Delivered the illustration library for Google’s Kaggle

A subsidiary of Google LLC, Kaggle is the world's largest data science community. It comes with powerful tools and resources to help you achieve your data science goals. Using Kaggle, anyone can take a micro-course on data science and start applying their new skills immediately. It also let’s one participate in competitions to solve real-world machine learning problems. For any data science enthusiast and professional, Kaggle proves to be a great collaboration and learning platform.

Data science is a complex branch of technology. In order to communicate its potential clearly to the users, Kaggle wanted us to visually simplify its offerings. The product illustrations were inspired by keeping abstract design in mind. We created organic forms and realistic designs to communicate the offerings of Kaggle. Keeping the personality traits of Kaggle in mind, we created curious, inspiring and playful product illustrations.

Library illustrations

One of the key goals of this project was to create a rich library of illustrations which depicted diversity. We designed a range of characters that could be used to mix and match across Kaggle’s digital platforms. Right from the ideation stage, we avoided stereotyping. By the approval stage, we could present a diverse set of illustrations that looked warm, optimistic and professional.

Data representations as illustrations

Data offers many valuable insights. There is a constant challenge to filter it and communicate its representations. Through illustrations, we could precisely humanize data and present it on Kaggle. We also succeeded in explaining data, its extrapolation, potential by creating an all-new library of scientific illustrations.

Patterns

We used distinct primary and secondary colours to evoke enthusiasm. They not only ended up showing visual synergy but also created a better appeal for the brand. Overall, we followed this design and behavioural principle to create overlapping patterns for Kaggle. We also recreated icons for Kaggle. To initiate its process, we worked on a new visual identity. We avoided using colour blocks for them as per the brief. The new set of icons were neat and precise. As recreated illustrated icons, they made communication simpler and more effective.

Goose mascot

We helped in creating the Goose mascot for two scenarios: no searches found and error. The sound of Kaggle rhymes with Gaggle, the flock of goose, so visually a Goose mascot had to live up to the broader aesthetics of Kaggle. Following the same, we designed a minimalistic yet playful Goose which could engage users during no search or error prompts.

The challenge was to showcase the brand's expression via illustrations, that Kaggle is for everyone - irrespective of age, gender, colour or creed. So, we explored various scenarios, researched and made a few character illustrations keeping certain age groups, geographical regions, and genders in mind. We studied people from a variety of backgrounds and ethnicities, to make sure that the brand message gets communicated in a good manner.

The other challenge was to mutually finalize the style of character illustrations. After several discussions and iterations, we made at least 50-60 slides, and then the illustration style was finalised.

In a nutshell, these were the major challenges we faced:

• Showcasing that Kaggle can help professionals through the character illustrations that are inclusive and depict diversity
• Mutually settling in on a style of character illustrations
• Creating a rich library to showcase the product
• Understanding the graphics and charts, and then representing data through detailed illustrations

The initial discussions with the Kaggle team included ideation on colours and which colours to be used as backgrounds in a few organic shapes. These organic shapes were primarily irregular polygons with evenly rounded edges and smooth waveforms. Kaggle wanted to show that it represents the intersection of code, data and people. We wanted to humanize it, so we put all our creative synergizes to use and tried to go beyond the team’s expectations.

We worked closely with their team to ensure that requirements were delivered, ongoing changes were made, and approved files were sent. We had to internally structure everything in a way that all the work was happening at a steady pace.

We had to streamline the review process too. To reduce the feedback gap, we compiled all the sketches and illustrations on Google Slides and shared it with the Kaggle team. That way, they could comment their thoughts right away and our team would pick them up to work on them almost instantly. Meanwhile, we had to make sure that the icons and graphs had to represent the content and the data that was briefed to us.

The Kaggle team was exceptionally happy with the results. The character illustrations were able to convey the brand message. On the other hand, the data-based graphical illustrations successfully conveyed the type beautifully, and the icons were placed across the website as well.

Consequently, we were able to create 50+ illustrations for their product over the course of a year. These illustrations are live across their website and product pages.