Innovation Symposium

Project overview

The Innovation Symposium is a multi-year Optum Ireland event programme designed to explore emerging ideas, innovation and future-facing thinking. Between 2023 and 2024, the event evolved across physical, digital and online formats — including live events for approximately 800 attendees at the Aviva Stadium and the Dublin Royal Convention Centre, with senior leadership from Ireland, UK and the US in attendance — requiring a flexible visual system that could establish clarity and adapt year-on-year while remaining recognisable.

I led the creative direction and design from 2023 onwards, introducing a cohesive event identity and taking ownership of the visual language across all iterations. The work spans large-scale physical environments, printed and digital assets, commissioned illustration and motion graphics, demonstrating my approach to design leadership, brand stewardship and evolving systems across complex live event environments.

Client: Optum Ireland
Role: Senior Designer / Brand Lead
Scope: Creative direction and design leadership across a multi-year event programme, including spatial branding, digital and presentation assets, commissioned illustration, motion art direction and evolving brand application

2023: Establishing the event identity

2023 marked the introduction of a cohesive visual identity, establishing clarity and consistency across the event.

Event identity foundations

A laptop displaying a presentation titled 'Innovation Symposium' with the subtitle 'Demonstrate. Collaborate. Scale.' and two smartphones showing event apps for 'Lightning Talks' and 'Demo Pods' sign-ups, with logos and colorful graphics.

Internal email and Viva Engage graphics designed to roll out the new event identity ahead of the Innovation Symposium

Live sessions and audience experience design

A man is speaking at a podium during an Innovation Symposium, with a large screen behind him displaying the words 'Optum' and 'Welcome, Innovation Symposium.' The audience is seated in front of him, and the room is decorated with curtains.

Opening session slide design for the Senior Leadership Team, establishing the visual tone

A large conference room filled with a diverse audience listening to a speaker on stage. The stage has two large screens displaying presentation slides about demonstrating, collaborating, and scaling. The room has white curtains and orange lighting accents.

Presentation templates and on-screen graphics designed for use across all speaker sessions, supporting a clear and confident experience

Crowded conference exhibit hall with numerous people engaging in conversations near blue exhibition panels, some standing in front of screens displaying data and information.

Light-touch signage and presentation templates supporting team-led demo pods

Physical environment

Exhibition and signage at the Optum Innovation Symposium, held in a modern conference center, including an indoor hallway with directional signs and an outdoor stadium with LED screens displaying the event branding.

Visual system applied across welcome-area graphics, signage and screens

2024: Evolving the system

Introducing illustration and motion to expand the identity across a more digital-first environment.

Creative direction and evolution of the event identity

A graphic illustrating innovation and technology, featuring a lightbulb with interconnected lines and circles on the left, and a digital circuit pattern with arrows and dots on the right.

The event identity was built around a commissioned illustration, with subtle elements extracted to create a flexible pattern system

Early engagement design

Screenshots of promotional material for an innovation symposium, with a laptop displaying the event's banner and two smartphones showing different event screens, including a lightbulb illustration and a call to sign up for the innovation challenge.

Early engagement content using the event visual system across internal email and Viva Engage

Slides from an innovation symposium presentation including a title slide with a lightbulb graphic, an agenda slide with numbered items, and an overview slide with icons and text about collaboration and solving business challenges.

Event promotion slides designed for Town Hall presentations to drive early engagement

Live event motion design

Animated entrance screen featuring the Innovation Symposium branding with motion art direction

Motion-led agenda and directional screens supporting navigation throughout the venue

Printed brand assets

Two conference name badges with clear plastic holders and lanyards. The badge on the left reads Helen Madden, Senior Designer, Marketing, Attendee A. The badge on the right reads Stephen McDaid, Account Director, Communications, Attendee B. Both badges include the event name Innovation Symposium at the bottom.

Branded attendee badges supporting a cohesive experience on-site

Outdoor sign for Innovation Symposium 2024, indicating the entrance with colorful arrows pointing left.

Street signage extending the visual system across the surrounding venue area

Event in action

Four diverse people smiling and posing behind a large orange and white frame at the Optum Innovation Symposium 2024 event.

Branded social media photo frame encouraging employee engagement on the day

A conference presentation with two speakers on stage, one man and one woman, with a large screen displaying instructions to log onto Menti.com and use a specific code, while the audience watches.

Packed auditorium with live Menti feedback inviting thoughts throughout the day

Client feedback

“The most impactful Symposium to date. Helen delivered a consistent, professional visual identity that elevated the entire event.”
— Member of the Senior Leadership Team, Optum Ireland
Next project — The Pharmacy Show