Isabelle Ford-Roy

Sandbox Software Solutions

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A new and engaging website design for an impact-driven design and software agency.

Founded in 2004, Sandbox Software Solutions is a full-service agency that works primarily with the nonprofit and public sectors. After outgrowing their website, they wanted to take a different approach with the new design. They wanted something that pushed the boundaries of design and would be colourful, dynamic, and fun. This project required expanding their brand identity to determine what graphic elements would be used, and how. The resulting design incorporates their brandmark throughout the site, and uses photography and colour to evoke emotion and connection. The website was developed by Sandbox.

Additionally, I redesigned their PowerPoint and Word document templates to match the new website design.

New homepage design is shown above, old one is below.

A design driven by storytelling.

I was given creative freedom to divert from the wireframes in certain section in order to achieve what I felt would be the best design to meet Sandbox’s goals. As they work with human-centric organizations—many of which emphasize talking about their community’s or patients’ stories—it felt apt for Sandbox’s new site to do the same; I opted for a design driven by storytelling, and showing not telling. A few examples below:

Images used throughout the site show the types of clients Sandbox works with, as opposed to solely listing them out verbally. Sprinkled throughout the site, this conveys who drives Sandbox to do what they do.
The ‘Featured Projects’ combines the organization’s title with the project summary, in one sentence. This flows more naturally and is more enticing to read compared to a paragraph of text.
The contact page has an image of who will be the clients’ first contact, with my intention was for this to make Sandbox more approachable. It flows into the contact form to tie them together.

Overcoming the accessibility challenge of bold colours.

Sandbox’s brand colours are almost all vibrant with their primary colours being red and dark blue. As to not visually overwhelm users as they navigate the site, I made the site’s main colour dark blue, with the red, aqua, green, and purple all being accents. This also allowed for better contrast and legibility.

New designs above, old below. Screens from left to right are: Projects landing page, Projects detail page, Contact page.

“Collaborating with Isabelle on the redesign of the Sandbox Software website was a standout experience. As someone deeply invested in how our brand is represented online, I was blown away by her ability to translate our values into a user experience that feels both intuitive and inspiring. The site strikes a perfect balance between clean design and purposeful storytelling, making it easy for visitors to understand who we are and what we do. It’s a site I’m proud to share, and a reflection of the care and creativity Isabelle brought to the project.“

Drew Edwards, Director of Business Development and Partnerships at Sandbox Software Solutions