Visualising educational leadership
frameworks and programs

Client
NSW Department of Education School Leadership Institute (SLI)

Year
2020-2021

Over the course of a year, Erin worked in close collaboration with staff at the NSW Department of Education School Leadership Institute (SLI) to develop visual representations of their frameworks and programs.

The SLI faced challenges in concisely articulating their organisation’s complex frameworks and programs. Erin partnered with SLI to address this challenge through a meticulous, collaborative design process, visualising their frameworks and programs in a simple, effective way that could be understood by a range of stakeholders extending from government to school staff.

The project began with an analysis of verbal descriptions and rough sketches provided by the SLI. Over the course of multiple iterations—sometimes more than 20 versions for a single diagram—the visualisations evolved through a collaborative workshop and feedback process. This iterative approach was crucial in defining, clarifying, and structuring the different components of their frameworks and programs, allowing clear hierarchies to be assigned and the relationships between elements articulated concisely.

This process enabled them to clarify, refine and enunciate aspects of the institute and their programs to internal and external stakeholders. The iterative design process facilitated in-depth discussions that helped the SLI scrutinise and solidify their understanding of how to communicate these frameworks effectively.

The final infographics were user-tested within the SLI and its programs, with feedback incorporated into the designs to ensure relevance and effectiveness.

Additionally, Erin designed a range of supporting documents, including icons, flow charts, reports and brochures, which combined text, images, and graphic elements to further present the SLI’s work to stakeholders.

This project exemplifies how thoughtful design can transform complex information into clear, actionable insights, enhancing communication and understanding within an organisation.