Takeoff by IXL

Takeoff is a K–5 print curriculum system that translates IXL’s digital pedagogy into a physical classroom experience, 3,000+ pages across 18 volumes, built to scale across diverse learning environments.

As Lead Visual and Systems Designer, I designed both the visual identity and the underlying design infrastructure: a color-and-typography “navigational GPS” that keeps complex instructional content intuitive for students and effortless for teachers at any scale.

IXL Learning already reaches 30% of U.S. students digitally, with more than 17 million students currently using it. Takeoff is the bridge that brings that same pedagogy into the physical classroom, a first-of-its-kind print curriculum built from a blank page to statewide adoption, on a platform teachers and students already trust.

But bringing this vision into the physical classroom revealed a persistent challenge that modern educators face daily, which led directly to our mission.

In 2023, I joined IXL Learning to lead the brand visual and infrastructure design for Takeoff, IXL’s first-ever print curriculum product. From concept to final production, I guided the project’s visual DNA and scaled the system across a cross-functional team of 50+ stakeholders.

Before touching the canvas, we studied existing K–5 math programs to understand what made content digestible, and where it fell flat. Three patterns kept appearing across every competitor we reviewed.

Guided by our newly defined brand personality keywords, I built a color system that visualizes student progression from one year to the next, shifting from vibrant colors to richer, deeper tones as kids grow.

I partnered with another principal designer to brainstorm and design these fun book covers for our Takeoff workbooks. After evaluating multiple insects and animals together, we chose birds as our final direction. They not only feel the most familiar and welcoming to kids, but they also perfectly align with our takeoff theme, allowing us to bring each grade’s unique, evolving traits to life through a cohesive system.

Following rounds of deep exploration and iteration, this is the final look that was approved by the entire team and leadership. Beyond the final output, I formalized this style into our comprehensive visual system brand guide and asset library for the team to use.

With our signature bird mascots and core color palettes defined, I partnered with digital UI designers to extend the brand’s reach. We established a unified identity and a suite of scalable design assets that feel fresh and innovative, yet function seamlessly across both digital and print mediums while staying true to IXL’s core brand.

After defining the brand, managing complex content became the priority. The core challenge: a scalable approach that could hold up across thousands of pages and many designers, a framework that evolves alongside students from age 5 to 11.

Visual appeal is only half the story. The real challenge was helping users navigate a massive volume of content across grade levels. By encoding rules into color, I designed an “invisible GPS” that keeps navigation intuitive even in a chaotic classroom.

A strong design language is only the starting point. The harder part is making collaboration feel effortless, so every designer can build together and succeed. I built a central library hub to hold every asset and template, and keep the whole team aligned.

In the K–12 market, design is not cosmetic, it’s a commercial gatekeeper. To win California state adoption, we had to pass a rigorous review where visual consistency and navigation clarity directly impacted our official score.

To guide 120 committee board members through our product evaluation, I designed a comprehensive reviewer toolkit built on three pillars:

• Box & Signage , Custom binder covers, box inventories, and grade-specific tags for a welcoming, premium first impression.
• Navigation Guides , Clear user paths and program descriptions so reviewers can flip through and evaluate the curriculum effortlessly, in both print and digital flipbook formats. Check the online version here
• Evaluation Mapping & Sticker Labels , A strategic map linking design layouts directly to official state rubrics, paired with sticker labels for reviewers to bookmark and annotate as they go.

Securing official state approval opened immediate access to high-value, large-district contracts. The California State Board of Education formally approved Takeoff for K–5, followed closely by Florida, with Texas positioned as the next major market.