Vestis needed a way to explain to their thousands of wastewater technicians what was happening inside the machines that they maintained.
They also needed to explain how the many disparate machines all fit together into a whole system to process wastewater.
With their existing training and process documentation as a starting point, we defined their wastewater treatment process in macro and micro detail – everything that happens from when the water exits the washing machines to when the cleaned water and sludge exit the plant.
Very early on it became clear that we would have to show what was going on INSIDE the equipment. We experimented with different visual styles, paying attention to where the line was between illustrative and realistic.
The visual language is based on an idealized diorama with textures and materials based on the physical machines, water , and sludge.
This provides a foundation for engaging illustrations, while allowing some leeway in terms of strict realism.
We decided that animated illustrations mixed with video of working equipment would be the most effective way to tell their story. We then defined the process in detailed scripts for each module.
The videos have been well received, resulting in a few genuine ‘a-ha’ moments in the field.