Data Viz • Graphic Design • Illustration

Savi Research Reports

With student loan payments resuming in Fall 2023, WGU Labs partnered with Savi to study the impact of student debt on the most vulnerable populations. I designed two reports detailing those findings: "Left Adrift" and "Drowning in Debt." These reports include data visualizations, illustrations, and edited photography all designed to convey the sense of overwhelm suffered by those most affected by student debt.

Savi x WGU Labs

Left Adrift

While this piece was in the drafting process, I collaborated with the writers and my Marketing and Communications team to discuss the storytelling we wanted to weave through the report. I was struck by the idea of a person trapped in an hourglass, and multiple metaphors of being in danger or overwhelmed involving water ("up the creek," "a dam breaking," "drowning," and others). I sketched out these concepts for my team, and we knew we were on to a strong throughline. Below you can see the finished illustrations that were featured as section headers in the report, as well as my rough concept sketches. These images were drawn in Procreate.

Savi x WGU Labs

Drowning in Debt

Knowing this piece would be a companion to the "Left Adrift" report, I continued exploring visual metaphors involving water. The first image below shows the final illustrations that served as headers for "Drowning in Debt." The second image shows additional concepts I created in the exploration phase.