https://robbratney.com Rob Bratney Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:00:33 +0000 https://robbratney.com en https://robbratney.com/Intro Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:00:33 +0000 Rob Bratney https://robbratney.com/Intro Rob Bratney is a freelance graphic designer in Chicago, Illinois. He has worked with clients like IDEO, KraftHeinz, and Tia Health. He specializes in brand identity, but if it concerns visual communication, chances are he can help you out. Give him a shout and see for yourself. https://robbratney.com/Homepage Tue, 12 Feb 2019 02:53:04 +0000 Rob Bratney https://robbratney.com/Homepage https://robbratney.com/Lace-Health Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:41:19 +0000 Rob Bratney https://robbratney.com/Lace-Health <img width="1440" height="340" width_o="1440" height_o="340" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/284c7a1ce1fa31b61db79bfd25cd355604ec7e4c9ce1bdf1caba1ad09a2f9d73/260225_LH_webfiles_header_01.jpg" data-mid="245326880" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/284c7a1ce1fa31b61db79bfd25cd355604ec7e4c9ce1bdf1caba1ad09a2f9d73/260225_LH_webfiles_header_01.jpg" /> Lace Health BrandingJanuary–February 2026 ChallengeIn late January 2026 I was approached by integrative health startup Lace Health to build them a new brand, and quick. Operating under the name Emerge for a few years, founder Layla Yarjani was in the early stages of rebranding as Lace Health and needed a new visual identity to be launched at an integrative health conference in New York City on February 19+20. This gave the project a roughly 3-week timeline.&nbsp; ApproachWe got right down to work on a logo. I initially presented 5 options, which were refined down to 2 directions before the final logo was selected. The final mark draws on the symbolism of the Endless Knot combined with an L that also can be construed to spell out “Lace.” OutcomeThe Lace team made their conference debut with a stunning booth that emphasized their company ethos and helped them start to make a name for themselves. Logo Being an integrative health platform that takes inspiration from traditional, non-Western medicine, Lace as a name is a play on the idea of weaving together the fragmented healthcare landscape. It also intentionally references indigenous peoples’ weaving and hair braiding traditions and the associated symbolism.&nbsp; <img width="4032" height="3024" width_o="4032" height_o="3024" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d8c563a4616f84334b57e805561260f7204ff0235b2cf129b0d6b750ec15150d/2026-02-25-12.49.18.jpg" data-mid="245327938" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d8c563a4616f84334b57e805561260f7204ff0235b2cf129b0d6b750ec15150d/2026-02-25-12.49.18.jpg" /><img width="4032" height="3024" width_o="4032" height_o="3024" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f1abc0f678ddcb61d6a4a06eae3a92de7b2250b9d8b6a60dc1385bb4c23a1f91/2026-02-25-12.49.11.jpg" data-mid="245327937" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f1abc0f678ddcb61d6a4a06eae3a92de7b2250b9d8b6a60dc1385bb4c23a1f91/2026-02-25-12.49.11.jpg" /> The Endless Knot is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols in a number of Indian religions, and is also found in Celtic, Kasakh, and Chinese symbolism. The Endless Knot represents many things, including the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth; the intertwining of wisdom and compassion, and harmony in the universe <img width="2046" height="1535" width_o="2046" height_o="1535" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a923f539fe11eb9dfcf5b9effe07af47550b3b8743a95a86d5241b1a4bf1e349/107687118_1059607911101023_7003563840859460619_n.jpg" data-mid="245327503" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a923f539fe11eb9dfcf5b9effe07af47550b3b8743a95a86d5241b1a4bf1e349/107687118_1059607911101023_7003563840859460619_n.jpg" /> <img width="601" height="900" width_o="601" height_o="900" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/80a34f5ba1e06ea17babd788c7de388ac64ce733d1f9fc5d94f132bb5b926176/golden-endless-knot-nepal-71765309.jpg" data-mid="245327504" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/601/i/80a34f5ba1e06ea17babd788c7de388ac64ce733d1f9fc5d94f132bb5b926176/golden-endless-knot-nepal-71765309.jpg" /> <img width="250" height="270" width_o="250" height_o="270" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5e688d50bb913925e0ff0d409ffda9223053fcc4e20d31dbf1ae6127d8a4133e/Shrivatsa.jpg" data-mid="245327505" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/250/i/5e688d50bb913925e0ff0d409ffda9223053fcc4e20d31dbf1ae6127d8a4133e/Shrivatsa.jpg" /> The Endless Knot <img width="1600" height="410" width_o="1600" height_o="410" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/87d19c9af2554778256388f3d6c99435727a83a186d92602ad80a9d3d1b39d15/260225_LH_webfiles_logo_01.jpg" data-mid="245328160" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/87d19c9af2554778256388f3d6c99435727a83a186d92602ad80a9d3d1b39d15/260225_LH_webfiles_logo_01.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="900" width_o="1600" height_o="900" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ee2d5a7c49adfd2665de530a215fb2c1bac23304e3e74ca00618ff205b580bd7/260225_LH_webfiles_logo_02-02.jpg" data-mid="245327950" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ee2d5a7c49adfd2665de530a215fb2c1bac23304e3e74ca00618ff205b580bd7/260225_LH_webfiles_logo_02-02.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="900" width_o="1600" height_o="900" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e78e45f443b7e458dd660cd6db7b7c3457da6bed3104ecc16d34eb7c9e3bcf3b/260225_LH_webfiles_logo_02-03.jpg" data-mid="245327951" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e78e45f443b7e458dd660cd6db7b7c3457da6bed3104ecc16d34eb7c9e3bcf3b/260225_LH_webfiles_logo_02-03.jpg" /> Banners for Conference Once the logo family and brand colors were established, the next major brand expression to work out was a series of banners to be on display at the February 19 conference. To be made were:8ft x 8ft BackdropA skinnier, rertical banner to be set out front of the boothBranded table cover <img width="1600" height="1600" width_o="1600" height_o="1600" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/916d800358072b4ad3024826316f2cfb4f40abdf94bb4cfc29dc38ece707f733/260225_LH_webfiles_banners_0-02.jpg" data-mid="245329115" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/916d800358072b4ad3024826316f2cfb4f40abdf94bb4cfc29dc38ece707f733/260225_LH_webfiles_banners_0-02.jpg" /> <img width="653" height="1590" width_o="653" height_o="1590" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6725b875ed8edcdb96b1752a84b94b29ea27106ab4b3aa33ead2fb22bd19be93/260225_LH_webfiles_banners_0-07.jpg" data-mid="245329116" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/653/i/6725b875ed8edcdb96b1752a84b94b29ea27106ab4b3aa33ead2fb22bd19be93/260225_LH_webfiles_banners_0-07.jpg" /> <img width="2142" height="2856" width_o="2142" height_o="2856" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8e2eacc2725357e7b836756506c7a3d176e4dd0c11963853e999ef48108cc7b2/IMG_3065.jpg" data-mid="245328433" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8e2eacc2725357e7b836756506c7a3d176e4dd0c11963853e999ef48108cc7b2/IMG_3065.jpg" /> <img width="2142" height="2856" width_o="2142" height_o="2856" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/451dac81415db0946ae20088e26ff422306e4afbfc86bac399a56f63b20caa9b/IMG_3072.jpg" data-mid="245328468" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/451dac81415db0946ae20088e26ff422306e4afbfc86bac399a56f63b20caa9b/IMG_3072.jpg" /> Tote Bag <img width="1667" height="2501" width_o="1667" height_o="2501" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3fbb3d6a08599a37e8f418fe5cc29d2715c1c5e0d1a67f1f4066baec6cda44d8/260225_LH_RFN1_ToteBag_Mockup_01.jpg" data-mid="245328280" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3fbb3d6a08599a37e8f418fe5cc29d2715c1c5e0d1a67f1f4066baec6cda44d8/260225_LH_RFN1_ToteBag_Mockup_01.jpg" /> Flyers Created to hand out to convention attendees, these flyers would be the first impression many people would have of Lace Health, and had to communicate Lace’s core initial offerings: BootCamp and Lace Complete. <img width="2520" height="3240" width_o="2520" height_o="3240" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3c061e19db1cdde1d8475adce944299a7a90db7cb0289d5f9853a282af846537/Flyer-1--Front-w-Bleed.jpg" data-mid="245329390" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3c061e19db1cdde1d8475adce944299a7a90db7cb0289d5f9853a282af846537/Flyer-1--Front-w-Bleed.jpg" /> <img width="2520" height="3240" width_o="2520" height_o="3240" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/557f75a5991eb47b580622d96e928cfe3d2642a6054e88296636b51aaa9e6ab4/Flyer-2--Front-w-Bleed.jpg" data-mid="245329391" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/557f75a5991eb47b580622d96e928cfe3d2642a6054e88296636b51aaa9e6ab4/Flyer-2--Front-w-Bleed.jpg" /> <img width="2520" height="3240" width_o="2520" height_o="3240" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e3161cff806b336a8508c9cb959e6b59588036c7b83a9fc27a97035a14cbb68f/Flyer-Special-Offer.jpg" data-mid="245329375" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e3161cff806b336a8508c9cb959e6b59588036c7b83a9fc27a97035a14cbb68f/Flyer-Special-Offer.jpg" /> <img width="2520" height="3240" width_o="2520" height_o="3240" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4794182da2b12f9be68d2ba057af1c2bc93cb95f23ef39acce3f99dd32bee8a8/Flyer-Back--w-Bleed.jpg" data-mid="245329392" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4794182da2b12f9be68d2ba057af1c2bc93cb95f23ef39acce3f99dd32bee8a8/Flyer-Back--w-Bleed.jpg" /> <img width="2520" height="3240" width_o="2520" height_o="3240" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/46d887bcf178a2930a22030538af7d629c9ff3516555beb27ceacace464a0b87/Flyer-Value-Prop-w-Bleed.jpg" data-mid="245329389" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/46d887bcf178a2930a22030538af7d629c9ff3516555beb27ceacace464a0b87/Flyer-Value-Prop-w-Bleed.jpg" /> Business Cards <img width="4000" height="3000" width_o="4000" height_o="3000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8a51633b2cecb8a7a896de6a892336384b74a2585c264f3e21e2eb79c72751d4/260225_LH_webfiles_businesscard_01.jpg" data-mid="245329671" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8a51633b2cecb8a7a896de6a892336384b74a2585c264f3e21e2eb79c72751d4/260225_LH_webfiles_businesscard_01.jpg" /> Instagram Grid&nbsp; <img width="450" height="920" width_o="450" height_o="920" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/001f48897cc4c19eecb5c96abb6346177bc89e4bd2755b55e4b131da1d1d3d9c/260225_LH_webfiles_IG_Grid_01.png" data-mid="245351653" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/450/i/001f48897cc4c19eecb5c96abb6346177bc89e4bd2755b55e4b131da1d1d3d9c/260225_LH_webfiles_IG_Grid_01.png" /> https://robbratney.com/America-Achieves-1 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:35:11 +0000 Rob Bratney https://robbratney.com/America-Achieves-1 <img width="2550" height="602" width_o="2550" height_o="602" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e601fd61895f54c6dd317ddae6e093b80ebad2ebe025bc2cbc318afe6486548f/260106_AmericaAchieves_thumb.jpg" data-mid="242521417" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e601fd61895f54c6dd317ddae6e093b80ebad2ebe025bc2cbc318afe6486548f/260106_AmericaAchieves_thumb.jpg" /> America Achieves’ Tech Hubs Graphics Support&nbsp;January–June 2024 ChallengeIn October 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration’s US Economic Development Administration announced the inaugural 31 designated Tech Hubs: regoins around the country with “cross-sector consortia... [and] strong federal support for each consortium’s vision to grow its critical technology ecosystem and become a global leader over the next decade. Designated Tech Hubs became eligible to apply for Implementation awards supporting projects in workforce development, startup support, technology maturation, infrastructure, and governance.”In short: a federal program that gave groups around the country the chance to win grant money to develop the region’s “technology ecosystem” and become another Silicon Valley, Austin, or other fast-growing metro built around a technology industry. Around this same time, the NY-based economic nonprofit&nbsp;America Achieves launched its “Good Jobs Economy” Initiative, which set out to support a number of these 31 designated Tech Hubs in their grant applications. The application itself was dense, written in “legalese,” and came with strict submission requirements (page counts, font sizes, etc.). America Achieves saw at least two opportunities to offer support: Translate the opaque requirements of the grant paperwork into an easily digestible guide, perhaps through annotation.Provide regions with help creating support graphics for the number of spots in the application where including images would be advantageous.