Institute of Directors x TrueCue
The Data-Driven Director annual report
A joint initiative between the Institute of Directors (IoD) and TrueCue, created to empower business leaders to make smarter, evidence-based decisions.
brief
The brief was to design The Data-Driven Director report, a comprehensive publication exploring how UK business leaders could use data to guide strategy and improve decision-making. Alongside the report, I was tasked with creating a cohesive promotional campaign to launch and promote the initiative to IoD’s membership network.
Visually, the project needed to balance two distinct brand identities: the IoD’s heritage and professionalism with TrueCue’s fresh, technology-driven personality. The design also had to make data approachable for a non-technical, executive audience, presenting complex ideas in a clear and engaging way.
process
I began by exploring how the visual identity could bridge the two brands. Using IoD’s deep navy and typography as a foundation, I introduced brighter, data-inspired accent colours drawn from TrueCue’s palette to create a sense of innovation within a professional framework. This colour harmony became the core of the project’s visual language.
For the report design, I focused on clarity and flow. The layout was structured to guide readers through a clear narrative — from the challenges of modern data use to the maturity framework that TrueCue had developed. Each section used clear headings, pull quotes, and custom icons to make the information digestible, while infographics translated complex findings into accessible visual insights.
The accompanying campaign extended the same visual identity across digital touchpoints. I designed social media graphics with the central campaign message, “Are you a Data-Driven Director?”, served as a confident call to action, encouraging business leaders to benchmark their own data maturity and download the report.
Throughout the process, I collaborated closely with teams at both IoD and TrueCue to refine the tone, ensure brand alignment, and maintain consistency across all deliverables. Feedback sessions were iterative, focusing on achieving a balance between authority and accessibility.
outcome
The final report and campaign successfully positioned IoD and TrueCue as leading voices in the conversation around data-driven leadership. The design communicated credibility and clarity, while the campaign created a strong visual and thematic link between both organisations.
The report became a valuable resource for IoD members, offering practical insights and a framework for assessing their organisation’s data maturity. The campaign drew strong engagement from the IoD community and helped raise awareness of the partnership’s mission: empowering directors to lead with greater confidence through the intelligent use of data.
This project was a rewarding opportunity to bring strategic design thinking to a subject that can often feel complex, translating it into a visually engaging and accessible experience for senior leaders.