Goethe Institute: Annual Report, 2016, 2017, 2018

The Goethe Institute is an internationally renowned German cultural institution, and large provider for language courses across 88 countries. As well as offering language courses, the Goethe Institute acts as an advocate for German language and culture. This is frequently realised through the organisation’s cultural and education projects, and other events. The facilitation of intercultural dialogue and promotion of Germany’s image abroad are among its main tasks.

Specific target agreements are delivered annually to the Federal Foreign Office in the form of a statement of accounts. We were tasked with updating the 2016 Annual Report in terms of its visual and structural elements, in order to significantly enhance user-friendliness, and deliver the complicated material in a clear manner. It was also desired that the text-heavy document be given a strong aesthetic design, whilst retaining its reliable and factual nature. The accompanying digital version also incorporated interactive page labels, hyperlinks, and text links.

Within a month, we produced a new design concept for the 2016 Annual Report, and implemented it in both print and digital formats. The 136 pages with accompanying detailed appendix were divided into seven clearly-designated objectives via colour-coding and indexing. More than 40 tables and infographics were created, in order to give a quick overview. A clear typographical hierarchy and icon set ensure that the eye is pleasantly guided from one point to the next. Despite the large quantity of text and tables – and a lack of photographs or illustrations – a report was created that met the demands of good legibility and attractive design, in a way appropriate to the expectations of staff and decision-makers.