&nbsp; ApproachThe grant application was complex not just in content, but in structure. It was divided into three distinct narrative types, each with different goals, requirements, and constraints: Overarching Narrative, covering the consortium and project as a whole Risk Mitigation Overarching Narrative, addressing cross-project risks such as cybersecurity, infrastructure, and staffing Risk Mitigation Plan – Component Project Narratives, which repeated similar risk criteria at the level of each individual project Applicants were expected to respond to all three clearly, precisely, and within strict formatting and page limits – requirements that were easy to misinterpret and difficult to visualize when working from the original legal-style guidance. While other America Achieves Technical Advisors rewrote and simplified the application text itself, I focused on making the constraints and expectations visible. I designed a Visual Guide for each narrative type that paired an annotated sidebar with a full-length example narrative written in placeholder text. Each Visual Guide began with a cover page outlining the purpose of the section, its rules (page limits, word counts, formatting constraints), and a checklist of required subsections. From there, the guide introduced the companion sidebar: a persistent, adjacent reference that explained in plain language what each section was meant to accomplish and approximately how much space it warranted. By running the sidebar alongside a filler narrative of the exact allowable length, the guide helped applicants see at a glance both what was being asked for and how much room they actually had to say it. This approach translated abstract requirements into a concrete, spatial understanding that teams could use as they drafted their own submissions. OutcomeThe Visual Guide became a practical part of America Achieves’ technical assistance to regional coalitions applying for Tech Hubs Implementation funding. By making dense requirements and strict page limits easier to understand, the guide helped teams focus their narratives and submit clearer, more compliant applications. Of the 12 regions that secured $504 million in Implementation funding in the first round of awards, six were regions that had received in-depth support from America Achieves. That success continued in a second round, when the Economic Development Administration awarded an additional $210 million to six more Tech Hubs, bringing the total to 18 funded regions, seven of which had received America Achieves’ support. These grants support long-term regional strategies in workforce development, advanced manufacturing, and other critical technology sectors. While the work is ongoing, the early results demonstrate how clear, well-designed guidance can materially improve outcomes in complex federal grant processes. Overarching Narrative Visual Guide <img width="1600" height="2071" width_o="1600" height_o="2071" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/166ab1cd2a5b7e032684b683f7d7b71d9a1073967e7be9a4facb6a61f316ac18/231204_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_ON_04-1.jpg" data-mid="242571301" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/166ab1cd2a5b7e032684b683f7d7b71d9a1073967e7be9a4facb6a61f316ac18/231204_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_ON_04-1.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1380" width_o="1600" height_o="1380" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/be339034c80ac60153adc3f47768a72badc6897c9b94f980a259b4b9b347d3df/231204_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_ON_04-2.jpg" data-mid="242571302" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/be339034c80ac60153adc3f47768a72badc6897c9b94f980a259b4b9b347d3df/231204_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_ON_04-2.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1380" width_o="1600" height_o="1380" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/43027e2fedb80f09128e9d96719ead65fd96578b9564b70e0cca37b4a5f882a2/231204_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_ON_04-3.jpg" data-mid="242571304" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/43027e2fedb80f09128e9d96719ead65fd96578b9564b70e0cca37b4a5f882a2/231204_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_ON_04-3.jpg" /> Risk Mitigation Plan Overarching Narrative Visual Guide <img width="1600" height="2071" width_o="1600" height_o="2071" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/174102b3aebf7184fdf8a03acacc8489d9dc2dbb2057cf68fb0c8ee745656279/240117_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_RM_ON_06-1.jpg" data-mid="242571339" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/174102b3aebf7184fdf8a03acacc8489d9dc2dbb2057cf68fb0c8ee745656279/240117_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_RM_ON_06-1.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1380" width_o="1600" height_o="1380" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4ddb53ebf0d70cd53ab33913c0c52eb48653ab0f85c6a3df726aaebaa719d76e/240117_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_RM_ON_06-2.jpg" data-mid="242571341" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4ddb53ebf0d70cd53ab33913c0c52eb48653ab0f85c6a3df726aaebaa719d76e/240117_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_RM_ON_06-2.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1380" width_o="1600" height_o="1380" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/55ee27ff7d64f5480f5fe6a054776183d25625ad623b7d39467183eae4474713/240117_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_RM_ON_06-4.jpg" data-mid="242571342" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/55ee27ff7d64f5480f5fe6a054776183d25625ad623b7d39467183eae4474713/240117_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_RM_ON_06-4.jpg" /> Risk Mitigation Plan Component Project Narrative Visual Guide <img width="1600" height="2071" width_o="1600" height_o="2071" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d86a2c530c6e4ba260d0982e09a4ec534f712846956db62a3e6162bb7cc63c37/240117_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_RM_CP_04-1.jpg" data-mid="242571355" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d86a2c530c6e4ba260d0982e09a4ec534f712846956db62a3e6162bb7cc63c37/240117_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_RM_CP_04-1.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1380" width_o="1600" height_o="1380" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/dce2eca834faecc49b0f3f0e0e405216e31ce7fbdc0366e72372c85e1fdcbab5/240117_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_RM_CP_04-3.jpg" data-mid="242571359" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/dce2eca834faecc49b0f3f0e0e405216e31ce7fbdc0366e72372c85e1fdcbab5/240117_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_RM_CP_04-3.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1380" width_o="1600" height_o="1380" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/36ba8bd60b85d18bc5a48be7870814a7acfeeec830dccdd92b39e54341cfbb63/240117_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_RM_CP_04-5.jpg" data-mid="242571360" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/36ba8bd60b85d18bc5a48be7870814a7acfeeec830dccdd92b39e54341cfbb63/240117_AmericaAchieves_TechHubs_RM_CP_04-5.jpg" /> Graphics Support for Consortia and America Achieves HQ Working with leadership from each consortium, I created graphics for various Tech Hubs’ applications, showing things like leadership structure and funding breakdowns.. Richmond, Virginia&nbsp; <img width="2266" height="2574" width_o="2266" height_o="2574" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/913348161f9d5a874f6d685c582a36f450cffc18ead94091f79444d02a2cb8d1/240212_AA_RVA_APMCPMapping_01.jpg" data-mid="242571381" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/913348161f9d5a874f6d685c582a36f450cffc18ead94091f79444d02a2cb8d1/240212_AA_RVA_APMCPMapping_01.jpg" /> <img width="4267" height="3200" width_o="4267" height_o="3200" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8d661c76cb22c9999bed69a3dbe779769461c71871b86943c976f1e72f899c19/240212_AA_RVA_APMCPMapping_02.jpg" data-mid="242571382" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8d661c76cb22c9999bed69a3dbe779769461c71871b86943c976f1e72f899c19/240212_AA_RVA_APMCPMapping_02.jpg" /> <img width="3897" height="1209" width_o="3897" height_o="1209" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5892a40c32adab7beb951e65a4eb784aa395e0495788fa939cbab5f8879a7cfe/240212_AA_RVA_APMCPMapping_03.jpg" data-mid="242571383" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/5892a40c32adab7beb951e65a4eb784aa395e0495788fa939cbab5f8879a7cfe/240212_AA_RVA_APMCPMapping_03.jpg" /> <img width="1950" height="2175" width_o="1950" height_o="2175" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a9d8e113f2fc844a1642daef6d24818c8668cb2d93d57d93ccc8536669dc4b8c/240212_AA_RVA_APMCPMapping_01-04.png" data-mid="242571449" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a9d8e113f2fc844a1642daef6d24818c8668cb2d93d57d93ccc8536669dc4b8c/240212_AA_RVA_APMCPMapping_01-04.png" /> Wisconsin <img width="4267" height="3200" width_o="4267" height_o="3200" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/cda9cd56a9fc188c8fac0d2df007f8d9ff19ab970e996ab602a2d7fd6b97dd0d/240404_AA_WI_ProjectMapping_01.jpg" data-mid="242571385" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/cda9cd56a9fc188c8fac0d2df007f8d9ff19ab970e996ab602a2d7fd6b97dd0d/240404_AA_WI_ProjectMapping_01.jpg" /> Nevada <img width="2096" height="1058" width_o="2096" height_o="1058" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a07734a4258b985cbe9335051786b4edfdb9f29d7ed39d812a77be7fa123366c/240220_AA_NV_Circuit_03.jpg" data-mid="242571384" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a07734a4258b985cbe9335051786b4edfdb9f29d7ed39d812a77be7fa123366c/240220_AA_NV_Circuit_03.jpg" /> America Achieves HQ <img width="2260" height="1047" width_o="2260" height_o="1047" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/20af7915c50690585a8e2150abd9668c006a2ee752abb27b250b2089f3f83b96/240523_AA_FundingInfographic_01.jpg" data-mid="242571386" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/20af7915c50690585a8e2150abd9668c006a2ee752abb27b250b2089f3f83b96/240523_AA_FundingInfographic_01.jpg" /> https://robbratney.com/2022-3-Momentum-IDEO-North-America-Portfolio-Review Wed, 14 May 2025 18:22:45 +0000 Rob Bratney https://robbratney.com/2022-3-Momentum-IDEO-North-America-Portfolio-Review <img width="2880" height="680" width_o="2880" height_o="680" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8ed8a9c4f16e340b296845e5b6f3a75d3ca6060a1de0b9b88d973ea837624bc3/250519_Webfiles_OW_Header_02.png" data-mid="233403007" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8ed8a9c4f16e340b296845e5b6f3a75d3ca6060a1de0b9b88d973ea837624bc3/250519_Webfiles_OW_Header_02.png" /> 2022/3 Momentum—IDEO North America Portfolio ReviewJanuary 2023 ChallengeA lot of the work done at IDEO North America often goes unseen even by those inside the company. To show off the incredible creative talent and level of output IDEO has, IDEO puts on an annual internal portfolio review, and I helped create the visual language for the 2022 show. Given the name “Momentum” as the year’s theme, my fellow Comms designer Michal Janicki and I brainstormed concepts we could use to represent each of IDEO’s craft cohorts.ApproachEarly on, we landed on the idea of using moving concentric circles to literally spin the title type and make it feel like it had momentum (see below). We knew we could do the same with the cohort names, and we really wanted to add images to them – but what images? Black and white photos? If so, which photos? Or maybe we could use famous paintings? Fun idea, but “famous” paintings tend to lean Eurocentric. Wait – what if we used an AI image generator to create paintings for each cohort? And we could use animals instead of people, doing things that represent what each cohort does! Bingo.OutcomeUsing DALL•E, we created Renaissance-style paintings of animals engaging in activities that related to each domain’s work; for example, a squirrel painting a self-portrait for Brand &amp; Communications, a fox in a library for Research &amp; Insights, etc. Once we created each image, we animated them using After Effects with the same concentric circles and made them into gifs to use in the final deck. <img width="2000" height="1125" width_o="2000" height_o="1125" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/137e33e7ce408cba113d849424b84021f402c18c8913fb51ee3208383f106dea/01_TITLE.gif" data-mid="233227725" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/137e33e7ce408cba113d849424b84021f402c18c8913fb51ee3208383f106dea/01_TITLE.gif" /> Spinning Gifs for Each Cohort&nbsp; <img width="750" height="422" width_o="750" height_o="422" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2870b9752538bb7347453fb8766496eeadadd8204b70c013aa8fc89c82e14b90/0216_02_BRAND-COMM_sm.gif" data-mid="233227836" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/750/i/2870b9752538bb7347453fb8766496eeadadd8204b70c013aa8fc89c82e14b90/0216_02_BRAND-COMM_sm.gif" /> <img