How do you translate a brand identity into templates that hundreds of employees can use independently, without losing the brand’s recognisability? And how do you ensure that a design is not only visually strong, but also meets what an organisation needs in practice?
These are the kinds of questions Demi works on every day as a designer and consultant at Cordeo. She works directly with clients, advises them on how to apply their visual identity, and translates their needs into designs and templates for the brand portal. Her work ranges from existing brand identities to entirely new concepts.
We spoke to Demi about her approach to design, the combination of consultancy and creativity, and the challenge of designing for users without a design background.
Demi has had a long-standing interest in branding. During her Media Design studies Demi explored various disciplines within the design field. It didn’t take long for her to discover where her main interest lay.
"During my studies, I quickly realised that my main interest was in branding. I found it fascinating to think about how you build a visually strong brand and make it recognisable."
That interest later led her to start her own branding business. At Cordeo, she also works with brands, but from a different perspective. Rather than only designing a visual identity or an individual asset, she also has to consider how a visual identity can be applied consistently by others.
"As a designer, you're used to having a lot of creative freedom. Here, you're designing within the framework of a brand. How do you create something that feels creative while still staying true to the visual identity? That's a challenge I really enjoy."
There is another dimension to consider as well: a design ultimately needs to function as a template. This means that visual choices also need to work from a technical and practical perspective for the people who will eventually use them.
As a designer at Cordeo, Demi's role goes beyond creative work. Customer contact and advising on the best solution are just as much a part of what she does. For Demi, these two sides of her role naturally go hand in hand.
"As a designer, you need to really understand the customer's needs. What does the customer want, and what does the organisation actually need?"
A design project therefore doesn't start with designing. It starts with getting to know the organisation behind the brand. What is its vision? What does the company stand for? And ultimately, what does the customer need?
"You're not just asking yourself: how do I make this look good? More importantly, you're asking: how do I make sure this works well for the customer?"
The advantage of combining these roles is that Demi can identify a client's needs herself, advise them on the best approach, and then translate those insights directly into a design. In her day-to-day work, consultancy and design are closely connected.
One project that stands out to Demi is her work for Utrecht University. Working within the university's existing visual identity, she designed several new templates while also managing customer communication throughout the project. She also visited the university to gain a better understanding of the organisation and its needs.
"You hear directly what the customer needs, you can advise them on it, and then translate those needs into a strong design. It's incredibly rewarding when the customer is happy with what you've created together."
That entire process, from the initial requirements to the final design, is exactly what Demi enjoys most about her work. Once it is clear what a customer needs, the sketching and designing can begin.
There is, however, an important difference between designing a standalone communication asset and much of the work Demi does for Cordeo's customers. She designs flexible templates that enable employees across an organisation to create their own communication materials. As a designer, that means looking beyond the design currently in front of you.
"You're constantly looking for the right balance. You want to protect the visual identity as much as possible, while also making sure that someone without a design background can easily work with the templates."
That is why Demi carefully considers which elements users should and shouldn't be able to change. Elements such as logos, typography, colours and key visual elements need to be protected. Images and text, on the other hand, need enough flexibility to accommodate different types of content.
The aim is to give someone without a design background enough freedom to create what they need, without compromising the design or visual identity. As Demi puts it: "A template needs to look professional while still being easy to use for someone without a design background."
That requires thinking ahead. While a standalone asset is designed for one specific purpose, a template needs to work across a wide range of situations. For Demi, that's what makes the combination so interesting: creativity, technology and usability all come together in a single design.
The combination of design, technology and contact with customers brings plenty of variety to Demi's work. She also appreciates the way people work together at Cordeo.
"The atmosphere is very friendly and informal. I like having a lot of freedom in my work, while also being able to easily discuss ideas and brainstorm with colleagues."
For Demi, that makes Cordeo a great environment to work in: there's room to work independently on projects, while colleagues are always available to discuss ideas or find solutions together.
Outside work, Demi enjoys spending time with friends, going out for dinner and travelling, with Spain being a particular favourite. She also enjoys music and has a strong interest in fashion and styling.
And her eye for design certainly doesn't disappear when she closes her laptop. At home, she also enjoys interior design and styling. Over the past year, Demi and her boyfriend have extensively renovated their home, doing almost all of the work themselves. As a result, she now knows quite a bit about renovating and DIY.
Want to discover what flexible templates could do for your organisation?