Collaboration with a cause
Make a Mark uses Abstract to simplify their design process
Our purpose at Make a Mark is simple: to provide resources and foster an environment where community organizations and visual communicators can engage with one another to better our world.
Our foundational event is a 12-hour design and development marathon benefiting nonprofit organizations and humanitarian causes. The event has now expanded to 12 innovative and unique locations across the globe — Asheville, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Brussels, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Lexington, New York City, Philadelphia, Roanoke–Blacksburg and San Francisco.
Chapters are run and coordinated by dedicated and passionate volunteers in their communities that believe in the power of design, creativity and technology for the nonprofit sector.
The Make a Mark HQ team however is small and wears many hats to support their various locations. Design is incredibly important to us so we want to make sure that our brand and all of our design elements are consistent and powerful. Abstract joined us as apartner and sponsor in 2018 to help support our events and efforts.
For example, each location is given an event icon that is custom designed by our team. To create the best icon for each location, there is plenty of back and forth editing by team members. Before Abstract, we used to keep these files, and all design files, on our respective computers. When one of us wanted access to the file, we would have to send it via email or Airdrop. This resulted in outdated files and messy desktops. On top of these issues, it became a time drain on both ends — stopping work to ask the other team member for the file, as well as stopping your work to find and send the file.
We were so focused on supporting different locations and running events that we never implemented a process of design collaboration that we so often encourage our makers and nonprofits to engage in at our make-a-thons.
We started to implement Abstract, starting with the event icons. Creating new Branches and merging them is easier than we could have expected. However, one our our favorite features is requesting a review. Once you’ve made an edit or series of edits, requesting a review allows you to keep communication in Abstract without having to send a Slack message or email.
With Abstract, we could collaborate seamlessly. This collaboration actually allows us to work more independently, saving us the time and nuisance of going back and forth.
Abstract is a fantastic design collaboration tool for teams of all sizes. We always know where to find our files and can collaborate effortlessly.
Make a Mark has completed over 100 projects for organizations tackling issues ranging from food insecurity to human trafficking; substance abuse to animal rights. These projects include everything from websites to rebrands. We wouldn’t be able to do it without the support of Abstract.
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