MIT Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

📋 1 Guidelines

🔗 Connections

Sector

University Research

Region

Usa

Guideline Year

2020

Language

English

Tags

Science

Official Websites

Brand Guidelines

2020

Brand Summary

Mission
  • MIT CSAIL pioneers research in computing that improves the way people work, play, and learn [^1].
Core Values
  • Fearlessness
  • Enthusiasm
  • Creativity
  • Intelligence
  • Diversity
  • Collaboration
  • Confidence
  • Openness
  • Optimism
Target Audience
  • The MIT community, the U.S. academic and economic sectors, and the broader human community seeking advancements in computing [^2].
Personality Traits
  • Bold
  • Original
  • Elegant
  • Open-minded
  • Collaborative
  • Optimistic
  • Confident
Visual Identity Overview
  • The visual identity is modern, minimalist, and geometric, inspired by the Stata Center’s architecture. It uses bold shapes, a limited color palette (yellow, brown, gray, white), and the CSAIL Ebony typeface for clarity and consistency. The logo is central, with strict usage rules, and visual elements are designed for flexibility and recognizability across all materials [^3].

Categories

Brand Voice
  • A brand is not a logo. A brand is the emotion behind what somebody feels, sees and learns about CSAIL through every interaction with our organization.
  • The CSAIL brand identity consists of a logotype, a tag line, a color palette and a typographic system. All of these elements, when used together properly, embody the character, values, beliefs and goals of CSAIL. Always keep in mind what is unique to our lab, our foundational messages, and the audience you are speaking to. We want to develop a constant and recognizable voice that resonates with people, both internally and externally.
  • This typeface has various weights and styles. Careful use of the range is part of our voice. Ebony is a type family that cleverly seeks a balance between the openness and legibility of humanist sans serifs and the striking and more regularized character of grotesques. Designed by Veronika Burian and José Scaglione under the name Ebony, CSAIL Ebony has several unique glyphs that work with our brand. Ebony’s range of dark weights with taut and powerful curves can boost any headline, while the lighter weights create an approachable and clean feel in blocks of continuous text.
  • The CSAIL Ebony family was selected because it is expressive, open and legible at all sizes. Flexibility comes from using one type family that contains all necessary styles.
Brand Imagery
  • Clarity and Consistency Use these identity guidelines to help make the right choices when creating communications -what to do and what not to do with our logo, type, color and photography.
  • We use the forms and colors of the building to create a memorable image that is immediately associated with the laboratory.
  • Keep images as simple as possible. Maintain focus on one single element or situation and leave breathing space for possible typographic applications.
  • When photographic backgrounds don’t provide enough legibility, additional color/gradient or vignetting treatments might be necessary.
  • Neutral backgrounds can help to cut and paste elements in order to re-organize them towards a convenient composition between images and typography.
  • Duotone images can also help to unify photographs when coming from varied sources without and ideal color coordination.
  • Do you need high quality photos to use in your materials? CSAIL has a photo gallery available to members of the lab.
  • Please credit the images to: Jason Dorfman CSAIL/MIT.
Color Palette
  • The CSAIL brand identity consists of a logotype, a tag line, a color palette and a typographic system. All of these elements, when used together properly, embody the character, values, beliefs and goals of CSAIL. Always keep in mind what is unique to our lab, our foundational messages, and the audience you are speaking to. We want to develop a constant and recognizable voice that resonates with people, both internally and externally.
  • PANTONE 1525 C PANTONE 7409 C PANTONE 423 C
  • The colors of the logo were inspired by the materials used in the construction of the Stata Center. These shades of brick red, glossy yellow and metallic grey are carefully balanced and instantly recognizable.
  • You will sometimes need to use other colors to complement and enhance these three primary colors. The four secondary colors fulfill that purpose. In addition, tints and shades are useful in a wide variety of situations.
  • When designing for the web or any screen application, use the HTML colors shown here, in HEX. For print applications, or any physical design, always reference the Pantone for reliable color reproduction. If there is any doubt, a color chip from Pantone (available from the Logo Committee) is the correct color.
  • The two shades we suggest are around 25% and a 50% addition of black to our hue colors. We also recommend to use three tints of 75%, 50% and 25%.
  • Shades of each color can be obtained with the Color Guide tool provided by Adobe Illustrator. Other applications like PowerPoint automatically generate these options.
  • It is essential that the secondary palette colors are never applied to the CSAIL logos either primary, tagline, secondary or tertiary.
