Dip.GD from AUT, and has been a judge for The Best Design Awards and Pride in Print Awards.
Often found sketching (“you can’t design what you don’t understand”)… and always curious, she is an ambidextrous thinker and unrepentant Egyptophile.
Chris Rarere
Chris brings a unique blend of knowledge and experience to our team. Initially trained as a photographer in the RNZAF, and then later operating a commercial photography studio in the Auckland CBD, he combines image editing skills, a good eye for design and layout, with strong typographical skills and attention to detail.
A fast and competent mac operator, among his strengths is the ability to ‘police’ individual client house styles.
During the past decade Chris has been involved in the design, layout and production of marketing communications and collateral for a range of clients in the consulting, banking and software markets. Chris also operates our in-house product photography studio for our various client needs.
