Psychology,
at a crossroads.
A bilingual qualitative-study report for the Doha International Family Institute examining the challenges facing psychology graduates in Qatar's labour market — cover, system, and a design-options set that took the client through three directions before the final.
The brief
DIFI commissioned a qualitative study on the transition psychology graduates face between university and the Qatari labour market. The report had to read as credible academic output while carrying a cover strong enough to land on a policymaker's desk.
We presented three distinct design directions in a separate options document — different palettes, typography, and cover metaphors — before settling on the final: a stark teal maze with a single figure at its exit, the exact visual answer to the study's question.
Scope on this report extended beyond design — Freezil also proof-read the full bilingual manuscript before final print.
How we worked
01 — Research-first
Read the full manuscript before sketching. The cover metaphor earned its place in the interior content, not the other way around.
02 — Three options, one choice
Presented three complete directions. Each defensible on its own merits. DIFI chose the one that matched the study's tone.
03 — Editorial interior
Standard twelve-column grid, custom pull-quote treatments, clear source-line convention for every citation.
04 — Bilingual at typesetting
Arabic typeset first for rhythm, English matched to its beats. Neither edition is a translation.
05 — Editorial proof-read
Qualitative research has specific editorial pitfalls — participant quotes, institutional names, psychology terminology. We proof-read the full Arabic and English manuscript before print, catching inconsistencies across chapters and ensuring every cited participant attribution was correct.
Directions explored
A selection of the design directions we presented before the final was chosen. Every project that ships to a policymaker's desk starts with a proper options round.
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