NCLEX Crunch Time
Preview of Crunch Time Title Cards
The Task: Crunch Time Review is an educational product designed to help nursing students prepare for the NCLEX through an intensive three-day review experience. Working closely with the nursing team, I helped develop a fun, engaging, and distinctive visual identity that made a large amount of educational content easier to navigate and more approachable for students. As the lead art director, I was responsible for creating the overall branding, design system, and visual direction across the product. The goal was to combine the professional and educational nature of nursing with a fresh, energetic look that would keep students engaged throughout their review.
Crunch Time Print Elements
Branding: The branding was built around a consistent visual system that could adapt to 12 different learning modules, each covering a specific nursing subject. I developed the main Crunch Time Review identity, along with individual logos and visual treatments for each module.
Existing UWorld illustrations played a central role in the visual direction. I transformed these illustrations with grunge-inspired, print-like textures, incorporating them into the backgrounds to add depth, dimension, and visual interest. The textured treatments encouraged students to look more closely at the designs and discover the illustrations within the backgrounds, making the overall experience feel more engaging and dynamic.
Each module featured its own color palette, subject-specific imagery, and individual identity while maintaining a consistent overall look. The colors were selected to stand out, provide strong contrast, and complement the content of each subject. This approach created a modern, bold, and professional visual system that allowed every module to stand on its own while remaining part of the Crunch Time Review brand.
The 12 modules included: Management & Coordination of Care, Electrolyte Imbalances & Genitourinary Concepts, Infection Control, Cardiovascular & Respiratory Concepts, Maternal & Newborn Health, Endocrine & Gastrointestinal Concepts, Child Health, Neurological Concepts, Mental Health, Test Anxiety & Relaxation Techniques, Enteral Tubes & Orthopedic Devices, and Medication Administration.
Crunch Time Workbook and Instructor Fun Guide Books
The Workbook and Fun Guide: The workbook was designed to complement the video lessons and PowerPoint presentations, giving students an interactive way to follow along with each session. I created the main layout and visual direction, incorporating tables, charts, and fill-in-the-blank sections that encouraged students to actively participate as they reviewed the material.
Working alongside another designer, I established the workbook’s core design system, which was then carried across the remaining modules to maintain consistency throughout the product.
Crunch Time Workbook Cover
Workbook Inside Detail
Alongside the workbook, I developed the core design and visual direction for the fun guide, creating a playful approach to instructor-led games and activities. Another designer carried the layout through to completion, extending the established design while maintaining consistency with the overall Crunch Time Review identity. The guide provided students with a mental break from the intensive coursework, bringing a lighter, more interactive element to the learning experience.
Fun Guide Detail
The Video and Presentation: The video and presentation materials extended the Crunch Time Review branding into both online and live learning environments. I collaborated closely with the video team to develop the graphics and layouts used throughout the 12-module video series, including title cards, presenter backgrounds, tables, and question layouts that would later be animated into the videos.
The PowerPoint presentations followed the same visual structure as the videos, adapting the content for instructors to use during live sessions. Each module was customized to reflect its subject matter while maintaining the overall branding and design system.
Presenter showcasing the workbook and presentation
By coordinating the visual elements across the videos, presentations, workbook, and instructor guide, I helped create a cohesive learning experience that balanced educational clarity with an engaging, energetic design.
