Markley AbilityWorks

01Brand Overview

02Brand Personality

Four words that define how Markley AbilityWorks shows up — in every interaction, every piece of content, and every design decision. When something feels off-brand, measure it against these four words.

03Core Values

These values are not aspirational — they describe how Markley AbilityWorks already operates. They should be evident in every service delivered, every message sent, and every design produced.

• Service

  Rooted in a calling to serve others, we show up fully for every person we walk alongside — not because it’s a job, but because it matters.

• Dignity

  Every person deserves to be seen, heard, and treated with respect. We honor the inherent worth of every individual we serve.

• Integrity

  We do what we say, say what we mean, and show up with honesty and consistency.

• Empathy

  We lead with understanding, not judgment — meeting people exactly where they are.

• Stewardship

  We take seriously the trust placed in us by the people we serve and the communities we work within.

04Voice & Tone

The Markley AbilityWorks voice is how Nathan sounds when he’s speaking peer-to-peer — direct, warm, grounded in lived experience. Copy should feel like a conversation, not a brochure.

Guiding Principles

• Warm and conversational — never clinical or corporate
• First person where appropriate; Nathan speaks directly to peers
• Plain language always — avoid jargon and acronyms
• Encouraging without being patronizing — peer, not authority

05Color Palette

These eight colors make up the complete brand palette. Use them consistently. Navy and gold are the primary pairing. Off-white replaces pure white as the default background for warmth and reduced glare.

06Typography

Two typefaces work together: Nunito brings warmth and clarity to headings and UI; Atkinson Hyperlegible brings proven accessibility to body text. Both are available via Google Fonts.

Nunito — Heading Font

Used for headings, labels, navigation, buttons, and UI elements. Semi-Bold (600) for most headings; Bold (700) for display text and strong emphasis.

Atkinson Hyperlegible — Body Font

Used for all body copy and long-form reading. Designed by the Braille Institute specifically to maximize legibility for readers with low vision and dyslexia. Body text minimum: 18px. Never use below 15px in any context.

Type Rules

• Body text minimum size: 18px
• Line height: 1.6–1.8 for all body text
• Maximum line length: 68 characters — never let body text run edge-to-edge
• Body text is always left-aligned — never justified
• Avoid italics except for very short decorative use (taglines, pulled phrases)
• Atkinson Hyperlegible was chosen specifically for dyslexia-friendly readability — this is a brand requirement, not a preference

07Logo Guidelines

The logo is currently in development. This section documents the creative brief for the designer.

Concept Direction

A combination mark — a symbol paired with a wordmark. The symbol should depict a human figure or silhouette in motion within a clean geometric form, suggesting a path or journey forward with a connection or togetherness element. The concept is a reimagining of the classic accessibility symbol as something more human, dynamic, and forward-moving.

The design is rooted in a Christ-centered foundation — expressed not through explicit religious imagery, but through the values of servant leadership, dignity, and walking alongside others. The logo should reflect these guiding principles through its warmth, humanity, and sense of purposeful movement forward together.

Wordmark Variations

Both versions must be fully designed and usable independently.

Color Variations

All four variations must be delivered. No gradients in any logo variation — flat colors only.

Usage Rules

• Always maintain clear space on all sides equal to the height of the symbol
• Use only the four approved color variations
• Ensure the symbol is never smaller than 32px tall at minimum use size
• Place on a solid or clearly contrasting background at all times

• Never stretch, rotate, skew, or otherwise distort the logo
• Never change colors outside the four approved variations
• Never place the logo on a busy or patterned background without a clear background shield
• Never add gradients, shadows, outlines, or effects to the logo
• Never rearrange the relationship between the symbol and the wordmark

Required File Deliverables

SVG is the primary format for all web use. PNGs should be delivered in three versions: transparent background for flexible placement, white background for documents and presentations, and navy background for dark-background use. PDF for print production. All four color variations must be delivered in all formats.

08Imagery & Icon Style

Photography

• Warm, natural, candid — real people in real moments, not stock photo poses
• Authentic over staged — people should look comfortable, not arranged
• Lighting should feel warm and approachable, not clinical or harsh
• Real environments whenever possible — not empty white-background studio shots

Icons

• Simple, clean inline SVGs only
• Consistent stroke weight throughout any given layout or page
• Rounded corners and rounded caps for warmth — avoid sharp geometric angles
• No drop shadows, gradients, or 3D effects
• Color drawn from the brand palette only; default to navy or gold

What to Avoid

• Clipart, cartoon-style illustrations, or generic vector sets
• Overly corporate or institutional stock photography
• Anything that feels cold, clinical, or bureaucratic
• Images that reduce people with disabilities to symbols of struggle or that exist solely to make non-disabled people feel inspired — dignity first, always
• Busy, visually complex imagery that creates cognitive load

09Accessibility Standards

Accessibility is not just a technical requirement for Markley AbilityWorks — it is core to the brand mission. Nathan’s work is rooted in lived experience with disability. Every design choice must be made with real users in mind, including those with visual, cognitive, and motor differences.

WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance

All text must meet WCAG 2.1 AA contrast minimums. Never use color alone to convey meaning. All images must have descriptive alt text that communicates what the image shows, not just that an image exists. Gold (#cc9c3d) on Navy (#1a3a5c) achieves a 4.66:1 contrast ratio — passing AA for all text sizes.

Additional Requirements

• Never use color as the only indicator of meaning — pair with icons, text, or patterns
• All interactive elements must have a visible focus indicator (the gold outline ring)
• All images must have descriptive alt text
• Keyboard navigation must work fully without a mouse
• Minimum touch target size of 44×44px for any interactive element
• Font sizes must not be hardcoded in ways that prevent browser zoom