Visual Learning Redefined: Gabby Parish and Kadee Fang’s Approach to Educational Graphic Design

In the field of educational content design, Gabby Parish and Kadee Fang, graphic designers at Curio Group, encounter unique challenges that distinguish their work from other industries. 

Prioritising functionality and accessibility, their designs strike a balance between creativity and the need to meet educational standards. Whether enhancing learning outcomes through visuals or integrating student feedback into their designs, Gabby and Kadee are committed to creating educational content that is both engaging and easy to navigate. Their expertise and dedication emphasise the critical role of design in shaping education for diverse learners. 

What unique challenges do you face when designing graphics for educational content compared to other industries? 

Gabby: 

Probably the first thing that comes to mind, and something that I learnt a lot about since working in educational design, is prioritising functionality. It is something I have quickly grown to appreciate, especially creating accessible content. There are times when it becomes a creative challenge in itself to create graphics that comply with accessibility standards, such as text size, colours, and layout being readable. 

How do you ensure that your designs enhance the learning experience for students? 

Kadee: 

This depends on the nature of the design work, I would say. For instance, with graphics designed to elevate course content, we would closely work with our learning designers to ensure that the material being conveyed is done accurately before tackling how to make said material more digestible and easier to comprehend. There is then another review cycle from both the learning designers and the client to ensure that this is up to par. 

For something like designing a Canvas layout, an ongoing project I am involved in has incorporated students’ direct feedback into the design process. We gathered information on what students at varying stages of their tertiary education would like to see through a workshop before even starting the design. 

Though it’s been some years since I graduated from university, I also think my own experiences factor into how I approach designs. That is, putting myself back in my shoes of four years ago, cramming through all my online learning material, and thinking about what I would’ve liked to see back then, haha. 

What are some key principles or best practices you follow in educational graphic design? 

Gabby: 

Readability and flow of content are key attributes I apply when creating educational content. Something that drew me to this role was wanting to make the learning experience engaging and easy to follow for students. As a visual learner, I understand how impactful learning graphics can be in summarising or explaining the curriculum. Visual content can help students make sense of content and make connections between different topics. 

How do you collaborate with educators and instructional designers to create effective learning materials? 

Kadee: 

It’s a pretty straightforward process. Curio’s learning designers typically collaborate with SMEs to create learning materials in the form of storyboards, where they draft content and identify areas that could be elevated with graphics or other multimedia assets or components. Then, once we receive that briefing, we create something that aligns with the material and the branding. Sometimes, when something a little more complicated is needed, we will jump on a call and work on it together.  

What is the most fun or unusual project you’ve worked on in the education space? 

Gabby: 

That would have to be working with Melbourne University on their ISL training course. I was responsible for the graphic design and development of the Moodle platform. I found this project really fun because it allowed me to combine both my design and coding skills. The course required the platform and learning material to be accessible to students with varying learning needs and restrictions. It was great to have the chance to hear back from the actual students on their thoughts on the course and improving the design with their feedback in mind. As for the most unusual, maybe to create a graphic of a demon haha. 

How do you stay inspired and keep your designs fresh and engaging for students? 

Gabby: 

Usually, there is so much great inspiration I find from social media platforms such as Instagram, Dribble, or Behance, but I also love to delve deep into website archival pages. There is a great page called https://minimal.gallery/ that is my personal holy grail for interesting and relevant design. When I am designing things like website components, I like to look at items from this site and recontextualise the layout to comply with the client’s branding. Designs that are most inspiring are those that work with complex or dense content and simplify it in a dynamic way. 

Kadee: 

Stay updated with design trends, and always be on the lookout for cool design, whether this is on Behance, Instagram, or any other platform. Some people might assume design in the education sector to be plain and standstill, but more and more universities are putting importance on what students want to see, which gives us designers more space to add a bit of creativity to these designs and experiences.  

What role does student feedback play in your design process? 

Gabby: 

To elaborate further on the Melbourne Uni ISL training project, this was the most insightful and in-depth experience I have had working with students. It can be quite a rare opportunity for us designers to get to interact directly with students, and it can make a whole world of difference to how we adapt our work for the end user. The Melbourne University students gave us their perspective on how easy or difficult the platform was to navigate. We then learnt that the text size and spacing of the text needed to be increased, especially for those who have screen reading difficulties.  At the end of the day, it is the student who will be using the learning material, and our job is to improve their learning experience as much as possible on a visual scale. 