  • Beyond our logo, color is a highly recognizable element of our visual identity. Our brand colors reflect our bold, diverse community. Using color appropriately is one of the easiest ways to make sure our materials reflect a cohesive CSAIL brand.
  • It is essential that the secondary palette colors below are never applied to the CSAIL primary logo, Tagline logo, Secondary logos or Tertiary logos.
  • The secondary color palette should only be used sparingly as highlight or background colors for applications.
  • While the secondary color palette can also be used for body copy and titles, it is essential to maintain legibility. The range of colors in our secondary palette has been chosen for flexibility; these colors are not assigned to a particular Group or category.
  • Keep graphics as simple as possible, always prioritizing legibility.
  • Contrast between the foreground and background is one of the most important factors for the ease of reading. Always use darker colors for small text on white background.
  • Color can really liven up your poster but please be selective. · Only use three defined colors · Avoid those that are too bright or print poorly · Don’t use patterns · Don’t use dark colors for the background
Typography
  • Typography: CSAIL Ebony
  • This typeface has various weights and styles. Careful use of the range is part of our voice. Ebony is a type family that cleverly seeks a balance between the openness and legibility of humanist sans serifs and the striking and more regularized character of grotesques. Designed by Veronika Burian and José Scaglione under the name Ebony, CSAIL Ebony has several unique glyphs that work with our brand. Ebony’s range of dark weights with taut and powerful curves can boost any headline, while the lighter weights create an approachable and clean feel in blocks of continuous text.
  • Tip: When CSAIL Ebony is not available use Arial Regular or Bold instead.
  • The CSAIL Ebony family was selected because it is expressive, open and legible at all sizes. Flexibility comes from using one type family that contains all necessary styles.
  • Here we give you some handy tips for its use.
  • Heavy-weights for emphasis in titles
  • Use Thin for lighten a long heading
  • Use italics for emphasis rather than all caps
  • Oldstyle numbers 123456789 blend better with text settings
  • Two weight-pairs can do the job
  • Thin Semibold Light Bold Regular Extrabold
  • Auto justified text often causes unsightly rivers in a block of text. Try flush right text instead.
  • When setting lists use bullets rather than dashes.
  • Bullets are part of the standard character set.
  • Google Documents Where a user does not have the CSAIL Ebony typeface family installed on their computer, Arial Regular and Bold may be used instead. All users may use Arial for standard internal needs such as Google Documents and all email applications.
  • When we have long blocks of text we recommend the serif type Georgia.
  • Contrast between the foreground and background is one of the most important factors for the ease of reading. Always use darker colors for small text on white background.
  • While the secondary color palette can also be used for body copy and titles, it is essential to maintain legibility. The range of colors in our secondary palette has been chosen for flexibility; these colors are not assigned to a particular Group or category.
  • A good rule of thumb is to have everything visible from 6 feet away and nothing smaller than 24 points. This is 36 pt on 48 pt.
  • Title 84 points Sub-Titles 60 points Intro / Pull Quote 36 points Body Copy 24 points
  • Don’t use too many fonts, two weight-pairs can do the job
  • Choose a comfortable measure. The measure is the number of characters in a single line of a column of text. Anything from 45 to 75 characters is widely regarded as a satisfactory length of line for a single-column page set in a text face in a text size. The 66-character line (counting both letters and spaces) is widely regarded as ideal. For multiple column work, a better average is 40 to 50 characters.
  • Justifying your text on the left-hand side makes the information easier to read.
Logo Usage
  • Use the logo prominently on all CSAIL communication materials.
  • It can appear on its own, or in combination with the tagline, “Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory”. You will find several variations of the logo that are designed for specific situations. Choose the correct one depending on the size that it will be shown, the color scheme and the overall composition. Never modify the logotype in any way.
  • We included the MIT initials in our primary logo, this means that in many circumstances we don’t need to duplicate the MIT name or logo in our communications.
  • The primary logo can appear without the lab name, or with the name below or to the right.
  • The tag logo also has a tall and a wide version that you can choose to best fit your situation.
  • The secondary logos are used for research areas and lab­specific programs.
  • It is not necessary to include the MIT logo or the primary logo when you use the secondary or tertiary logo.
  • There are many situations when we want to use our logo, and there is no one version that will work in every situation. Choose the correct version for your situation.
  • The monochrome version has been particularly drawn considering optical adjustments.
  • Please use this artwork when working in monochrome, it is not the same as taking the full color logo and changing it into the black.