width="750" height="422" width_o="750" height_o="422" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6b7215da9729f8f0a10eda14ed78654ebe4b6be940a12b14bb9f4f505c9c256e/0216_04_CULTIVATION-DEV_sm.gif" data-mid="233227837" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/750/i/6b7215da9729f8f0a10eda14ed78654ebe4b6be940a12b14bb9f4f505c9c256e/0216_04_CULTIVATION-DEV_sm.gif" /> <img width="750" height="422" width_o="750" height_o="422" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e68de1f93869ce804df6b7feccc7447aa264b074254ff9c8e210c3b23bd298ce/0216_08_Systems-Strategy_sm.gif" data-mid="233227840" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/750/i/e68de1f93869ce804df6b7feccc7447aa264b074254ff9c8e210c3b23bd298ce/0216_08_Systems-Strategy_sm.gif" /> <img width="750" height="422" width_o="750" height_o="422" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/88bd2de657408e2ff3efbca3372ddca19df7d5e2806962b8311b0618fe955419/0216_07_Research-Insights_sm.gif" data-mid="233227839" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/750/i/88bd2de657408e2ff3efbca3372ddca19df7d5e2806962b8311b0618fe955419/0216_07_Research-Insights_sm.gif" /> <img width="750" height="422" width_o="750" height_o="422" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9c46c782c3a0ef76be8ef780307de93156e85c5e22085f362b893583eaa72a30/0216_06_PRTZLS_sm.gif" data-mid="233227838" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/750/i/9c46c782c3a0ef76be8ef780307de93156e85c5e22085f362b893583eaa72a30/0216_06_PRTZLS_sm.gif" /> <img width="750" height="422" width_o="750" height_o="422" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/50e29e366950288ef320044c09cc270b3a3e8fb31ce4457a5d81496920202ce0/0216_09_Domain-Panel_sm.gif" data-mid="233227841" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/750/i/50e29e366950288ef320044c09cc270b3a3e8fb31ce4457a5d81496920202ce0/0216_09_Domain-Panel_sm.gif" /> <img width="750" height="422" width_o="750" height_o="422" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0cd375811e07e57422a997261ebdc883bdd2dfa0b72bb6f03a403a8cc4c5f18d/10_Reflection_01_sm-min.gif" data-mid="233227835" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/750/i/0cd375811e07e57422a997261ebdc883bdd2dfa0b72bb6f03a403a8cc4c5f18d/10_Reflection_01_sm-min.gif" /> Early Alternative Concepts In the course of business Michal and I came up with a number of other ways we could show “Momentum.” The concepts below were&nbsp; not ultimately chosen by that year’s portfolio review committee, but are worthwhile viewing nonetheless.&nbsp; <img width="1528" height="1146" width_o="1528" height_o="1146" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b8a2485ae1f8f80bddde9a2acf218a3590b48d643d680d655a718dfe4642b43a/250514_Webfiles_Momentum_dryeraseboard_01.png" data-mid="233215924" border="0" alt="Early whiteboard sketches of ways to activate &ldquo;Momentum.&rdquo; " data-caption="Early whiteboard sketches of ways to activate “Momentum.” " src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b8a2485ae1f8f80bddde9a2acf218a3590b48d643d680d655a718dfe4642b43a/250514_Webfiles_Momentum_dryeraseboard_01.png" /> Concept 1 Concept 1 mimics a search bar’s auto-fill as users type begin typing in search queries. Motion could come into play as the remainder of the word “mo______” filled in with suggested endings. <img width="2000" height="1125" width_o="2000" height_o="1125" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9f2eb94c87d2891d1332b5ff6efc7949e6d53277abd78eddf5748c7e4d185c6e/230117_PortfolioReview_Option1_GIF.gif" data-mid="233215932" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9f2eb94c87d2891d1332b5ff6efc7949e6d53277abd78eddf5748c7e4d185c6e/230117_PortfolioReview_Option1_GIF.gif" /> Concept 2 Concept 2 activates “momentum” by literally giving each letter momentum – letters would extend vertically ad infinitum, cascading onto and off of the screen. Motion would ultimately play a crucial role to the concept’s execution, although for this exploratory phase motion was not yet utilized. <img width="4000" height="2250" width_o="4000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b4114c1bb4adcb0d84ecb0949cbd0e25c56782a82c6c17bcca6916cdbd8d47b0/230117_PortfolioReview_03-01.jpg" data-mid="233227589" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b4114c1bb4adcb0d84ecb0949cbd0e25c56782a82c6c17bcca6916cdbd8d47b0/230117_PortfolioReview_03-01.jpg" /> <img width="4000" height="2250" width_o="4000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8ded4bd16b8a0cf2565dca11e25651c9dbef6d063cb53eac5a0da81e03b1badb/230117_PortfolioReview_03-02.jpg" data-mid="233227590" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8ded4bd16b8a0cf2565dca11e25651c9dbef6d063cb53eac5a0da81e03b1badb/230117_PortfolioReview_03-02.jpg" /> <img width="4000" height="2250" width_o="4000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a6da0f6e587115a8144f452e12c52166e7f7af54b50e487cffac1707c216ad4f/230117_PortfolioReview_03-03.jpg" data-mid="233227591" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a6da0f6e587115a8144f452e12c52166e7f7af54b50e487cffac1707c216ad4f/230117_PortfolioReview_03-03.jpg" /> <img width="4000" height="2250" width_o="4000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/997d8613950aea2d186ee01ad8e17a2d182739d5af85698ce2792e699015dc5d/230117_PortfolioReview_03-04.jpg" data-mid="233227592" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/997d8613950aea2d186ee01ad8e17a2d182739d5af85698ce2792e699015dc5d/230117_PortfolioReview_03-04.jpg" /> <img width="4000" height="2250" width_o="4000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ead0860c142569d66d7bbcfc36d07c4d311a0fdc13262d35020c33206cfff584/230117_PortfolioReview_03-06.jpg" data-mid="233227594" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ead0860c142569d66d7bbcfc36d07c4d311a0fdc13262d35020c33206cfff584/230117_PortfolioReview_03-06.jpg" /> <img width="4000" height="2250" width_o="4000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/21d097fb587ff5cda924ff6a90aa71f423fdaefd85e360a00a37382a12f137d7/230117_PortfolioReview_03-07.jpg" data-mid="233227610" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/21d097fb587ff5cda924ff6a90aa71f423fdaefd85e360a00a37382a12f137d7/230117_PortfolioReview_03-07.jpg" /> <img width="4000" height="2250" width_o="4000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/74bfcab8c79288aee39ca9519f6a25784a52d867aa59e3c6f36dbbe0fd04c4f0/230117_PortfolioReview_03-13.jpg" data-mid="233227612" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/74bfcab8c79288aee39ca9519f6a25784a52d867aa59e3c6f36dbbe0fd04c4f0/230117_PortfolioReview_03-13.jpg" /> <img width="4000" height="2250" width_o="4000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f9cd3ce5dac895f5bd223ab08009bb23bf5e39fb5107d403b6e30bf680d6251d/230117_PortfolioReview_03-14.jpg" data-mid="233227613" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f9cd3ce5dac895f5bd223ab08009bb23bf5e39fb5107d403b6e30bf680d6251d/230117_PortfolioReview_03-14.jpg" /> <img width="4000" height="2250" width_o="4000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2a5480f5e873c5120a17bdd108e002d80a62db09ffbb3431d320e404025e60aa/230117_PortfolioReview_03-15.jpg" data-mid="233227614" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2a5480f5e873c5120a17bdd108e002d80a62db09ffbb3431d320e404025e60aa/230117_PortfolioReview_03-15.jpg" /> <img width="4000" height="2250" width_o="4000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d36fafb38cb9c955876778936a16496b897f66e0946bb2856a7c927fcbb584cf/230117_PortfolioReview_03-16.jpg" data-mid="233227615" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d36fafb38cb9c955876778936a16496b897f66e0946bb2856a7c927fcbb584cf/230117_PortfolioReview_03-16.jpg" /> <img width="4000" height="2250" width_o="4000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d9c94b1358425167259104b9886f62f2a7e0a8f812183e3a039674b23e4e2674/230117_PortfolioReview_03-17.jpg" data-mid="233227616" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d9c94b1358425167259104b9886f62f2a7e0a8f812183e3a039674b23e4e2674/230117_PortfolioReview_03-17.jpg" /> <img width="4000" height="2250" width_o="4000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b70cab384957934dd90a83374c94b38359fdc35da6b6ae03b70aa47d4c03398b/230117_PortfolioReview_03-18.jpg" data-mid="233227617" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b70cab384957934dd90a83374c94b38359fdc35da6b6ae03b70aa47d4c03398b/230117_PortfolioReview_03-18.jpg" /> Later on we added more color to enhance differentiation between cohort sections. Brand &amp; Communication&nbsp; <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/deab01f7db939d8147c0f99f1b0a920687c5ae38e6adbcb5e14c60573783fc94/230117_PortfolioReview_04-01.jpg" data-mid="233227632" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/deab01f7db939d8147c0f99f1b0a920687c5ae38e6adbcb5e14c60573783fc94/230117_PortfolioReview_04-01.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f8fb95779092b1721cf32e1073e109b75b9ae1abb555a1114639101df082f5a1/230117_PortfolioReview_04-04.jpg" data-mid="233227636" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f8fb95779092b1721cf32e1073e109b75b9ae1abb555a1114639101df082f5a1/230117_PortfolioReview_04-04.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ba40ea1e791e897f481bf578e82f2638acbe4b7d7520ee601a5a47568ab9a941/230117_PortfolioReview_04-02.jpg" data-mid="233227635" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ba40ea1e791e897f481bf578e82f2638acbe4b7d7520ee601a5a47568ab9a941/230117_PortfolioReview_04-02.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a6fcaf2017322a4dca55dfd34db940c0c3bcbebcd4e76b8fcf8f44e398bec6ed/230117_PortfolioReview_04-03.jpg" data-mid="233227646" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a6fcaf2017322a4dca55dfd34db940c0c3bcbebcd4e76b8fcf8f44e398bec6ed/230117_PortfolioReview_04-03.jpg" /> Creative Operations &amp; Belonging <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1d4710611e2b533ad9fa84d1614289bc15db542b79b5cb1911dc6cf065e71892/230117_PortfolioReview_04-05.jpg" data-mid="233227640" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1d4710611e2b533ad9fa84d1614289bc15db542b79b5cb1911dc6cf065e71892/230117_PortfolioReview_04-05.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f6ba17e30b68de9b39c8da959c11d782aff168dd7bb6bcbd575a9df274cc7201/230117_PortfolioReview_04-08.jpg" data-mid="233227642" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f6ba17e30b68de9b39c8da959c11d782aff168dd7bb6bcbd575a9df274cc7201/230117_PortfolioReview_04-08.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/99f344bbf5cb122bbe4d79e0bf44c7715fd8cb16645fefb384589daab26b0d09/230117_PortfolioReview_04-07.jpg" data-mid="233227647" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/99f344bbf5cb122bbe4d79e0bf44c7715fd8cb16645fefb384589daab26b0d09/230117_PortfolioReview_04-07.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2c95b2c9178d9dd3c8d862b69a866d8f09d3666a7d6ec2d6cef7cb268ee3d1ee/230117_PortfolioReview_04-06.jpg" data-mid="233227641" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2c95b2c9178d9dd3c8d862b69a866d8f09d3666a7d6ec2d6cef7cb268ee3d1ee/230117_PortfolioReview_04-06.jpg" /> Cultivation &amp; Development <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b0e954ebadfb96e477c97b2aaed4276475b91979b3f95e86d8a07c8e2bbf1a2d/230117_PortfolioReview_04-09.jpg" data-mid="233227651" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b0e954ebadfb96e477c97b2aaed4276475b91979b3f95e86d8a07c8e2bbf1a2d/230117_PortfolioReview_04-09.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/71d122106c822f57bf03f5c6b58e922fab5ddbddb35d785f93fb32c6ec81a7c4/230117_PortfolioReview_04-12.jpg" data-mid="233227654" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/71d122106c822f57bf03f5c6b58e922fab5ddbddb35d785f93fb32c6ec81a7c4/230117_PortfolioReview_04-12.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/fd392b7cfe7fe949b66a2b16bd3318fdff415fc441085a6486526fbd51867745/230117_PortfolioReview_04-10.jpg" data-mid="233227652" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/fd392b7cfe7fe949b66a2b16bd3318fdff415fc441085a6486526fbd51867745/230117_PortfolioReview_04-10.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8b20f51c38c7c10a39cc1ae9d9f966a90898816c94f1003cc95fbefb096aa9e1/230117_PortfolioReview_04-11.jpg" data-mid="233227653" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8b20f51c38c7c10a39cc1ae9d9f966a90898816c94f1003cc95fbefb096aa9e1/230117_PortfolioReview_04-11.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7fc793eae48fbd9cc01ebe306f3aba76bc4505522d2608023898922557652e96/230117_PortfolioReview_04-13.jpg" data-mid="233227655" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7fc793eae48fbd9cc01ebe306f3aba76bc4505522d2608023898922557652e96/230117_PortfolioReview_04-13.jpg" /> Products, Services, and Realization <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5ad9e64f49609e00de98e745fdaac875279a1f11889265ff1d70c1c373891664/230117_PortfolioReview_04-14.jpg" data-mid="233227656" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/5ad9e64f49609e00de98e745fdaac875279a1f11889265ff1d70c1c373891664/230117_PortfolioReview_04-14.