In 2008, I was asked by the director of Illini Hillel to create a new set of business cards for the organization. He wanted them to be youthful (so they would be well received by students), professional (so they could be used when talking to clients/parents for donations, and functional. I spent quite awhile exploring this design space, finally deciding on something that would be bright and colorful. By having a large block of color on the front of the card, that made them stand out. To create a more playful and young feeling, I worked with my printer to get two curved corners on the card. The smooth edges on half the card felt playful, while leaving the two sharp edges called back to the serious nature of running a profesional organization. On the back, I split the space between information (left) and an area to write notes or messages. This note area was designed to allow staff members to write appointments, meetings, or other information out for the students or parents they worked with. This would turn the informational “business card” into a note card as well, thus increasing the distribution of Hillel, its logo, and contact information. Originally, the director did not like the lines on the back of the card (and requested a non-lined version). But after seeing the success of his staff members, and got the lines and hailed the utility of the design.