NCSES produces 30 annual reports and multiple supplemental materials covering STEM education, workforce trends and research and development spending. These include flagship reports such as National Patterns of R&D Resources, Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities and Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering (WMPD).
Though authoritative and comprehensive, many of these reports were too dense for general audiences. NCSES wanted to ensure more people — from policymakers and researchers to students and job seekers — could access and understand this information. The agency needed support reworking its publications, improving internal coordination and developing a strategy for mission-critical information delivery.
Aptive brought together designers, analysts and operations experts to support NCSES in rethinking how it shared key statistics. The team conducted a SWOT analysis and led interviews to understand how internal staff and external audiences perceived NCSES publications.
Findings from these interviews showed that while reports were valued for their depth, they were also seen as complicated and hard to interpret. This insight informed a full redesign of the reports and materials.
Report redesign and visual optimization
Report Redesign and Visual Optimization Aptive redesigned the layout, structure and tone of key NCSES reports. This included transforming walls of text into bullet points, incorporating charts and infographics and applying updated styles for clarity. The team also updated the NCSES website interface to make reports more discoverable and easier to navigate.
To complement the refreshed publications, Aptive supported the development of a cohesive design framework across high-profile and supplemental materials.
Aptive supported NCSES in building communications strategies focused on internal agency coordination and mission-driven partnerships. The team created promotional toolkits, messaging templates and social media guidance. To track progress, NCSES used Google Analytics and other tools to assess website traffic, download rates and audience interaction.
Aptive helped train NCSES staff on the new strategy and branding guidelines, ensuring consistent execution across teams. Training included guidance on publishing workflows, report formatting and interagency messaging.
Aptive delivered a set of streamlined, visually engaging reports and one-pagers that made NCSES’ most important data easier to understand and share. The team produced two video series to explain NCSES’ mission and data value, including an explainer video that staff dubbed the office’s “Super Bowl commercial.”
A Hermes Award-winning one-pager series highlighted key research topics such as:
National Patterns of R&D Expenditures
Research and Development Tracking
The NCSES Survey Program Overview
These materials were shared through the NCSES website, newsletters, social media and at conferences nationwide. One of the one-pagers received such positive attention that NCSES requested a press release to promote its release. Through creative redesign and operational messaging, Aptive helped NCSES increase visibility, boost usability and strengthen its reputation as the go-to source for national STEM statistics.
