Civic Technology: Designing Trustworthy Civic Services for Open North

A long-term partnership that modernized their brand, site, and accessible citizen tools.

The Client: Open North builds civic tech and engagement tools for governments across Canada
The Challenge: Evolve the civic organization’s brand while rebuilding their website, reports, and citizen budgets to meet high accessibility standards
The Solution: Rebranding through typography, palette, and illustration updates plus accessible websites and the Citizen Budget workflow
The Impact: Open North’s site and toolkits now feel cohesive, AAA-accessible, and ready for future smart city initiatives

The Strategic Challenge

Open North has been a trusted advisor on civic technology, but their brand and digital presence had drifted over time. Early site versions lacked consistency, and accessibility updates were urgently needed to maintain eligibility for federal engagements. The organization needed a partner who could honor its history while preparing it for future growth.

Our Approach & Key Decisions

Brand refresh: We revisited typography, color, and illustration to make the brand feel contemporary without touching the logo. The goal was to express Open North’s thoughtful, civic-minded personality while keeping the identity recognizable.

Accessible design systems: For the website and Citizen Budget work, we built with accessibility in mind from the start—adhering to WCAG 2.0 AA (and achieving AAA in practice) so the site met federal requirements and could serve every citizen.

Story-led launches: Smart Cities reports and toolkits were structured to highlight Open North’s ongoing partnerships. We told the story of the first site (built years earlier) and the trust that led the organization to rebuild with us again.

The Solution

Institutional website: The redesign united previously scattered content under a single, scannable hierarchy with improved illustrations and typographic rhythm. Users now experience a cohesive story about Open North’s civic impact.

Smart Cities reporting: Publication layouts reinforced narrative clarity while visually tying each report back to Open North’s brand system.

Citizen Budget accessibility: We redesigned the Citizen Budget workflow so it complied with federal accessibility standards and surfaced crucial financial insights for citizens, helping equip the product for future procurement opportunities.

The Measurable Impact

Stronger brand trust: Open North’s evolved tone and visuals reinforced their reputation when pitching new government clients and partners.

Accessibility leadership: Achieving AAA-level accessibility gave the organization a competitive edge when seeking federal contracts and engaging diverse audiences.

Long-term collaboration: The work shows that good partnerships welcome a second chapter—Open North entrusted us with a complete rebuild because the first engagement had delivered value.