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/03dfd7827320340c57a1375b62a0526a6655fbf05ccc662aaf9bba41b4906542/230117_PortfolioReview_04-19.jpg" data-mid="233227659" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/03dfd7827320340c57a1375b62a0526a6655fbf05ccc662aaf9bba41b4906542/230117_PortfolioReview_04-19.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/23975ff83a240fa20933de993b1c041eb9b4a05c0d09d2062bcedbf27b89ab37/230117_PortfolioReview_04-17.jpg" data-mid="233227657" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/23975ff83a240fa20933de993b1c041eb9b4a05c0d09d2062bcedbf27b89ab37/230117_PortfolioReview_04-17.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7f9ffbd2722bad687628f6059fd5dabbd72539cbe563790fb9f7f2744d43ce3c/230117_PortfolioReview_04-18.jpg" data-mid="233227658" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7f9ffbd2722bad687628f6059fd5dabbd72539cbe563790fb9f7f2744d43ce3c/230117_PortfolioReview_04-18.jpg" /> Research &amp; Insights <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b05970ce6685d19140a2ece9248fcbb3916a7889b0a30c976041cdd8efba1bb6/230117_PortfolioReview_04-15.jpg" data-mid="233227906" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b05970ce6685d19140a2ece9248fcbb3916a7889b0a30c976041cdd8efba1bb6/230117_PortfolioReview_04-15.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a0b375fee62cdc72c14fc7cfec32a98a42ac227e75e17e916262607876e6c003/230117_PortfolioReview_04-22.jpg" data-mid="233227909" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a0b375fee62cdc72c14fc7cfec32a98a42ac227e75e17e916262607876e6c003/230117_PortfolioReview_04-22.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a4db17f47808d03b0f3c6bb3fa55b3d66c5ce64b636eea10b52276da5fab1b5c/230117_PortfolioReview_04-20.jpg" data-mid="233227907" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a4db17f47808d03b0f3c6bb3fa55b3d66c5ce64b636eea10b52276da5fab1b5c/230117_PortfolioReview_04-20.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/dca846982d3a7010e27c43b12a8a4553cc8f13a9e797750b0fcac9995f7df261/230117_PortfolioReview_04-21.jpg" data-mid="233227908" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/dca846982d3a7010e27c43b12a8a4553cc8f13a9e797750b0fcac9995f7df261/230117_PortfolioReview_04-21.jpg" /> Systems &amp; Strategy <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/64abe8b76be860635c2abfc1f7bd5e795a5099fc840f96e1936092299c828bc5/230117_PortfolioReview_04-16.jpg" data-mid="233227926" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/64abe8b76be860635c2abfc1f7bd5e795a5099fc840f96e1936092299c828bc5/230117_PortfolioReview_04-16.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9976369192c910e67d79cdd473ec39d92774542f04244837191935f649eed062/230117_PortfolioReview_04-25.jpg" data-mid="233227929" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9976369192c910e67d79cdd473ec39d92774542f04244837191935f649eed062/230117_PortfolioReview_04-25.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7e1cb3512a53d48d6cde3a5b402aae72d85f692a56423fcfafbc5aab6b4fff3d/230117_PortfolioReview_04-23.jpg" data-mid="233227927" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7e1cb3512a53d48d6cde3a5b402aae72d85f692a56423fcfafbc5aab6b4fff3d/230117_PortfolioReview_04-23.jpg" /> <img width="8000" height="4500" width_o="8000" height_o="4500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7537e5f89706ef66ec79ca330e3ca7ddaf6f8390af01a298473f2e8885ea7bfb/230117_PortfolioReview_04-24.jpg" data-mid="233227928" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7537e5f89706ef66ec79ca330e3ca7ddaf6f8390af01a298473f2e8885ea7bfb/230117_PortfolioReview_04-24.jpg" /> https://robbratney.com/A-City-Re-Shaped-by-the-Streetcar Thu, 15 May 2025 02:07:07 +0000 Rob Bratney https://robbratney.com/A-City-Re-Shaped-by-the-Streetcar A City Re-Shaped by the Streetcar If viewing this project on mobile, click here to view the map in another tab Kansas City, my home town, once had one of the most extensive streetcar networks in the US. At its height, 25 different streetcar lines crossed both Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas, and some nearby suburbs — shaping neighborhoods, connecting people to jobs, and building a foundation for regional growth. Then, as in so many other American cities in the mid 20th century, we tore it all out. The cost of maintenance combined with the growing popularity of the automobile ultimately led to the demise of the system. Before we saw the dawn of the 1960s, the streetcars were gone. Half a century later, in 2016, the city opened a new 2.2-mile modern streetcar line along Main Street. Though modest in size, it was free to ride, easy to use, and – crucially – embraced by residents and tourists alike. It continues to spur billions in new development and regularly exceeds ridership expectations. Voters have since approved a 3.5-mile extension south to UMKC, now under construction and scheduled to open in 2025. A smaller extension to Berkley Riverfront is also in the works. It’s exciting progress. But I couldn’t help wondering: What would it look like if Kansas City went all in? 🚈 What If Kansas City Built a Real Streetcar Network?That’s the thought experiment behind this map: a vision for a more ambitious streetcar revival — not just a downtown loop or a symbolic investment, but a comprehensive system that could genuinely reshape how people get around Kansas City. AT A GLANCE🔁 7 new lines, spanning both sides of the state line 📍 142 new stops, reaching deep into neighborhoods 🛤️ Nearly 80 miles of track — over 25% more than Toronto’s largest-in-North-America system 💵 Estimated cost: ~$4 billion 💼 Tens of thousands of jobs connected by walkable, reliable transit It’s an imagined system, not a funded one, but it’s grounded in real routes, real demand, and real need. Some corridors follow former streetcar routes. Some would replace high-ridership bus routes. Others serve dense housing, job centers, hospitals, schools, or underserved neighborhoods. All of them stitch together a city that too often feels disconnected, and is leaving too many of its citizens behind. Let’s take a closer look at each line — starting with the one already in progress: the Main Street Line. 🔵 Main Street Line ROUTE River Market → 75th Street / 63 St &amp; Swope Pkwy / Swope Park A further Main Street extension to as far as population density will allow; plus an arm reaching into the southeast side’s premier outdoor space: Swope Park. 📏 Total New Mileage6.8 mi 🚏 No. of New Stops 11 ↔️ Avg. Stop Spacing 0.62 mi 💰 Est. Construction Cost$344,100,900&nbsp; &nbsp; 💵 Cost per Stop $31,281,900 🗺️ Key Destinations (within 0.25 mi of a stop) City MarketUS District CourtKansas City City HallJackson County CourthouseBartle HallMunicipal AuditoriumKansas City Music HallT-Mobile CenterPower &amp; Light DistrictKauffman Center for the Performing ArtsUnion StationCrown CenterLiberty MemorialNational WWI MuseumIRS Kansas CityFederal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Hallmark CorporateMetropolitan Community College Penn Valley CampusSt. Luke’s HospitalThe Nelson-Atkins Museum of ArtKansas City Art InstituteKemper Museum of Modern ArtUniversity of Missouri – Kansas CityLoose ParkThe National Museum of Toys and MiniaturesResearch Medical CenterSwope ParkStarlight TheatreKansas City Zoo &amp; Aquarium 🏘️ Neighborhoods Served: River MarketDowntownQuality HillGarment DistrictCrossroadsLongfellow Union HillHyde ParkWestportCountry Club PlazaBrooksideWaldo Let’s dive into the map starting with the Main Street line. My own Main Street Extension, as it were. This proposal includes the nearly-completed extension to 51st St, but I send the line further south still, to 75th Street in Waldo via Brookside Blvd and Wornall Road. (Where, exactly, the line would jump from Brookside Blvd to Wornall Road is up for debate: it could happen at 63rd Street, or at Meyer Blvd, or it could reclaim the space formerly dedicated to the original streetcar that ran here: the Trolley Trail, now a popular jogging path.) In addition, I’ve introduced a spur along 63rd Street, allowing some streetcars to turn east and end either at 63rd &amp; Swope Parkway or inside Swope Park proper, with a final stop near Zoo Drive — right between the Kansas City Zoo &amp; Aquarium and Starlight Theatre. The Swope Park stop is marked as a Special Service route — meaning it wouldn’t run all day, every day, but instead operate during high-demand times like weekends, holidays, or before and after evening events at Starlight. It’s a flexible solution that brings service where and when it’s most needed, and it’s one I utilize a number of times in this proposal. <img width="1200" height="627" width_o="1200" height_o="627" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1567d78638758cdb2c9359f5f213dcf0d6e6ad7c94017b01bf9eddcfc0e03d28/venue5-meta.jpg" data-mid="233869888" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1567d78638758cdb2c9359f5f213dcf0d6e6ad7c94017b01bf9eddcfc0e03d28/venue5-meta.jpg" /> Starlight Theatre&nbsp; This line reflects one of my biggest goals: to strengthen cross-town connectivity. By linking with all seven other routes, it would be the backbone of the system, making it easier for riders to move between neighborhoods that haven’t traditionally had strong transit connections, and open up whole new parts of the city to more people. 🔴 Broadway / Independence Line ROUTEIndependence Ave &amp; Hardesty Ave → West Plaza A major L-shaped line that connects the city’s underrated Northeast with one of its best corridors via the Downtown Loop. 📏 Total New Mileage7.5 mi 🚏 No. of New Stops 20 ↔️ Avg. Stop Spacing 0.36 mi 💰 Est. Construction Cost$379,236,000&nbsp; 💵 Cost per Stop $18,058,857 🗺️ Key Destinations (within 0.25 mi of a stop) Kansas City UniversityUS District CourtBartle HallMunicipal Auditorium Kansas City Music HallKauffman Center for the Performing Arts Boulevard BrewingPenway PointKC WheelIRS Kansas CityMetropolitan Community College Penn Valley CampusUptown Theater 🏘️ Neighborhoods Served: Pendleton HeightsNortheastGarment DistrictQuality HillCrossroads ValentineWestportCountry Club PlazaWest Plaza Even though it runs less than half a mile from the Main Street line, the Broadway segment of the Broadway/Independence line plays an important role in this proposal. Streetcars don’t just move people, they also shape the streets they run on. Like Main, Broadway already has strong pockets of urban vitality. A streetcar here would build on that energy, helping support density, walkability, and neighborhood vibrancy. It would also offer front-door access to two of downtown’s biggest civic draws: the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and Bartle Hall. <img width="1920" height="1080" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ca4692d78b6ca3d8a4d3a7217693ec38024dd439e9a1fcd9f159fecc9e472969/Kauffman-Center-Homepage-Loop-thumbnail_edit.jpg" data-mid="233869901" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ca4692d78b6ca3d8a4d3a7217693ec38024dd439e9a1fcd9f159fecc9e472969/Kauffman-Center-Homepage-Loop-thumbnail_edit.jpg" /> Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Heading east, the Independence Ave portion brings the line into some of the city’s more economically diverse, and historically vibrant, neighborhoods. This plan could provide the spark it needs to increase the corridor’s economic activity. For full Northeast coverage, a future additional line or spur on St. John Ave should be considered. It could split off north from Independence Ave through Pendleton Heights on Maple Blvd, then east on Lexington Ave before shooting up to St. John at Bellefontaine and out all the way to Belmont Blvd. &nbsp; 🟢 Oak/Gillham/Troost Line ROUTEBarry Rd. → 63rd Street Connections to jobs and entertainment for the Northland and East Side on the system’s second-longest line 📏 Total New Mileage16.2 mi 🚏 No. of New Stops 25 ↔️ Avg. Stop Spacing 0.62 mi 💰 Est. Construction Cost$821,390,700 💵 Cost per Stop $31,591,950 🗺️ Key Destinations (within 0.25 mi of a stop) US District CourtCity HallJackson County CourthouseT-Mobile CenterChildren’s Mercy HospitalCrown Center Hallmark CorporateTruman Medical CenterUniversity of Missouri – Kansas CityStowers InstituteRockhurst University 🏘️ Neighborhoods Served: GladstoneNorth Kansas CityEast VillageCrossroadsHospital HillLongfellow Union HillHyde ParkManheim ParkBlue HillsBrookside A streetcar system that doesn’t begin to serve residents of Kansas City’s historically underinvested East Side risks failing the very communities that could most benefit from its creation. For decades, areas east of Troost Ave have faced systemic disinvestment and limited access to jobs. If we’re serious about building a public transit system for the whole city, this part of town can’t be an afterthought. It has to be a priority. This line, along with the 12th/Prospect/Truman line, is one of this proposal’s clearest efforts to bridge that divide. It serves neighborhoods where reliable, affordable transit can have the