The Break-In Kit
(Context)
The Break-In Kit is a physical toolkit designed to support creative students transitioning into the professional world.
(Deliverables)
Physical toolkit
Modular card system
Packaging design
Information design
Visual hierarchy system
Supporting artefacts
Packaged like an emergency kit, it offers practical, accessible advice across topics like networking, freelancing, and time management.
Combining copywriting, information design, UX thinking, and packaging, the kit transforms overwhelming career guidance into a tactile, structured, and supportive experience.
The card system was designed to mirror emergency kit aesthetics, sharp striped borders, bold iconography, and fast-scanning layouts.
This visual style builds instant familiarity, making it easier for users to trust and engage quickly. Cards are modular and colour-coded, allowing flexible, need-based access rather than a fixed reading order.
The system translates high-stress career moments into clear, approachable tasks through immediate visual cues, reinforcing both usability and emotional reassurance.
The kit’s development involved extensive material and interaction testing. I experimented with acrylic, MDF, and 3D printing to prototype the box’s structure, the novelty hammer and user interaction.
Laser cutting, raster engraving, and hand-finishing were used to refine both the visual feel and tactile experience.
Prototyping multiple versions allowed me to test durability, usability, and emotional impact, ensuring that the final product delivered a seamless, supportive interaction in high-stress moments.