  • In order to maintain the visual integrity of the master logo, there are rules outlining the amount of clear space surrounding it.
  • This is known as the exclusion zone. The CSAIL logo exclusion zone is determined by using the height of the uppercase I and applying it as a border measurement.
  • We created two drawings for the optimum performance of the logo at different sizes: regular and large. Please follow the rules indicated in these examples to make the right selection.
  • To achieve good legibility it is essential that the logo should never be used below 1.25 inches or 90 points in width on any printed applications.
  • When using the logo for web applications please always use the regular size.
  • Use the large logo from 3.5 inches onwards.
  • For some applications the logo can be reduced to 85 points in width, for these specific cases you should request the final artwork.
  • When applying the CSAIL Primary logo and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing (SCC) logo together, we should consider the minimum distance between them. If we respect the CSAIL exclusion zone, which is slightly larger than the SCC logo’s (shown in magenta), we are respecting both logos safety areas as indicated in their respective guidelines.
  • Spacing guidelines are in place for the minimum amount of space between the two logos.
  • The size of the CSAIL logo should match, as closely as possible, the height of the SCC symbol. We recommend matching the baseline of the initials in the CSAIL logo with the baseline of the SCC symbol. By following this arrangement, the size of the capital letters almost matches in both logos.
  • The primary version of the logo should always be used when paired with the SCC logo. This is so the legibility of the CSAIL logo is maintained.
  • The SCC logo has horizontal and vertical orientations. The CSAIL logo can be placed to the left, right or below the SCC logo, never above. The orientation used will depend on the application.
  • The logos can be shown further apart depending on the application.
  • CSAIL logo can be shown in the 3-color version of the logo or in any of the approved CSAIL colors as long as legibility is retained. The SCC logo and logo mark should always remain in black when paired with the CSAIL logo.
  • Dual Branding Lock-ups Lock-up means the relative size and the relative spatial position of two or more logos.
  • The MIT CSAIL logotype has been designed with precision and proportion in mind.
  • Each MIT CSAIL logotype with sub-brands name lock-up has been specially created for consistency and legibility.
  • At times our logotype will be used alongside the logos of other organisations. There is a fixed relationship which applies to MIT CSAIL dual-branded material: • baseline • suggested area • total height
  • The minimum distance between logos is determined by the exclusion zone, determined by using the height of the uppercase I and applying it as a border measurement.
  • The CSAIL logo is the official mark of the lab. It should never be tweaked, stretched, or otherwise manipulated, but reproduced with consistency and integrity.
  • Failure to use the logo according to these guidelines may hinder CSAIL’s ability to mantain its trademark and other intelectual property claims with respect to the mark.
  • Always ensure the proportions of the logo are locked when scaling.
  • Tip: Hold shift and pull from the corners to maintain the aspect ratio.
  • It should never be distorted, shown at an angle, or filled with pattern, texture, or photographic imagery.
    1. Do not condense.
    1. Do not extract graphic elements.
    1. Do not distort the shapes.
    1. Do not stretch.
    1. Do not re-arrange or re-position.
    1. Do not extract graphic elements.
  • rotate.
    1. Do not decorate the logo.
    1. Do not change color.
    1. Do not insert images in letter-forms.
    1. Do not compromise legibility.
  • Contrast between the foreground and background is one of the most important factors for the ease of reading. Always use darker colors for small text on white background.
  • It is essential that the secondary palette colors are never applied to the CSAIL logos either primary, tagline, secondary or tertiary.
  • When to Use Secondary Colors It is essential that the secondary palette colors below are never applied to the CSAIL primary logo, Tagline logo, Secondary logos or Tertiary logos.
  • Try always to place the logo on the left hand side of any poster, flyer or publication. The hierarchy of MIT, CSAIL and groups within CSAIL are read from left to right.
Tone And Messaging
  • A brand is not a logo. A brand is the emotion behind what somebody feels, sees and learns about CSAIL through every interaction with our organization.
  • Clarity and Consistency Use these identity guidelines to help make the right choices when creating communications -what to do and what not to do with our logo, type, color and photography.
  • We use the forms and colors of the building to create a memorable image that is immediately associated with the laboratory.
  • Always keep in mind what is unique to our lab, our foundational messages, and the audience you are speaking to. We want to develop a constant and recognizable voice that resonates with people, both internally and externally.
  • The CSAIL brand identity consists of a logotype, a tag line, a color palette and a typographic system. All of these elements, when used together properly, embody the character, values, beliefs and goals of CSAIL.