biggest impact, connecting people to job centers, medical care, and civic services without the burden of car ownership. It’s also the second line in our proposal so far that extends Special Service into the metro’s suburbs – in this case, Kansas City’s Northland, via North Oak Trafficway. The role of these Northland stops is open to discussion: they could serve as classic park-and-rides, with adjacent parking for commuters, or become the foundation for Transit-Oriented Development – compact, walkable districts with mid-rise housing and commercial activity designed around high-frequency transit. Whatever role the Northland stops play, the core utility of this line lies in what it connects. Running down Oak Street and into the Downtown Loop, it provides immediate access to critical civic institutions like City Hall, the Jackson County Courthouse, the U.S. District Courthouse, and the T-Mobile Center. As Oak becomes Gillham Rd near Hospital Hill, the line continues past Children’s Mercy, Truman Medical Center, and UMKC’s Schools of Pharmacy and Dentistry. It also puts riders within a short walk of Crown Center and Hallmark’s corporate campus, two key anchors for tourism and jobs, respectively, in the urban core. At Linwood Blvd, the route turns east off Gillham, briefly parallels the Linwood Line, then heads south on Troost. It intersects the 39th Street and 47th Street lines before ending at the 63rd Street spur of the Main Street line. So why not stay on Gillham? Why jog over to Troost at Linwood? For one, Gillham becomes almost entirely residential south of Linwood, with fewer destinations to support strong ridership. Troost, by contrast, was once one of Kansas City’s great commercial streets, and while it’s now dotted with vacant lots and underused storefronts, the bones of a walkable, vibrant corridor are still there: wide sidewalks, corner buildings, and a grid that invites revitalization. Additionally, bus ridership on this southern stretch of Troost is stronger than it is to the north, and a streetcar line would meet that demand while encouraging reinvestment. Routing the line down Troost isn’t just a smart transit decision. It’s the right one. <img width="6000" height="4800" width_o="6000" height_o="4800" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/be8a06b0c2332ce971babc9ae7ebef8c1ab33e897cc6f6c114e04de79041fb04/10010380-001.jpg" data-mid="233867873" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/be8a06b0c2332ce971babc9ae7ebef8c1ab33e897cc6f6c114e04de79041fb04/10010380-001.jpg" />Troost Avenue Between 31st and Linwood in 1935, looking south. Courtesy of the Kansas City Public Library<img width="3934" height="2612" width_o="3934" height_o="2612" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/68df0bf77507eb90a23f9e0d9b52f84ac5007e34dfafa9e74f448a25ca5500bb/BAMA-00000406-001.jpg" data-mid="233867803" border="0" alt="4225 Troost Avenue in 1926, looking south" data-caption="4225 Troost Avenue in 1926, looking south" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/68df0bf77507eb90a23f9e0d9b52f84ac5007e34dfafa9e74f448a25ca5500bb/BAMA-00000406-001.jpg" />4225 Troost Avenue in 1926, looking south. Courtesy of the Kansas City Public Library <img width="5539" height="3573" width_o="5539" height_o="3573" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a8df115f948a42189513344208b239f242115ef6dc79c643e5f6fb334a998676/K0054-v09p048-01-001.jpg" data-mid="233867886" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a8df115f948a42189513344208b239f242115ef6dc79c643e5f6fb334a998676/K0054-v09p048-01-001.jpg" />63rd and Troost Shopping Center in 1927. Courtesy of the Kansas City Public Library. Here is the shopping center in 2022. 🟡 12 Street/Prospect/Truman Line ROUTE18th Street in KCK → 63rd Street and Prospect Ave / Downtown Independence Reconnecting the twin Kansas Cities while increasing access for the East Side via the longest line in the system 📏 Total New Mileage19.7 mi 🚏 No. of New Stops 39 ↔️ Avg. Stop Spacing 0.50 mi 💰 Est. Construction Cost$998,283,000 💵 Cost per Stop $25,597,000 🗺️ Key Destinations (within 0.25 mi of a stop) Kansas City Kansas Public Library: Main BranchWyandotte County CourthouseStrawberry Hill MuseumWest Bottoms Haunted HousesBartle HallMunicipal AuditoriumKansas City Music HallT-Mobile CenterJackson County Courthouse Kansas City Missouri City HallUS District CourthouseResearch Medical CenterCommunity of Christ TempleHistoric Truman CourthouseHarry S Truman National Historic Site Visitor Center1859 Jail MuseumHarry S Truman National Historic Site 🏘️ Neighborhoods Served: Downtown Kansas City, KansasStrawberry HillWest BottomsStockyards DistrictQuality Hill Power &amp; LightEast VillageSanta FeBlue HillsEnglewood (Independence) This might be the most important line in the entire proposal. It links several of the metro’s most under-resourced communities – Kansas City, Kansas; Independence, Missouri; and the Prospect Ave corridor from 12th Street to 63rd – directly to the economic engine of downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Prospect, in particular, already has some of the highest bus ridership in the city, which signals both existing demand and the need for better infrastructure to serve it. Yes, this is the longest, and therefore most expensive, line in the system, but its value is hard to overstate. Like Troost in the line above, most of this route runs through dense, pre-automobile-era neighborhoods with solid urban bones. That means an existing framework of street grids, sidewalks, and corner retail buildings that are primed for reinvestment. Despite its length, this line maintains an average of just half a mile between stops – tight spacing that matches the walkability of the neighborhoods it serves. This line features a second system spur. On the west end, all trains terminate at 18th Street in Kansas City, Kansas, which includes a run through Strawberry Hill, one of my personal favorite neighborhoods in the metro. Through the Downtown Loop, trains run on 12th Street, turning south on Prospect Ave. At Truman Rd, the route splits: one turns east on Truman out to Independence, while the others continue south on Prospect to the terminus at 63rd and Main Street. Regular Truman Rd service would stop at Bennington Ave – the last major north-south street within the historic urban boundaries – but Special Service trains (think Rush Hour) would continue to downtown Independence. Independence, like KCK, is a historic city with a traditional urban core, and figuring out how best to reach it was one of the tougher design choices in this proposal. One option was to stay on Truman Rd all the way in, which would have allowed a stop at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library &amp; Museum before dropping into downtown Independence. The other was to go along Winner Rd, through the pedestrian-scaled neighborhood of Englewood, a corridor that could really use a boost. I didn’t feel like I could hit both Englewood and the Truman Library without compromising the simplicity of the route. In the end, I chose Englewood. I’ll admit to having mixed feelings about bypassing the Truman Library, but ultimately it came down to a tradeoff: serving a single destination vs. supporting a neighborhood with walkable bones, local businesses, and real potential for reinvestment. Englewood is the kind of corridor a streetcar can help bring back to life, and that tipped the balance for me. ⚪ The Downtown LoopThe four lines discussed above – the Main Street Line, the Broadway/Independence Line, Oak/Gillham/Troost, and 12th/Prospect/Truman – converge in the central business district and forms what this plan calls the Downtown Loop. The Loops is bounded by: Admiral Blvd/7th St to the northOak St to the east12th St to the south Broadway Blvd to the west For the sake of visual clarity, the map simplifies this section by merging all four lines into a single white track with a bold black outline, but under the hood, each line interacts with the Loop in its own way. Here's how they actually move through it: 🔵 Main Street The Main Street Line doesn’t loop so much as pass through, but it intersects the Downtown Loop at two stations: North Loop Metro Center 🔴 Broadway / Independence West Plaza-bound streetcars enter at Admiral Blvd &amp; Oak St, travel south on Oak with stops at East Village and City Hall, turn west, stopping at Metro Center and Quality Hill before heading south out of the Loop. Hardesty Ave-bound streetcars re-enter the Loop at Quality Hill, then continue north through Garment District and 7th St, turn east, stop at North Loop and Admiral Blvd before heading east on Independence Ave. 🟢 Oak/Gillham/Troost Line Southbound streetcars enter the Loop at Oak &amp; Admiral, turn west and travel counterclockwise, stopping at North Loop, 7th St, Garment District, Quality Hill, Metro Center, and City Hall before exiting and continuing south. Northbound trains enter at City Hall, continue north on Oak, and stop at East Village and Admiral Blvd before exiting the Loop. 🟡 12 Street/Prospect/Truman Line Westbound streetcars enter at 12th &amp; Oak (City Hall), then travel counterclockwise through East Village, Admiral Blvd, North Loop, 7th St, Garment District, and Quality Hill before continuing west to 18th St in KCK. Eastbound streetcars enter at Quality Hill, move straight across the southern edge of the Loop along 12th Street, stopping at Metro Center and City Hall, before continuing east toward 63rd St or Independence. Look for the colored turn arrows on the map, as well as the arrow within each colored tile underneath a Downtown Loop stop, for indications of which direction streetcars will be traveling through the Loop. 🟠 18 St/Southwest Blvd ROUTEProspect Ave &amp; 18th St → 47 St &amp; Rainbow Blvd / Downtown Overland Park A handy crosstown route for Kansans or East Siders going to a night out in the Crossroads 📏 Total New Mileage12.5 mi 🚏 No. of New Stops 18 ↔️ Avg. Stop Spacing 0.60 mi 💰 Est. Construction Cost$635,321,700 💵 Cost per Stop $30,253,414 🗺️ Key Destinations (within 0.25 mi of a stop) Negro Leagues Baseball Museum18th &amp; Vine Jazz DistrictAmerican Jazz Museum Kansas City MLB Urban Youth AcademyBoulevard Brewing CompanyUniversity of Kansas Hospital &amp; Medical Center 🏘️ Neighborhoods Served: 18th &amp; Vine Jazz DistrictCrossroadsWestside RosedaleMissionDowntown Overland Park If there’s one thing people know about Kansas City, it’s barbecue. If they know two things, the second thing is jazz, specifically the 18th &amp; Vine Jazz District. Fortunately, this route hits both. At 18th &amp; Vine, you'll find two of the city’s most iconic cultural destinations: the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum, home to the Gem Theater and a hub of Black history and music in Kansas City. Heading west on 18th, the line moves into the Crossroads Arts District, a vibrant mix of galleries and nightlife. At Main Street, the route turns south to 19th Street for one block before turning onto Southwest Boulevard. From there, it’s a parade of KC landmarks and the aforementioned barbecue restaurants. The line passes Boulevard Brewing Company and its popular event spaces, then continues by Penway Point and the KC Wheel, a brand-new entertainment anchor with views of the downtown skyline. Also nearby are two KC barbecue stalwarts: Danny Edwards BLVD BBQ and Rosedale Bar-B-Q. Next, the line heads south on Rainbow Boulevard, making a crucial stop at University of Kansas Medical Center, one of the largest employers and healthcare providers in the region. It also intersects the 39th Street Line here, offering seamless transfers. Regular Service ends at 47th Street, but during Special Service (rush hours and/or weekends), the line continues west into the walkable cores of a few select Kansas suburbs, stopping in: Fairway at Shawnee Mission Parkway &amp; Belinder AvenueMission at Johnson Drive &amp; Woodson RoadOverland Park at 80th Street &amp; Santa Fe Drive These suburban extensions connect established neighborhoods with strong pedestrian bones to the heart of the metro, making this line not just a cultural corridor, but a regional connector. 