Creative Direction for iSHEPHERD AG and TRM360
As Creative Director for iSHEPHERD AG from July 2019 to August 2020, I was responsible for the complete development of the company’s visual identity and UX system for their SaaS platform TRM360 — a tool-agnostic solution for risk and entitlement monitoring across enterprise identity and access management (IAM) systems.
Download Full Case Study (PDF): iSHEPHERD – Brand Identity & UX System
Scope of Engagement
The goal was to craft a design system that balanced technical clarity with visual resonance, conveying trust, oversight, and usability. My role encompassed:
- Corporate logo design and brand system
- Persona-based UI/UX for TRM360 dashboards
- 64 custom vector UX icons for user actions, risk states, and system roles
- Illustration-based storytelling and brand mascot development
- Animated visual assets including login screen and explainer elements
- Marketing materials: slide decks, one-sheets, infographics
- Website structure, wireframes, and WordPress homepage design
Brand Identity & Visual Language
The visual identity was built around a radar-inspired logo, symbolizing anomaly detection. The circular mark, populated with black and white data points, reflects the company’s core purpose: monitoring identity access events as a shepherd would watch over a flock. This metaphor was extended into an animated logo sequence used on the login screen and reinforced across brand touchpoints.
A full brand guide was delivered, including color system, type hierarchy, layout spacing, and tone of voice for internal and external use. Horizontal and vertical logo variants were created for adaptable placement across print and digital formats.
UX/UI Design System
The TRM360 interface was designed in Adobe XD, featuring a modular dashboard structure with persona-based color coding (green, blue, red, gray). Each user role—line manager, GRC analyst, auditor, system admin—was visually distinguished through custom iconography, layout logic, and semantic filters. Tooltip systems and visual hierarchies supported actionable clarity and minimized cognitive friction.
Iconography and Visual Assets
I created a custom icon set of 64 vector-based UI symbols, optimized for accessibility, scalability, and screen clarity in both light and dark mode environments. Icons represented key system actions, risk levels, platform components, and user permissions.
Visual Storytelling & Metaphors
To humanize and communicate the abstract world of compliance analytics, I introduced narrative metaphors and illustrations throughout the system and its marketing assets:
- A rocket-propelled sheep mascot, used in giveaways and demo events
- A visual “gameboard path” metaphor for onboarding and user education
- Infographics and illustrations simplifying governance, roles, and risk flows
Marketing, Print, and Web Deliverables
- Corporate stationery and business cards
- Slide decks for investor and enterprise sales demos
- Printable patches, stickers, and keychains for branded events
- Homepage layout and landing page content (WordPress)
- Explainer illustrations, technical one-sheets, and UI overview documents
Project Outcome
This fully integrated design system provided iSHEPHERD with a unified visual presence across its SaaS interface, brand identity, and promotional content. The work supported product adoption, enterprise demos, and long-term market positioning in the compliance analytics sector.
For full visual documentation, including the Brand Bible, interface design, and icon system, please visit my LinkedIn Projects section.
Contact: contact@marsdenillustration.com
Portfolio: www.marsdenillustration.com