Annual progress report design

With this annual progress report design we helped our client ‘show’ rather than ‘tell’ a story of success in transparency and openness.

Background

Founded in 2003 and with 55 member countries, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) has established a global standard to promote openness and accountability in the management of oil, gas and mineral resources.

The EITI Standard requires full disclosure of information along the extractive industry value chain, from how extraction rights are awarded, to how revenues make their way through the government, as well as how they are allocated in each country. The EITI seeks to bolster public and corporate governance, promote understanding of natural resource management, and provide the data that will inform reforms aimed at greater transparency in the sector.

The annual report provides an overview of the progress made against those targets in 20 EITI countries around the world.

Challenge

“To Show, Not Tell”

For this latest edition, we were tasked with showcasing extractives transparency developments and breakthroughs in the EITI network through short, country-level narratives and a highly visual approach that would “show” rather than “tell”. This would allow readers to browse through and quickly absorb the information, rather than read it in its entirety.

As well as the challenges often faced by not-for-profit organisations, the report was subject to time-critical deadlines, and was due to kick off at the beginning of the first Covid-19 lockdown.

The report was also required in French, Spanish and Russian, as well as in English.

Solution

To reassure our client that it was business as usual despite the pandemic, we quickly organised a ‘Meet the designers’ video call to get the project under way, discuss the brief’s requirements and get to know each other. Following on from the call, our designers came up with three different concepts; EITI’s final choice was a combination of two of the three designs we had pitched. We created an annual progress report design that shares stories of success in a visually engaging and easy to digest way.

A very collaborative process with daily deliverables, we received great feedback from our client early on:

“What Parker has delivered to date has been of exceptional quality, and we are really happy with how it’s been going – both in terms of output as well as rapport.

 The report has had a really positive reception thus far and I’m getting a lot of great feedback from my colleagues at the International Secretariat, who are all very impressed with the design.”

Due to the technical and complex nature of the topics covered, photography takes a back seat in our design.

Instead, the design relies on a strong graphical element to carry the information: illustrations, diagrams, tables, and data charts, all in line with the EITI’s visual identity. The high level of detail in the data visuals also serves as a powerful hint to the concept of transparency promoted by EITI.

Maps and diagrams were redrawn from files provided by our client.

As the report was intended primarily as an online resource, but not likely to be accessed from a mobile device, we opted for a landscape layout that would fill the screen ratio. The landscape format – less common for this type of document – would also add appeal to the printed version, generating intrigue and inviting readers to browse through the document at their leisure.

The design maximises the use of a flexible page grid and is generous with column width, with scope to adapt it to Spanish, French and Russian, which take up more space on the page.

We also proofread and carried out a full quality check on all four languages, and recommended a lightweight and functional paper grade to allow for easy distribution in the field and handling of the printed copies when EITI colleagues travelled with the report. We also supplied pdfs for online use and print-ready pdfs.

“Parker Design produced a first-rate, high quality annual report for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

Thanks to their creativity and stunning visual design, they were able to translate complex information into a digestible and engaging format, so as to convey the impact of the EITI to a broad range of stakeholders.

While the project coincided with the Covid-19 lockdown, they were able to deliver it smoothly and successfully. Their professionalism, flexibility and customer-centric approach made it a real pleasure for us to work with Parker Design on this project.”

Communications Officer – EITI International Secretariat