Seamless Integration. Create a unified design system that was unique yet integrated with our existing brand.
Design Library. Develop an asset library and that provided context to users who infrequently interacted with the content.
Creative direction. Lead the creative for internal and external teams of UX, Illustrators and motion designers
Styleguide for All. Create a style guide that could be used by professional designers, content creators, and vendors.
Enable everybody to stay on brand. Understand how our creators work in order to provide artifacts they'd actually use.
Blueprint would affect every system, person, and team of LinkedIn's Global Sales Org.
Sales Readiness had spent several years working closely with sales leadership, international teams, and external consultants to develop a unified approach to how LinkedIn sells, coaches, and scales its sales practices.
After multiple iterations, the team was finally ready to launch this comprehensive framework: LinkedIn Blueprint. This initiative spanned every part of the Global Sales ecosystem, including enablement, coaching, sales tools, and processes.
Given its scope and complexity, the rollout of Blueprint would be phased, iterative, and carefully tested.
As Creative Director I needed to build an extensible design language that felt complete at launch but was able to flex and grow with each change, pivot and iteration.
Establishing these hierarchies ensured:
Partner with Global Brand. LinkedIn's new master brand was being built in parallel with Blueprint. This kept the two systems visually aligned instead of drifting apart.
Co-create with Blueprint Team. Design infrastructure had to track the content and systems being built in real time, not follow behind them.
Creative direction. Lead the creative for internal and external teams of UX, Illustrators and motion designers
To add context to the users and structure for the authors and designers.
The architecture gave users context and gave 75+ contributors, designers and non-designers alike, a shared structure that ensured designs were consistent and egaging.
Request
The customer greatly desired a logo mark for the program.
Solution
However, considering that this being marketed as "The LinkedIn Way" of selling, I thought creating a unique logo would demote and detach the program from the new brand. Of greater importance was that users understand the context and interconnectivity of the program.
Instead I designed an infographic seal. The seal accompanied every piece of Blueprint content. It grounded the content and showed users where they stood in their journey. It grounded the content, provided context as to where the user was in their journey.
Blueprint texture and seal
Infographic
Competencies and Skills
Competency deep dive.
Research showed reps progressed faster focusing on one competency at a time. That finding shaped the whole icon system that follows.
When they weren’t deep-diving into a specific skill, those competencies still showed up—woven throughout the sales system as helpful reference points.
To make things easier to follow and more consistent, we created a set of icons and illustrations.These visual cues helped reps quickly recognize where they were, what skill was in focus, and how it all connected to the bigger picture—without adding to their mental load.
The guide covered print, presentation, website, multimedia, broadcast.
Multimedia & broadcast
Job aid designs
For four years, the system flexed without breaking. It's still the foundation for every Blueprint initiative. Longevity within a constantly evolving internal sales world is a rare feat.
Longevity within a constantly evolving internal sales world is a rare feat.
When designing for a multi-year rollout, it is important to keep the final goal in mind, but allow flexibility and room for changes
With so many authors, contributors and changes, it's important to include everybody in the journey.