🟤 Linwood ROUTEPenn Valley Community College → Van Brunt Blvd / Truman Sports Complex Stadiums A vital east-west connector that links four major streetcar routes and provides fast, dedicated service to gameday at the Truman Sports Complex 📏 Total New Mileage6.5 mi 🚏 No. of New Stops 8 ↔️ Avg. Stop Spacing 0.46 mi 💰 Est. Construction Cost$329,955,600 💵 Cost per Stop $23,568,257 🗺️ Key Destinations (within 0.25 mi of a stop) Cristo Rey High SchoolCentral High SchoolTruman Sports ComplexKauffman StadiumArrowhead Stadium 🏘️ Neighborhoods Served: Broadway GillhamHyde ParkSanta FeEast Side This line runs along Linwood Boulevard, but it just as easily could have followed 31st Street. The two corridors run parallel just a block apart and are nearly identical in terms of public right-of-way width and surrounding density. Currently, it’s 31st that carries the bus line, and it’s a busy one, clocking in as the fifth most-used route in the system with 2,319 daily boardings (as of April 2025). So why Linwood? Let’s just say a well-placed source at RideKC suggested the agency sees more long-term streetcar potential there. That tip was enough to influence this proposal. Beyond being another strong east-west connection (and linking up with four other lines along the way) the standout feature of the Linwood line is that it extends all the way to the Truman Sports Complex, home of the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs. The stadiums sit side by side in a parking expanse roughly equal in size to the entire Downtown Loop, and anyone who’s tried to drive out after a game knows what a traffic snarl that can be. This proposal routes the streetcar to the complex on a dedicated right-of-way, allowing for faster, more reliable service, even when I-70 is jammed. If done right, it could offer fans a smoother alternative to gridlock and take pressure off the roads at the same time 🩷 39 Street ROUTEKU Medical Center → Prospect Ave An active, vibrant corridor gets a transit upgrade while increasing regional access to a premier health cen 📏 Total New Mileage3.1 mi 🚏 No. of New Stops 6 ↔️ Avg. Stop Spacing 0.28 mi 💰 Est. Construction Cost$156,764,400 💵 Cost per Stop $14,251,309 🗺️ Key Destinations (within 0.25 mi of a stop) KU Medical CenterNotre Dame de Sion 🏘️ Neighborhoods Served: RosedaleWest 39th StVolkerMidtownWestportHyde Park The obvious anchor of this line is the University of Kansas Medical Center. It’s the largest employer in Wyandotte County, and one of the largest in all of Kansas. It also sees quite a few patients, I’m sure, and perhaps some of them would be happy to take advantage of a car-free ride to see their doctor. <img width="1200" height="485" width_o="1200" height_o="485" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/da45fa74b8702f11a089bc85847b80f22356da046d9cb0d7721c4ef35c91dc3c/KU-Medical-Center.jpg" data-mid="233869656" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/da45fa74b8702f11a089bc85847b80f22356da046d9cb0d7721c4ef35c91dc3c/KU-Medical-Center.jpg" /> KU Medical Center. &nbsp; Outside the hospital, West 39th St from State Line Road to Mercier is already one of the city’s most active, pedestrian-friendly corridors, but at just 58 feet wide (from building face to building face), fitting a streetcar will be tight. Still, we believe efficient public transit is the only real way to reduce car dependency, and any short-term slowdown that may occur in this corridor will be worth the citywide traffic relief it brings. At the eastern end of the line, the make up is almost entirely residential (at least until this proposal sparks development along Troost and Prospect!), so connectivity with the other lines of the system is the most important feature. 🟣 47 St/Cleaver II/Swope ROUTE47 St → 63 St &amp; Swope Pkwy / Swope Park A streetcar down the best street in the Country Club Plaza, connecting to one of the city’s premier greenspaces, Swope Park 📏 Total New Mileage6.8 mi 🚏 No. of New Stops 4 ↔️ Avg. Stop Spacing 0.62 mi 💰 Est. Construction Cost$343,441,800 💵 Cost per Stop $31,221,982 🗺️ Key Destinations (within 0.25 mi of a stop) Country Club PlazaKansas City Public Library: Plaza BranchNelson Atkins Museum of ArtEwing Marion Kauffman Foundation Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center Satchel Paige Memorial StadiumKansas City Public Library: Southeast BranchSwope ParkStarlight TheatreKansas City Zoo &amp; Aquarium 🏘️ Neighborhoods Served: WestwoodWest PlazaCountry Club Plaza RockhillManheim ParkBlue Hills I’ll admit, this one’s a bit of a passion project. I can’t help but picture sleek, modern streetcars gliding down 47th Street, past the Spanish-inspired architecture of the Plaza, gracefully complementing Brush Creek, and passing right in front of the sweeping lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art – postcard moments waiting to happen, the lot of them. But it’s not all about the visuals. This line would also serve densely populated neighborhoods like West Plaza, South Hyde Park, and Manheim Park, as well as some of the city’s most under-resourced areas east of The Paseo and south of 51st Street. <img width="765" height="578" width_o="765" height_o="578" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4c8731c664ca36cf6722b2a615d321bcbfbf4dfce43c81ccf9fb653025acf7b0/DMitchell_CountryClubPlaza_2537_587420a2-d557-4929-ae3e-d6dcedfdd6cc-prv.jpg" data-mid="233869851" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/765/i/4c8731c664ca36cf6722b2a615d321bcbfbf4dfce43c81ccf9fb653025acf7b0/DMitchell_CountryClubPlaza_2537_587420a2-d557-4929-ae3e-d6dcedfdd6cc-prv.jpg" /> The Country Club Plaza <img width="1920" height="1006" width_o="1920" height_o="1006" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/60e9a1dece4e46fce5641a814cc994c1819281ed709c28d6a64ed4a22b13cf5d/NelsonAtkins.png" data-mid="233869844" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/60e9a1dece4e46fce5641a814cc994c1819281ed709c28d6a64ed4a22b13cf5d/NelsonAtkins.png" /> The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Like the Main Street line, this route would extend into Swope Park for weekend and special-event service, making stops at the Kansas City Zoo and Starlight Theatre. That means better park and performance access for both high-rise Plaza residents and families from historically underserved east side neighborhoods – a rare moment of shared civic experience made easier by reliable, public transportation. 🔚 Closing: Why Dream This Big? Kansas City has already shown it can build popular, effective transit. It did it in the past, when it was en vogue, and, more crucially, it did it again in the 20th century, when such gambits were less certain to pay off. But if we want to truly reconnect a fractured region; to give people better choices; to reduce car dependency; to support local business and culture – we’ll need to think bigger. That means investing not just in downtown, but in East Side neighborhoods long ignored. It means linking jobs and housing in new ways. It means creating a system that reflects the full geography and diversity of the city. Would it cost a lot? Of course, but so does maintaining the car-centric status quo that leaves too many people behind. And unlike freeways, streetcars add value to the neighborhoods they serve: they increase walkability, which in turn increases commerce, and they encourage the creation and usage of public space; all of which helps create and sustain civic identity. This vision isn’t meant to be perfect, it’s meant to spark conversation, because every streetcar system starts the same way: with a map, a what-if, and the will to build. https://robbratney.com/Collage Thu, 15 May 2025 02:00:52 +0000 Rob Bratney https://robbratney.com/Collage Select Collage Work <img width="2250" height="2812" width_o="2250" height_o="2812" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/328f76e1a8881c4b0943c2c2c15c88583d2e5635f08933ac6a09991f8c3fa609/251112_Collage_015_01-01.jpg" data-mid="246681352" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/328f76e1a8881c4b0943c2c2c15c88583d2e5635f08933ac6a09991f8c3fa609/251112_Collage_015_01-01.jpg" /> <img width="2250" height="2812" width_o="2250" height_o="2812" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/99e74e46d1153e3e8eff2ca2372fc7ad1bac6cf913ca5ae678f03b602dbd9042/251112_Collage_015_01-02.jpg" data-mid="246681353" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/99e74e46d1153e3e8eff2ca2372fc7ad1bac6cf913ca5ae678f03b602dbd9042/251112_Collage_015_01-02.jpg" /> <img width="2250" height="2812" width_o="2250" height_o="2812" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c951079aa70beae03712394c4bc69684550e959b6d39bf72199fc6657b03aa4c/251112_Collage_015_01-03.jpg" data-mid="246681354" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c951079aa70beae03712394c4bc69684550e959b6d39bf72199fc6657b03aa4c/251112_Collage_015_01-03.jpg" /> <img width="2480" height="3508" width_o="2480" height_o="3508" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8087eeea79ab795e10b03cc187fe743e984ca0d7896116baa3cc355025b553b8/1251105_Collage_013_01.jpg" data-mid="240291745" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8087eeea79ab795e10b03cc187fe743e984ca0d7896116baa3cc355025b553b8/1251105_Collage_013_01.jpg" /> <img width="2550" height="3300" width_o="2550" height_o="3300" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/fc16c4504d57d371e713db34e9d7ef7135fca5f7a82b71856cec56c86d133e1a/1251105_Collage_014_01.jpg" data-mid="240291744" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/fc16c4504d57d371e713db34e9d7ef7135fca5f7a82b71856cec56c86d133e1a/1251105_Collage_014_01.jpg" /> <img width="1123" height="1618" width_o="1123" height_o="1618" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/284d8757c2e502a371dedd27d64b8aea9ea7276d4030fda7695147b25d9e1e7a/20250108_Collage_005_02.jpg" data-mid="233227974" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/284d8757c2e502a371dedd27d64b8aea9ea7276d4030fda7695147b25d9e1e7a/20250108_Collage_005_02.jpg" /> <img width="1440" height="1864" width_o="1440" height_o="1864" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/404b5114c9bb2e5aecd8e8a3725cb236498d332919c9cdb5f1f89564d55c5e49/20250110_Collage_006_01.jpg" data-mid="233227978" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/404b5114c9bb2e5aecd8e8a3725cb236498d332919c9cdb5f1f89564d55c5e49/20250110_Collage_006_01.jpg" /> <img width="2550" height="3300" width_o="2550" height_o="3300" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7facad4cfccf1ba58a7898ba5a074027bbb567d0b51b5712520783f2133db1ec/20250130_Collage_007_01.jpg" data-mid="233227979" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7facad4cfccf1ba58a7898ba5a074027bbb567d0b51b5712520783f2133db1ec/20250130_Collage_007_01.jpg" /> <img width="1440" height="2276" width_o="1440" height_o="2276" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0c0eb85c5ab33860d0d2c8bb76336b5bbd722c5f0207e316528092be4f82d67d/20250108_MORGUE_SCANS_0298.jpg" data-mid="233227986" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/0c0eb85c5ab33860d0d2c8bb76336b5bbd722c5f0207e316528092be4f82d67d/20250108_MORGUE_SCANS_0298.jpg" /> <img width="1440" height="1440" width_o="1440" height_o="1440" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6432ee25a17aa2f09858058cb6a1e3bac3b5905a454346ab05e07d8507534750/2025421_Collage_009_01.jpg" data-mid="233227981" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/6432ee25a17aa2f09858058cb6a1e3bac3b5905a454346ab05e07d8507534750/2025421_Collage_009_01.jpg" /> <img width="1440" height="1440" width_o="1440" height_o="1440" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7fdf9cfa7cefa9c75c72f572d2fdc889791340720effeef049a71a14208a2c16/2025421_Collage_008_01.jpg" data-mid="233227980" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7fdf9cfa7cefa9c75c72f572d2fdc889791340720effeef049a71a14208a2c16/2025421_Collage_008_01.jpg" /> <img width="3300" height="3300" width_o="3300" height_o="3300" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/26e3dd90a25600892e2896bcfc8aceafb1ca1e7c7542284ee937e0bb8421906c/2025421_Collage_012_01.jpg" data-mid="233227985" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/26e3dd90a25600892e2896bcfc8aceafb1ca1e7c7542284ee937e0bb8421906c/2025421_Collage_012_01.jpg" /> <img width="3300" height="3300" width_o="3300" height_o="3300" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b89d3376336229f395fc582ffd28df6d09c514bd4fb6cee4b44870fa655564c6/2025421_Collage_010_01.jpg" data-mid="233227982" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b89d3376336229f395fc582ffd28df6d09c514bd4fb6cee4b44870fa655564c6/2025421_Collage_010_01.jpg" /> https://robbratney.com/AGO-National-Convention Thu, 01 Dec 2016 23:20:19 +0000 Rob Bratney https://robbratney.com/AGO-National-Convention <img width="1600" height="660" width_o="1600" height_o="660" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5fd64c5c66251017abb76e8913b6c0e7f0af056b86be6c6acd15a5efffeb6562/Brochure-0328-2016-09-21_header.jpg" data-mid="35191683" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/5fd64c5c66251017abb76e8913b6c0e7f0af056b86be6c6acd15a5efffeb6562/Brochure-0328-2016-09-21_header.jpg" /> The Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists asked me to brand the AGO National Convention, to be hosted by the Kansas City chapter in 2018. The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is the national professional association serving the organ and choral music fields. The Guild serves approximately 17,000 members in more than 300 chapters throughout the United States and abroad. The convention would be planned over the course of 2+ years, so the unveiling would be gradual with periodic reveals. The family of logos, created via a collaboration with of Bryan Butler. <img width="1600" height="1199" width_o="1600" height_o="1199" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/db55a8f16053b6f6c21bcd5d154e48a1a45eb95f51c021eb373ec0526237e049/160921_WebsiteFiles_AGO_Logos_01.gif" data-mid="35191677" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/db55a8f16053b6f6c21bcd5d154e48a1a45eb95f51c021eb373ec0526237e049/160921_WebsiteFiles_AGO_Logos_01.gif" /> Then