Recently, the gift box above was spotlighted by the design blog Lovely Package – and deservedly so.

The box is the work of Digital Design student Simon Vieira, and it’s just one small part of Simon’s final project, dubbed Diligo. We caught up with him recently to shed some light on the project and how the gift box figures in.

Could you explain what the Diligo project is, and how you chose it for your final project?

Simon: In short, Diligo is an interactive web platform for people to collaborate, socialize, and invest together in ideas that will change the world in a positive way.

For example, let’s say you are a designer that wants to create a motion graphic video in hopes of creating awareness for children in Africa. You create a profile, post your idea, and upload everything you have to make it come true: pictures, research, story boards… Immediately people can see your project and rate it. The higher the rating, the more exposure you get inside the site, letting investors or potential donors pick up your project and help it come true.

I chose this idea for my final project because my wife and I have been working on the concept for a few years now. I thought it would be beneficial to start the design phase while I am at VFS so I can take advantage of all the good teachers and resources.

The tangible stuff that makes up this project is especially striking – the gorgeous gift box, the mugs and bags… How does that material fit into the larger brand identity of Diligo, given that it’s an online community and not a physical one?

Simon: Because Diligo is an online service and services are intangible, they have a risk associated with them. The role behind all these tangible goods like the gift box, coffee mug, t-shirts, and bags, is to reduce that risk and make Diligo more tangible and accessible. That’s why branding is so important – because it lets a company consistently communicate their message, values, and personality through all their products and services.

We see quite a lot of Digital Design projects which tackle larger social issues. (Ileana’s recent final project is a good example.) Why do you think that is?

Simon: I think we are realizing that we can really help and influence a lot of people through our work. Our job as designers is to make things look and work better. We solve problems! So why not use our skills to help solve some of the social issues in the world?

Thanks, Simon! Readers can follow the development of the Diligo project on Simon’s blog. Well worth visiting!