  • Enthusiasm, intelligence, diversity, openness and optimism are the hallmarks of the laboratory.
  • Be creative! Use the CSAIL brand to express our values in everything you make. compute. collaborate. create.
Brand Values
  • • Fearlessness + Enthusiasm We are not afraid to imagine the impossible. Passion drives us to find the right solutions to tough challenges.
  • • Creativity + Intelligence We are not tethered to dogma or convention. We celebrate original solutions that work well in the real world and are inspired, bold, surprising, and elegant.
  • • Diversity + Collaboration CSAIL is the largest lab at MIT, enabling collaboration among students and faculty with a multitude of interests, opinions, and backgrounds. We emphasize service, collegiality, mentorship, and self-improvement over competitiveness.
  • • Confidence + Openness We are proud of what we have accomplished. At the same time, we understand that progress is impossible without an open mind: the willingness to ask questions and seek help, the desire to listen, and the confidence to celebrate the successes of others.
  • • Optimism We’re excited about what the future holds, whether in 5 years or 50 years. We know that our faculty and students will continue to push the boundary of what’s possible, developing innovations that improve the way we live and inspiring as-yet-unborn generations of scientists and technologists.
  • Enthusiasm, intelligence, diversity, openness and optimism are the hallmarks of the laboratory.
Visual Style
  • Clarity and Consistency Use these identity guidelines to help make the right choices when creating communications -what to do and what not to do with our logo, type, color and photography.
  • We use the forms and colors of the building to create a memorable image that is immediately associated with the laboratory.
  • The CSAIL brand identity consists of a logotype, a tag line, a color palette and a typographic system. All of these elements, when used together properly, embody the character, values, beliefs and goals of CSAIL. Always keep in mind what is unique to our lab, our foundational messages, and the audience you are speaking to. We want to develop a constant and recognizable voice that resonates with people, both internally and externally.
  • Never modify the logotype in any way.
  • The monochrome version has been particularly drawn considering optical adjustments.
  • Please use this artwork when working in monochrome, it is not the same as taking the full color logo and changing it into the black.
  • In order to maintain the visual integrity of the master logo, there are rules outlining the amount of clear space surrounding it.
  • This is known as the exclusion zone. The CSAIL logo exclusion zone is determined by using the height of the uppercase I and applying it as a border measurement.
  • To achieve good legibility it is essential that the logo should never be used below 1.25 inches or 90 points in width on any printed applications.
  • When using the logo for web applications please always use the regular size.
  • Use the large logo from 3.5 inches onwards.
  • For some applications the logo can be reduced to 85 points in width, for these specific cases you should request the final artwork.
  • Spacing guidelines are in place for the minimum amount of space between the two logos.
  • The size of the CSAIL logo should match, as closely as possible, the height of the SCC symbol. We recommend matching the baseline of the initials in the CSAIL logo with the baseline of the SCC symbol. By following this arrangement, the size of the capital letters almost matches in both logos.
  • The primary version of the logo should always be used when paired with the SCC logo. This is so the legibility of the CSAIL logo is maintained.
  • The SCC logo has horizontal and vertical orientations. The CSAIL logo can be placed to the left, right or below the SCC logo, never above. The orientation used will depend on the application.
  • CSAIL logo can be shown in the 3-color version of the logo or in any of the approved CSAIL colors as long as legibility is retained. The SCC logo and logo mark should always remain in black when paired with the CSAIL logo.
  • The minimum distance between logos is determined by the exclusion zone, determined by using the height of the uppercase I and applying it as a border measurement.
  • The CSAIL logo is the official mark of the lab. It should never be tweaked, stretched, or otherwise manipulated, but reproduced with consistency and integrity.
  • Always ensure the proportions of the logo are locked when scaling.
  • Tip: Hold shift and pull from the corners to maintain the aspect ratio.
  • It should never be distorted, shown at an angle, or filled with pattern, texture, or photographic imagery.
    1. Do not condense.
    1. Do not extract graphic elements.
    1. Do not distort the shapes.
    1. Do not insert images in letter-forms.
    1. Do not stretch.
    1. Do not re-arrange or re-position.
    1. Do not extract graphic elements.
  • rotate.
    1. Do not decorate the logo.
    1. Do not change color.
    1. Do not compromise legibility.
    1. Do not compromise legibility.