How do you incorporate accessibility and inclusivity into your designs to cater to diverse learning needs? 

Kadee: 

Always check how design elements align with accessibility requirements! Especially when it comes to colour contrast, we flag everything necessary at the start of the project and test everything out so that we can ensure accessibility throughout the design from the start. Additionally, there is a lot of emphasis on readability and reducing the volume of text in images to allow flexibility for screen readers; that sort of thing has been put at the highest priority since the moment I started working at Curio. Beyond that, it’s about working alongside the learning designers and clients to understand who these designs are for, and how we can create designs suitable for as many of those in the target audience as possible. 

What emerging trends or technologies in graphic design do you think will have the biggest impact on education in the next few years? 

Gabby: 

I feel like there has been a trend within the last decade of minimalist or simple graphic design, and it has maintained itself even to this day. Educational design and this simplistic graphic style often overlap, and there is a chance to play creatively with that when making graphics.  There has also been an influx of infographic design, especially on social media, which is something I often find to be a source of inspiration for learning graphics. 

How has working in the education space influenced your perspective on graphic design? 

Kadee: 

The biggest thing is that it helped me realise the necessity of good design in every context and helped me to better understand design as a means of giving information a visual vessel, especially in this day and age. It helped me realise that design is everywhere, and it is just as valuable in education as it is anywhere else. When I was in university, I didn’t fully realise this, as we focus a lot more on aesthetics than real-world application. 

What advice would you give to someone looking to specialise in graphic design for educational content? 

Gabby: 

To open your mind to a different kind of design thinking and to read up and learn about existing educational design. Having functionality and accessible design in mind is a muscle that takes time to adapt and grow. There is a lot of trial and error involved, but it becomes second nature the more you do it. While the tighter restrictions of a more functional style can be challenging, there is a bit less pressure in not having to be overly creative or abstract. Simple designs are always the best way to go. 

Kadee: 

It’s not always fun, and there’s not always going to be room for prettier and more innovative designs. Sometimes you just have to do what works and get things done, but I’ve found that this is not always a bad thing. People like simplicity because it works, especially for something as essential and important as the learning space. You’ll be really challenged to find a balance between functionality and creativity (all the while aligning with your client’s vision!)   

What skills do you think are most important for a graphic designer in the education industry to possess? 

Gabby: 

Being able to adapt to changes and problem-solving are really valuable in this role. Working with such a range of clients and materials, you will come across many different, unique challenges. It’s incredibly useful to be able to experiment with new ideas for these solutions and find the best one for the situation. Also, being able to step back a bit and look at the bigger picture can make issues easier to navigate. 

Kadee: 

Comprehension. Though there are always things that don’t need much thinking, oftentimes you will need to work together with the learning designers to create something that accurately communicates the intended information, and that means being able to understand exactly what it is that needs to be communicated. You have to really stop and think—am I understanding the concept correctly? Will other people look at this graphic and understand what it is trying to convey? Is this designed in such a way that it is beneficial to the student’s learning? 

What has been the most rewarding aspect of your work in educational graphic design? 

Gabby: 

Probably any project where the design work can help a student easily navigate and interact with the learning material in an engaging way. Sometimes with studying or learning, content can be uninspiring or confusing, so having it displayed creatively can change the game. When visual design can bridge more students to educational content, it creates a crucial need for design thinking. It is extremely rewarding whenever you can apply your design skills to help people learn. 

Kadee: 

I’ve gotten to do a lot of work in UXUI design in relation to learning management systems. It’s especially rewarding to hear feedback on how my designs improve how information is presented to students and how they help improve the digestibility of content, especially when it comes to learning on e-platforms, while also improving the look and feel. 

Gabby Parish and Kadee Fang have shown that graphic design in the education sector is about more than just aesthetics—it’s about creating meaningful, accessible, and impactful learning experiences. Their ability to balance creativity with functionality, while meeting the rigorous demands of educational standards, is a testament to the crucial role design plays in shaping how students absorb and interact with content. By incorporating student feedback, collaborating closely with educators, and staying attuned to emerging trends, they continue to elevate educational content, making it more engaging, inclusive, and effective. Their work serves as a powerful reminder of how thoughtful design can transform education and inspire a new generation of learners.