an ad in The American Organist, the AGO's in-house magazine. <img width="1600" height="1000" width_o="1600" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/038253cf58e57bc34d8e8c5656e69cab80d423aa105c1597472c348454d34a72/160921_WebsiteFiles_AGO_Magazine.png" data-mid="35191671" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/038253cf58e57bc34d8e8c5656e69cab80d423aa105c1597472c348454d34a72/160921_WebsiteFiles_AGO_Magazine.png" /> A stationery set. <img width="2800" height="2100" width_o="2800" height_o="2100" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1bdb90720db85afa078158ba00bee385ad708ec1481bf1f8c669434089340399/170109_AGO_NatlConv_StationeryMockup_01.jpg" data-mid="35191684" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1bdb90720db85afa078158ba00bee385ad708ec1481bf1f8c669434089340399/170109_AGO_NatlConv_StationeryMockup_01.jpg" /><img width="1600" height="900" width_o="1600" height_o="900" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/31fb52cd8784ad0c446936cd2041da2d213a0eee5670eded354e961bf02debf5/170109_AGO_NatlConv_StationeryMockup_02.jpg" data-mid="35191685" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/31fb52cd8784ad0c446936cd2041da2d213a0eee5670eded354e961bf02debf5/170109_AGO_NatlConv_StationeryMockup_02.jpg" /> A short-term website&nbsp;to promote the convention and city before the full site is created. Development by Tyson Gach. <img width="1600" height="2201" width_o="1600" height_o="2201" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/90f5fad3ed77ab2cc5a199548a1a7a01a857c569ae8b389ee52c59140562ffda/160921_WebsiteFiles_AGO_TeaserPage_01_6.png" data-mid="35191680" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/90f5fad3ed77ab2cc5a199548a1a7a01a857c569ae8b389ee52c59140562ffda/160921_WebsiteFiles_AGO_TeaserPage_01_6.png" /> To promote the convention and introduce the brand to most people for the first time, a booth and some print collateral was prepared to hand out at the 2016 convention in Houston. <img width="1600" height="1200" width_o="1600" height_o="1200" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/88a685bd84bd187cf0eea0c33a1469edf1e6abcbbaad2301320747708ce97fc9/160921_WebsiteFiles_AGO_Brochure_01.png" data-mid="35191674" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/88a685bd84bd187cf0eea0c33a1469edf1e6abcbbaad2301320747708ce97fc9/160921_WebsiteFiles_AGO_Brochure_01.png" /> <img width="1600" height="1200" width_o="1600" height_o="1200" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c934836c286534b88d254c0fb78afe4e576e16845a221b98b2b4e016c8715165/160921_WebsiteFiles_AGO_Brochure_02.png" data-mid="35191675" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c934836c286534b88d254c0fb78afe4e576e16845a221b98b2b4e016c8715165/160921_WebsiteFiles_AGO_Brochure_02.png" /> <img width="1600" height="900" width_o="1600" height_o="900" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2624d0be55df6ff0c25de6a0399c4ab8ed6d514b7de86096776e075e4821312b/Brochure-0328-2016-09-21_02.jpg" data-mid="35191681" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2624d0be55df6ff0c25de6a0399c4ab8ed6d514b7de86096776e075e4821312b/Brochure-0328-2016-09-21_02.jpg" /> <img width="2184" height="1456" width_o="2184" height_o="1456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/cee0c9a0d7568cf43b424507a047adaeafe83b2c66cfceef4be257763e19b703/Brochure-0326-2016-09-21.jpeg" data-mid="35191673" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/cee0c9a0d7568cf43b424507a047adaeafe83b2c66cfceef4be257763e19b703/Brochure-0326-2016-09-21.jpeg" /> <img width="1600" height="1000" width_o="1600" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/37f41474dccbc07d2bde4392c15c35032cf9f88590a574e877faca09d664db89/WP_20160619_17_39_01_Pro_02.jpg" data-mid="35191678" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/37f41474dccbc07d2bde4392c15c35032cf9f88590a574e877faca09d664db89/WP_20160619_17_39_01_Pro_02.jpg" /> <img width="1632" height="918" width_o="1632" height_o="918" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9c9c80cda9a67b843ac83c0dd09898bd1c078913f99ad86fbf3497865ef067fb/WP_20160619_17_40_30_Pro.jpg" data-mid="35191679" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9c9c80cda9a67b843ac83c0dd09898bd1c078913f99ad86fbf3497865ef067fb/WP_20160619_17_40_30_Pro.jpg" /> Deliverables: Brand Identity Convention Website Advertising Signage UI/UX Design Posters Print Collateral Marketing Social Media https://robbratney.com/Morelli-Wedding-Stationery Fri, 02 Dec 2016 01:28:58 +0000 Rob Bratney https://robbratney.com/Morelli-Wedding-Stationery <img width="1600" height="577" width_o="1600" height_o="577" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/bbe07a8179d18d38cde1b8ccfe155a3d1964689c756472d6d013eb16a26c46bc/RKB_4844_header_7.jpg" data-mid="35191693" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/bbe07a8179d18d38cde1b8ccfe155a3d1964689c756472d6d013eb16a26c46bc/RKB_4844_header_7.jpg" /> My good buddy John Morelli went and got himself engaged to a great lady named Madeleine. They asked me to create their wedding stationery. Still a work in progress, but so far we have the Save the Date. <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7f1fb7c9a6d7358cdc27cdb6e781af5ecc7ba73e37ea4c13c8c793b2d993b71d/RKB_4824.jpg" data-mid="35191686" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7f1fb7c9a6d7358cdc27cdb6e781af5ecc7ba73e37ea4c13c8c793b2d993b71d/RKB_4824.jpg" /><img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b7dcab2cc0efdde2ede3f80e5debb64fc462b9629fe0eec69608b66932b9a774/RKB_4838.jpg" data-mid="35191687" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b7dcab2cc0efdde2ede3f80e5debb64fc462b9629fe0eec69608b66932b9a774/RKB_4838.jpg" /><img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ac7dbff64b6009cf1f3c36e22b7f88ec9f2af6ff561aa4956d8208df61284814/RKB_4842.jpg" data-mid="35191688" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ac7dbff64b6009cf1f3c36e22b7f88ec9f2af6ff561aa4956d8208df61284814/RKB_4842.jpg" /><img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/88badc508cc674e37031c3a38bb78902442001ca36ca527f66874d459005bb63/RKB_4844.jpg" data-mid="35191689" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/88badc508cc674e37031c3a38bb78902442001ca36ca527f66874d459005bb63/RKB_4844.jpg" /><img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f635dd53dd7cdb029637db81f359cc237480d5c1e086a8620fbea89f03f1ce98/RKB_4847.jpg" data-mid="35191690" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f635dd53dd7cdb029637db81f359cc237480d5c1e086a8620fbea89f03f1ce98/RKB_4847.jpg" /><img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e19b940585120b13124d21e90219a75f5d53d61ec7138894dc3fbafe99f12a5b/RKB_4857.jpg" data-mid="35191691" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e19b940585120b13124d21e90219a75f5d53d61ec7138894dc3fbafe99f12a5b/RKB_4857.jpg" /> https://robbratney.com/Pratt-Thesis Tue, 27 Sep 2016 20:22:55 +0000 Rob Bratney https://robbratney.com/Pratt-Thesis <img width="1600" height="660" width_o="1600" height_o="660" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6413d1ad39debf8d1c18b63745cbf267c423684db3b5de0b083980749bcde0d5/160923_ThesisBook_0036_02.jpg" data-mid="35191757" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/6413d1ad39debf8d1c18b63745cbf267c423684db3b5de0b083980749bcde0d5/160923_ThesisBook_0036_02.jpg" /> The culmination of my thesis project at Pratt, Baseball is a Full Context Sport: Implementing and Contextualizing Advanced Baseball Statistics for Modern Audiences introduces a way to visually integrate advanced baseball statistics into the television broadcast of games, and, with a mobile app called Game State, give users a way to engage with the game's more sophisticated metrics in real time. The full hypothesis reads: Baseball statistics are the main entry point to fully engaging in, enjoying, and understanding the sport of baseball. Yet these numbers as they currently appear in the media and in stadiums provide little real insight or context into the players they are intended to describe. I hypothesize that it is possible (if not warranted) to change the nature of these statistics to better suit today’s audiences by expanding on the common traditional statistics most newspapers, baseball stadiums, and television broadcasts use today, and by introducing carefully contextualized advanced statistics (e.g. sabermetrics) into the mainstream. By doing so, I hypothesize that greater understanding and accessibility of sports and the athletes therein may be achieved. <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1dd213f981b8ec7b526018bc9a7c5142be84d75203116b38f5c145e85f9f0f68/160923_ThesisBook_0002.jpg" data-mid="35191737" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1dd213f981b8ec7b526018bc9a7c5142be84d75203116b38f5c145e85f9f0f68/160923_ThesisBook_0002.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/58a9ac52bb5288c3ebca96d69f5db1ef658e0de4d7f43b1a7fcf6235bab8faa8/160923_ThesisBook_0019.jpg" data-mid="35191738" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/58a9ac52bb5288c3ebca96d69f5db1ef658e0de4d7f43b1a7fcf6235bab8faa8/160923_ThesisBook_0019.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5572db9764455efdcef7924919b518df62875958041b0048e89c955631c8ecf1/160923_ThesisBook_0020.jpg" data-mid="35191739" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/5572db9764455efdcef7924919b518df62875958041b0048e89c955631c8ecf1/160923_ThesisBook_0020.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ac725cd25dd36afb17cda5a788385914d1562c941705d61be7b53c9fac74e10c/160923_ThesisBook_0021.jpg" data-mid="35191740" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ac725cd25dd36afb17cda5a788385914d1562c941705d61be7b53c9fac74e10c/160923_ThesisBook_0021.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8edc19fa21baede726ce150c019c160725e862305df8b5460f86356c0960b92a/160923_ThesisBook_0024.jpg" data-mid="35191741" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8edc19fa21baede726ce150c019c160725e862305df8b5460f86356c0960b92a/160923_ThesisBook_0024.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/03758c0a4e43eb29fd73582c52eaf9eccccefc3d4f755e5dcd790c65568faa00/160923_ThesisBook_0025.jpg" data-mid="35191742" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/03758c0a4e43eb29fd73582c52eaf9eccccefc3d4f755e5dcd790c65568faa00/160923_ThesisBook_0025.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/726cca556ffa319aebcd8546ebfe3c408d836f7cf075565849a5d4cf9476eb4f/160923_ThesisBook_0028.jpg" data-mid="35191743" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/726cca556ffa319aebcd8546ebfe3c408d836f7cf075565849a5d4cf9476eb4f/160923_ThesisBook_0028.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/fd9e5f313496034ee0151c61482c5fadbde22058fff46e3cff44197a5dea7e96/160923_ThesisBook_0030.jpg" data-mid="35191744" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/fd9e5f313496034ee0151c61482c5fadbde22058fff46e3cff44197a5dea7e96/160923_ThesisBook_0030.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/70fc9e581d2d7c1785d41f6884066c1481f6b93c85e2b5e22bcdf4437a398e97/160923_ThesisBook_0031.jpg" data-mid="35191745" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/70fc9e581d2d7c1785d41f6884066c1481f6b93c85e2b5e22bcdf4437a398e97/160923_ThesisBook_0031.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e4dfdace49ea886317a68b6cde4caaf39f3012c1efc40df9ab0d1e24c0f3b4b5/160923_ThesisBook_0032.jpg" data-mid="35191746" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e4dfdace49ea886317a68b6cde4caaf39f3012c1efc40df9ab0d1e24c0f3b4b5/160923_ThesisBook_0032.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1cd87290e07b6071c3897c549de24a4ac6f3d4dff39426da4bdc6309f7b8494a/160923_ThesisBook_0034.jpg" data-mid="35191747" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1cd87290e07b6071c3897c549de24a4ac6f3d4dff39426da4bdc6309f7b8494a/160923_ThesisBook_0034.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/47ea12638ae483a47d4b2a7e217474dc2ed51132cd8e7acfe82bcc9dbaf3c403/160923_ThesisBook_0036.jpg" data-mid="35191748" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/47ea12638ae483a47d4b2a7e217474dc2ed51132cd8e7acfe82bcc9dbaf3c403/160923_ThesisBook_0036.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/81e2d5ee1eeefcd21cad1b092e6ac3bd8d3158731bef53d1071edd4a6d46e2f9/160923_ThesisBook_0038.jpg" data-mid="35191749" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/81e2d5ee1eeefcd21cad1b092e6ac3bd8d3158731bef53d1071edd4a6d46e2f9/160923_ThesisBook_0038.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="400" width_o="1600" height_o="400" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/17aefab88e3b7da4870139dcf16ac185d7b9be3c7993e750204658d9185fad49/160923_ThesisBook_GameState_01.jpg" data-mid="35191758" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/17aefab88e3b7da4870139dcf16ac185d7b9be3c7993e750204658d9185fad49/160923_ThesisBook_GameState_01.jpg" /> Game State, the app Much of the book is devoted to outlining the problem of the current state of baseball statistics as they relate to the modern baseball audience; eg&nbsp;how they are unintuitive to outsiders,&nbsp;fail&nbsp;at explaining themselves clearly, and are&nbsp;fail to attract new&nbsp;fans.