  • This typeface has various weights and styles. Careful use of the range is part of our voice. Ebony is a type family that cleverly seeks a balance between the openness and legibility of humanist sans serifs and the striking and more regularized character of grotesques. Designed by Veronika Burian and José Scaglione under the name Ebony, CSAIL Ebony has several unique glyphs that work with our brand. Ebony’s range of dark weights with taut and powerful curves can boost any headline, while the lighter weights create an approachable and clean feel in blocks of continuous text.
  • Tip: When CSAIL Ebony is not available use Arial Regular or Bold instead.
  • The CSAIL Ebony family was selected because it is expressive, open and legible at all sizes. Flexibility comes from using one type family that contains all necessary styles.
  • Heavy-weights for emphasis in titles
  • Use Thin for lighten a long heading
  • Use italics for emphasis rather than all caps
  • Oldstyle numbers 123456789 blend better with text settings
  • Two weight-pairs can do the job
  • Thin Semibold Light Bold Regular Extrabold
  • Auto justified text often causes unsightly rivers in a block of text. Try flush right text instead.
  • When setting lists use bullets rather than dashes.
  • Bullets are part of the standard character set.
  • Google Documents Where a user does not have the CSAIL Ebony typeface family installed on their computer, Arial Regular and Bold may be used instead. All users may use Arial for standard internal needs such as Google Documents and all email applications.
  • When we have long blocks of text we recommend the serif type Georgia.
  • The colors of the logo were inspired by the materials used in the construction of the Stata Center. These shades of brick red, glossy yellow and metallic grey are carefully balanced and instantly recognizable.
  • You will sometimes need to use other colors to complement and enhance these three primary colors. The four secondary colors fulfill that purpose. In addition, tints and shades are useful in a wide variety of situations.
  • When designing for the web or any screen application, use the HTML colors shown here, in HEX. For print applications, or any physical design, always reference the Pantone for reliable color reproduction. If there is any doubt, a color chip from Pantone (available from the Logo Committee) is the correct color.
  • The two shades we suggest are around 25% and a 50% addition of black to our hue colors. We also recommend to use three tints of 75%, 50% and 25%.
  • Shades of each color can be obtained with the Color Guide tool provided by Adobe Illustrator. Other applications like PowerPoint automatically generate these options.
  • Beyond our logo, color is a highly recognizable element of our visual identity. Our brand colors reflect our bold, diverse community. Using color appropriately is one of the easiest ways to make sure our materials reflect a cohesive CSAIL brand.
  • It is essential that the secondary palette colors are never applied to the CSAIL logos either primary, tagline, secondary or tertiary.
  • Contrast between the foreground and background is one of the most important factors for the ease of reading. Always use darker colors for small text on white background.
  • It is essential that the secondary palette colors below are never applied to the CSAIL primary logo, Tagline logo, Secondary logos or Tertiary logos.
  • The secondary color palette should only be used sparingly as highlight or background colors for applications.
  • While the secondary color palette can also be used for body copy and titles, it is essential to maintain legibility. The range of colors in our secondary palette has been chosen for flexibility; these colors are not assigned to a particular Group or category.
  • Keep graphics as simple as possible, always prioritizing legibility.
  • Keep images as simple as possible. Maintain focus on one single element or situation and leave breathing space for possible typographic applications.
  • When photographic backgrounds don’t provide enough legibility, additional color/gradient or vignetting treatments might be necessary.
  • Neutral backgrounds can help to cut and paste elements in order to re-organize them towards a convenient composition between images and typography.
  • Duotone images can also help to unify photographs when coming from varied sources without and ideal color coordination.
  • Two basic patterns have been created from the logo’s geometry. These patterns can help in many graphic situations: headers, footers, posters, flyers or any piece of communication that can be enhanced by these devices.
  • We can achieve different results by manipulating the patterns at various scales. This is a good way to kickoff a design piece for achieving unexpected results and dynamic compositions.
  • Patterns can provide us interesting solutions for specific cases, working together with color we can create graphic elements to help us resolve design pieces in an integrated and coherent manner.
  • Set up a grid when creating any visual communication.
  • Generous margins allow the eye to settle. Columns help organize type and image, while creating rhythm and balance. Use distinctive type sizes for clear categorization of information.
  • Once we have our grid set up we can compose our content freely and even break the structure following other compositional lines like the angles of our logo.
  • Try always to place the logo on the left hand side of any poster, flyer or publication. The hierarchy of MIT, CSAIL and groups within CSAIL are read from left to right.
Layout And Composition
  • Set up a grid when creating any visual communication.
  • Generous margins allow the eye to settle. Columns help organize type and image, while creating rhythm and balance. Use distinctive type sizes for clear categorization of information.
  • Once we have our grid set up we can compose our content freely and even break the structure following other compositional lines like the angles of our logo.
  • Try always to place the logo on the left hand side of any poster, flyer or publication. The hierarchy of MIT, CSAIL and groups within CSAIL are read from left to right.
  • Justifying your text on the left-hand side makes the information easier to read.
  • Let your poster breathe Designing your poster, don’t be afraid of white or negative space, if you fill every inch your poster will look clutter and will be hard for viewers to take in. In fact as much of 40% of your poster should be blank. Use this space strategically to draw attention to your messages.
  • A good rule of thumb is to have everything visible from 6 feet away and nothing smaller than 24 points. This is 36 pt on 48 pt.
  • 84 points Title 60 points Sub-Titles 36 points Intro / Pull Quote 24 points Body Copy
  • Structure is so important to a poster as it is to a paper. Present your ideas with a logical order with your poster layout facilitating this organizations.
  • One popular option is to split a horizontally oriented poster into three columns, regardless of the pattern you choose, make sure is clear to readers where the start and end.
  • Choose a comfortable measure. The measure is the number of characters in a single line of a column of text. Anything from 45 to 75 characters is widely regarded as a satisfactory length of line for a single-column page set in a text face in a text size. The 66-character line (counting both letters and spaces) is widely regarded as ideal. For multiple column work, a better average is 40 to 50 characters.
  • Note: For multiple column work, a better average per line is 40 to 50 characters.
Patterns
  • We have a variety of graphic tools that create a unique look and make our communications recognizable.
  • Two basic patterns have been created from the logo’s geometry. These patterns can help in many graphic situations: headers, footers, posters, flyers or any piece of communication that can be enhanced by these devices.
  • We can achieve different results by manipulating the patterns at various scales. This is a good way to kickoff a design piece for achieving unexpected results and dynamic compositions.
  • Patterns can provide us interesting solutions for specific cases, working together with color we can create graphic elements to help us resolve design pieces in an integrated and coherent manner.
Stationery
  • Stationery Buisness cards Letterhead Envelope Flyer Agenda
  • Redesigned CSAIL stationery extends our visual brand into personal communications.
  • Business cards and letterheads are available in styles ranging from primary to secondary groups, both as printed versions and for letterheads as Word documents for desktop use.
  • Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
  • These examples show a few variables available in the Word Template. On the top left is the generic letterhead and below it a continuation page with a horizontal footer.
  • On the top right you can see a personalized first page showing how the text fits within the margins and below it, a continuation page with the vertical footer.
  • Auto justified text often causes unsightly rivers in a block of text. Try flush right text instead.
Business Cards
  • Redesigned CSAIL stationery extends our visual brand into personal communications.
  • Business cards and letterheads are available in styles ranging from primary to secondary groups, both as printed versions and for letterheads as Word documents for desktop use.
Letterhead
  • Redesigned CSAIL stationery extends our visual brand into personal communications. Business cards and letterheads are available in styles ranging from primary to secondary groups, both as printed versions and for letterheads as Word documents for desktop use.
  • These examples show a few variables available in the Word Template. On the top left is the generic letterhead and below it a continuation page with a horizontal footer. On the top right you can see a personalized first page showing how the text fits within the margins and below it, a continuation page with the vertical footer.
  • Auto justified text often causes unsightly rivers in a block of text. Try flush right text instead.
Email Signature
  • The CSAIL logo represents us at the very highest level and is vitally important to our brand. It acts as a signature, an identifier and a stamp of quality. It is, and should always be, the most consistent component in our communications.
  • Leaving a lasting impression is hard. Doing it at the end of an email is even harder.
  • A strong email signature is attention-getting, but professional. It’s not flashy, but it’s not bland either.
  • Name Lastname name@csail.mit.edu to David, me, Jessica
  • Hi David and Cesar
  • Here is a signature that has the most information we can think lab members will want. Many thanks.
  • Title. Name Lastname (pronoun/s)
  • Job Title / Academic Degree
  • Group, Individual You Work For
  • MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory website address
  • name@csail.mit.edu
  • Office +1 234 567 8900 · Cell +1 234 567 8900
  • Twitter @MIT_CSAIL
  • The Stata Center, Room Number/s
  • 32 Vassar Street
  • Cambridge, MA 02139 United States
Presentation Templates
  • Presentation Templates Please use the provided templates when creating slides for any presentation.
  • Two templates are provided depending on your preference for horizontal footer or a vertical side bar. Do not mix one with the other.
  • We recommend the vertical side bar template for dual branding presentations. This composition allows us to insert the CSAIL logo on the bottom left corner of the screen and include any second logo on the right hand side.
  • In case you prefer a more subtle background, because it is projected to a big audience or perhaps because your presentation contains lots of photographs, you may apply a black background. Please find the instructions on page 4 of the template.
Research Posters
  • Posters should be considered a snapshot of your work intended to engage colleagues in a dialog about the work.
  • We have created two templates as jumping off points - you will need to rearrange the elements depending on your specific content. These are few tips for making a better research poster:
  • • Cut down on text
  • • Tell a story
  • • Let your poster breathe
  • • Work within our CSAIL color palette
  • • Have everything visible from 6 feet away
  • • Don’t use too many fonts, two weight-pairs can do the job
  • • Think of a concise, interesting short title
  • • Figures are the most effective element of your poster
  • Use a concise, interesting title
  • Many conference attendees scan the poster’s section title to find the presentations they don’t want to miss.
  • Cut down on text
  • You don’t need to include all information.
  • Choose a comfortable measure.
  • The measure is the number of characters in a single line of a column of text. Anything from 45 to 75 characters is widely regarded as a satisfactory length of line for a single-column page set in a text face in a text size. The 66-character line (counting both letters and spaces) is widely regarded as ideal. For multiple column work, a better average is 40 to 50 characters.
  • Justifying your text on the left-hand side makes the information easier to read.
  • Let your poster breathe
  • Designing your poster, don’t be afraid of white or negative space, if you fill every inch your poster will look clutter and will be hard for viewers to take in. In fact as much of 40% of your poster should be blank. Use this space strategically to draw attention to your messages.
  • Size matters
  • Even if your poster looks great and includes the right level of information if the text is too small will annoy visitors and drive away your audience. A good rule of thumb is to have everything visible from 6 feet away and nothing smaller than 24 points. This is 36 pt on 48 pt.
  • 84 points Title 60 points Sub-Titles 36 points Intro / Pull Quote 24 points Body Copy
  • Tell a story
  • Structure is so important to a poster as it is to a paper. Present your ideas with a logical order with your poster layout facilitating this organizations.
  • One popular option is to split a horizontally oriented poster into three columns, regardless of the pattern you choose, make sure is clear to readers where the start and end.
  • Choose the right color palette
  • Color can really liven up your poster but please be selective.
  • · Only use three defined colors
  • · Avoid those that are too bright or print poorly · Don’t use patterns
  • · Don’t use dark colors for the background
  • These could be distracting, hard on eye and they could make your figures look bad. Keep it simple, while it is the easiest to work with and the cheapest to print.
  • Re-figure your figures
  • Don’t assume that a standard figure can be simply be slapped onto your poster, simplify your graphs and provide titles and even arrows to help your fellow readers along.
  • Considering re-labeling your images with more general descriptions so that colleagues from outside your specific field will still get the basic of the given experiment. And finally use summary statistics, these are used to summarize a set of observations, in order to communicate the largest amount of information as simply as possible. Note: For multiple column work, a better average per line is 40 to 50 characters.
Headers
  • Headers can help differentiate projects and groups.
  • Headers are used in printed promotional materials for seminars and initiatives or for websites. Customize the image to represent your event, group, or research.
  • Two basic patterns have been created from the logo’s geometry. These patterns can help in many graphic situations: headers, footers, posters, flyers or any piece of communication that can be enhanced by these devices.
Pop Up Banner
  • Pop-up Banner Here is an example of a creative application of our brand in a banner.
  • Pop-up banners are used to promote the lab at events highlighting lab members and research.
  • If you would like to use a pop-up banner for one of your events, reach out to the CSAI L Director’s Office.
Folder
  • Pocket folders are a good choice when your documents need to be easily accessible, secure and ready to go at a moment’s notice.
  • Our folder showcases current lab research. Pictures and text are updated as projects and research change.
  • If you would like to see your research featured, please contact the CSAIL Logo Committee.
🐛 Report