Bournemouth University

A team of Academics at Bournemouth University Business School were awarded some British Academy (Early Career Researcher) funding to co-create a creative solution related to leadership development - how to bridge the gap between leadership theory and workplace reality. The objective was to produce a 12-part comic series to serve as supplementary learning material for students navigating the nuances of healthcare leadership & management.

The brief contained a significant creative challenge: the illustrations had to be entirely inclusive. This meant characters had to be free from distinguishable markers of age, gender, religion, or race. At the same time, the university team was keen for the scenes to feel authentic and mature rather than childish. The artwork needed to capture the gritty, high-pressure environments of the NHS, such as cluttered administrative offices and intense board meetings, without using the visual shorthand of traditional character design.

The translation of complex leadership scenarios into a sequential comic format required a high degree of collaborative refinement. This meticulous planning phase ensured the narratives were both educationally sound and visually engaging within the framework of a 12-part series.

Our team approached this project through a rigorous, iterative design process to define a visual language that balanced inclusivity with professional depth.

Developing a new visual language through prototyping

Initial research showed that inclusive illustration for adult learning is a remarkably niche space. We moved through an exploratory ideation phase, presenting various concepts to a panel of staff and students. This established a vital feedback loop. For example, an initial "plant pal" concept was flagged by stakeholders as appearing too soft for a leadership context. By incorporating this direct user feedback, we pivoted to a more robust, shape-led system. This validation ensured the final characters limited common biases relating to perceptions of “who can lead” and thus making leadership more accessible.

Narrative engineering and strategic storytelling

Because the storytelling aspect was more complex than a standard design brief, we acted as content strategists to re-engineer the university’s narratives. We worked closely with the academic team to refine the story arcs, ensuring that complex interpersonal tensions were paced correctly within a sequential comic format.

This consultancy allowed us to align the visual drama of each strip with specific educational outcomes. Every frame was individually designed, focusing on "thematic clutter" to ground the characters in a recognisable reality. Our illustrators added specific details like medical charts and office equipment to ensure the final product felt like a high-value, bespoke educational tool.

Completed in January 2026, the project delivered 12 individual comics and a custom-designed comic jacket. The versatility of the design means the university can utilise the assets in multiple formats:

● Digital graphic novel: The comics can be viewed in chronological order as a cohesive digital booklet, held together by a bespoke illustrative jacket.

● Educational posters: Consistent branding and distilled "key takeaway" sections allow each comic to stand alone as a poster for learning environments.

● Inclusive learning framework: Establishing a culturally inclusive and accessible educational resource across the Business School's leadership programmes.

By delivering a resource that is both educationally effective and representative of a diverse workforce, we have helped Bournemouth University invest directly in the next generation of healthcare leaders. These assets provide students with a relatable, supportive framework to navigate the human and systemic challenges of their careers, from institutional mergers to service development.

This partnership underscores the importance of creating learning materials that reflect the modern professional landscape, ensuring that leadership training is informative, inclusive, and impactful.

"It was a fantastic experience working with the team at Brew Digital and we really used their illustrative and design expertise to move the project forward.  The team were highly professional, listened to our needs and provided us with innovative solutions.  We can't thank them enough "

By investing in bespoke, professionally crafted illustration, Bournemouth University has secured a unique set of assets that satisfy strict inclusivity requirements while maintaining the high standards expected by postgraduate healthcare professionals.