&nbsp; My solution to this problem was to create a&nbsp;mobile app that&nbsp; 1) shows advanced and traditional&nbsp;statistics in real time,&nbsp;arranged and displayed in a way that they can be intuitively consumed;&nbsp;not solely by numbers, but by information-rich&nbsp;graphics&nbsp;and&nbsp;visual overlays that interact with the game occurring on the television screen; 2) accommodates&nbsp;for baseball fans across the familiarity spectrum, from new fans to staunch traditionalists to sabermetricians;&nbsp; 3)&nbsp;condenses a&nbsp;wide range of information from various sources into cohesive, manageable bits, and&nbsp;promotes the most valid, accurate, and&nbsp;predictive statistics available today;&nbsp; 4)&nbsp;encourage&nbsp;users to learn about new statistics they do not know alongside familiar ones.&nbsp; The tool, in short, should be interactive and&nbsp;allow for users to customize their experience.&nbsp; Disrupting the television broadcast experience&nbsp; While developing the interface for the app, the design naturally&nbsp;lead me&nbsp;to exploring&nbsp;the possibility of overlaying the corresponding information that was being viewed on the mobile device&nbsp;onto the television screen, propelling the utility of this tool beyond being "just" an app and into being a potentially revolutionary&nbsp;broadcast television experience.&nbsp; I identified the component parts of a baseball game that would comprise&nbsp;the app. This required a comprehensive analysis of the baseball statistics being used today, understanding their natural groupings (e.g. offensive statistics, defensive statistics, related aspects of gameplay etc.), determining which metrics would be valuable or interesting to a broad television audience, and how I might better represent these statistics visually. As a result, the app is divided thusly: Hitter vs. Pitcher Matchup This mode focuses on the most common interaction in baseball: one hitter versus one pitcher. Information displayed in this mode includes hitter vs. pitcher history, count-specific batting statistics, and strikezone heatmaps that the user can tailor to different pitch types (batter success vs. fastballs, pitcher success with sliders, etc.) Total Field View This mode highlights the play that occurs in the field and on the bases. Batter spray charts illuminate hitter tendencies, while defensive shifts show how fielders are playing the hitter. Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) information shows detailed fielder information. Win Probability Win Probability mode eliminates traditional and advanced player statistics altogether and focuses on one simple question: how much has each player helped (or hurt) their team win? The app screen displays each team’s Win Expectancy and at-bat WPA scenarios. Hitter vs. Pitcher <img width="1600" height="994" width_o="1600" height_o="994" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d4a585bc4b4e14e80e72806737fd2224302f7e16f08801284f587d93d4715853/160923_ThesisBook_GameState_Hitter_01.jpg" data-mid="35191766" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d4a585bc4b4e14e80e72806737fd2224302f7e16f08801284f587d93d4715853/160923_ThesisBook_GameState_Hitter_01.jpg" /> In Hitter vs Pitcher mode, the red and blue duotone bar displays the offense (always in blue) and the defense (always in red). In this bar, users see the current batter, the current pitcher, and the on-deck batter. Plotting Skill Level The bar graph below each player places the user-chosen statistic on a scale from Poor to Excellent, and displays&nbsp;the numerical estimates for common distinct&nbsp;ratings (for example, for pitchers a&nbsp;4.00 ERA is widely considered Average, 3.75 Above Average, etc.). This allows&nbsp;users to understand&nbsp;the relative skill level of a&nbsp;player in two ways: visually, by looking at the where the player's number appears on&nbsp;the scale;&nbsp;and numerically, by being able to see the player's statistic alongside the distinct Poor/Excellent ratings.&nbsp; Users can&nbsp;choose to view different statistics from a drop-down list, and can easily access more information to learn more about them (eg what it wants to measure, the scale it uses, and the formula). For batters, the list includes AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, OPS+, ISO, wOBA, and WAR. For pitchers, ERA, ERA+, FIP, xFIP, WHIP, K%, BB%, LOB%, and WAR.&nbsp; Batter Career vs. Pitcher Below the scales is the&nbsp;performance history of&nbsp;the current batter vs the current pitcher. Although sabermetricians have shown this information to be poor at predicting future outcomes, it is nevertheless interesting, and helps illuminate the matchup for the average fan. Count-Dependent Statistics Some hitters are great at hitting first-pitch strikes. Some pitchers are particularly skilled at getting batters out with a 2-strike count. This window, located below the Batter Career vs. Pitcher pane, shows the pitcher’s and batter’s count-dependent statistics as the count changes during the course of the at bat. Strike Zone Heat Maps Users can toggle hot and cold zones, or heat maps, for both hitter or the pitcher. Users can also isolate pitch types (fastball, curve ball, etc.) in these heat maps by tapping the “select pitch type” button beneath home plate. Leverage Index The thin bar at the bottom of the screen is dedicated to mapping Leverage Index, which is a way to quantify the general level of “pressure” during a game. High leverage situations, for example, are ones in which the result of the current at bat will cause a large shift in the Win Expectancy of both teams. We know that a one-run game in the ninth inning is more tense than a one-run lead in the second, but LI helps us to quantify how much more. The demarcations in the bar are spaced in exponentially smaller increments. This is to visually balance the scale, where low-to-mid leverage situations exist from only 0 to 3, and anything over 3 is considered “very high” leverage (the highest LI being 10.9, where the home team is down by one in the bottom of the ninth with the basses loaded and two out). <img width="1600" height="912" width_o="1600" height_o="912" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7e9d29e722da633a361b1cd5bac84454c7f216f11010758571cd9b80d58ee30f/HitterPitcherMatchup_01.jpg" data-mid="35191763" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7e9d29e722da633a361b1cd5bac84454c7f216f11010758571cd9b80d58ee30f/HitterPitcherMatchup_01.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/39364bcc57e085e71755fdb1ce388da67eea10afd46aa89b45bcc066a7d633b0/160923_ThesisBook_0039.jpg" data-mid="35191750" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/39364bcc57e085e71755fdb1ce388da67eea10afd46aa89b45bcc066a7d633b0/160923_ThesisBook_0039.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4e2572c265628e383ea9c03ade7263228983b11669ee03cb888915e69c3b226a/160923_ThesisBook_0040.jpg" data-mid="35191751" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4e2572c265628e383ea9c03ade7263228983b11669ee03cb888915e69c3b226a/160923_ThesisBook_0040.jpg" /> Total Field View <img width="1600" height="994" width_o="1600" height_o="994" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9cfad753c15a73445c3a65c494461cb7fef38430450799f08e1be2b4b479c5dc/160923_ThesisBook_GameState_Field_01.jpg" data-mid="35191761" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9cfad753c15a73445c3a65c494461cb7fef38430450799f08e1be2b4b479c5dc/160923_ThesisBook_GameState_Field_01.jpg" /> Total Field View is dedicated to displaying 1) the placement of defenders/defensive shifts, 2) base runners, and 3) batter spray charts. Defense and Offense on the Basepaths and in the Field Players have&nbsp;a plus sign next to their name and position. Tapping on a defender will bring up his Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) information. Tapping on a batter or base runner will reveal information related to the player's current position on the field,&nbsp;such as the player’s Speed Score (Spd),&nbsp;which informs on the player’s base running/stealing ability. Users can view individual defensive statistics, or they can choose to group defenders together to get a sense of the overall defensive ability of the team’s infield, outfield, or pitching battery, all with relevant position-specific statistics (such as rARM for outfielders with strong throwing arms, or rGDP for participating in double plays, etc.). Spray Charts and Defensive Shifts Users can toggle Spray Charts, which display the frequency a batter hits to certain parts of the field, and Defensive Shift, which allows users to see how much a defense has shifted out of traditional locations to defend against the hitter. <img width="1600" height="910" width_o="1600" height_o="910" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/250f4313b6c4b4cce7ccb81e5e8a215d7b5dde44dd6984240f1b286742f4efd3/TotalFieldView_01.jpg" data-mid="35191764" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/250f4313b6c4b4cce7ccb81e5e8a215d7b5dde44dd6984240f1b286742f4efd3/TotalFieldView_01.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1061" width_o="1600" height_o="1061" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f1e5adea2dc778c0b16f1a8ec7484d4a3d2e3bc5e9b3c731e5b9b66a3ae0fdbd/160923_ThesisBook_0041.jpg" data-mid="35191752" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f1e5adea2dc778c0b16f1a8ec7484d4a3d2e3bc5e9b3c731e5b9b66a3ae0fdbd/160923_ThesisBook_0041.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/80f299374c8613b9c7420f86abe791951f36008b7437c4640148aa295ac99412/160923_ThesisBook_0042.jpg" data-mid="35191753" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/80f299374c8613b9c7420f86abe791951f36008b7437c4640148aa295ac99412/160923_ThesisBook_0042.jpg" /> Win Probability <img width="1600" height="994" width_o="1600" height_o="994" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/80f901015a440f83b075f79c8295a84c1a79ae5271d1da90872dfce6b074b923/160923_ThesisBook_GameState_WPA_01.jpg" data-mid="35191762" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/80f901015a440f83b075f79c8295a84c1a79ae5271d1da90872dfce6b074b923/160923_ThesisBook_GameState_WPA_01.jpg" /> The idea behind the Win Probability mode is rather simple: which player has most helped their team win the game? This game-viewing experience nearly the eliminates statistics that so many find confusing. Win Probability Chart The top section of the screen shows the overall Win Probability Chart, which is a box of 18 columns representing the tops and bottoms and each inning, and a jagged line in the middle adjusting up and down as either team increases or decreases its chances to&nbsp;win the game. The median of the box represents a 50% chance of winning for either team, and the top and bottom lines represent 100%. At-Bat Win Expectancy The larger graph shows the Win Expectancy (WE) during the current at-bat (shown on the left) and possible WE after the at-bat (shown on the right). The lines represent WE added or subtracted for potential results from the current at-bat and the change in Win Expectancy associated with those events. These WEs add up to form a player’s Win Probability Added (WPA), which are tracked in this app by overall season and individual game. A player’s WPA has been added to the duotone player bar at the top, allowing users to see which player has helped or hurt their team the most. <img width="1600" height="904" width_o="1600" height_o="904" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/bd4140ca606a522685061af30dcd6103d6de2e9766316444391f4c5bff5ea3c0/WinProbability_02.jpg" data-mid="35191765" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/bd4140ca606a522685061af30dcd6103d6de2e9766316444391f4c5bff5ea3c0/WinProbability_02.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1062" width_o="1600" height_o="1062" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e363d476299e19308289e303d01b1b96d424cc1c327fa8d416821107f59b468b/160923_ThesisBook_0044.jpg" data-mid="35191754" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e363d476299e19308289e303d01b1b96d424cc1c327fa8d416821107f59b468b/160923_ThesisBook_0044.jpg" /> Thesis presentation <img width="1600" height="1200" width_o="1600" height_o="1200" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3909bf580de0f4bf21f84edfaa070bd546e346fe5866edb84b44cbe9014407b9/L1070273.jpg" data-mid="35191755" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3909bf580de0f4bf21f84edfaa070bd546e346fe5866edb84b44cbe9014407b9/L1070273.jpg" /> <img width="1600" height="1200" width_o="1600" height_o="1200" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c19090b24323ca2b7e4951e87662296499913b6ec4da13e04b800320d51a2ef7/L1070274.jpg" data-mid="35191756" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c19090b24323ca2b7e4951e87662296499913b6ec4da13e04b800320d51a2ef7/L1070274.jpg" /> For those interested in reading the full text, you may do so here: