AQR Consulting Practitioner Workbook Design
AQR Consulting needed a practitioner workbook to support a training programme for managers responding to difficult tenant interactions. We were brought in to design a clear and considered document that could handle sensitive subject matter while remaining calm, accessible and easy to use in a live training setting. The result is a professional, thoughtfully designed workbook that supports learning, reflection and practical application.
“Bloody brilliant! Love it! I knew coming to you would be a great idea.” Anthony Taylor
Client: AQR Consulting in partnership with Aspire Housing
Sector: Training | Housing | Workplace Wellbeing
The Challenge
This workbook needed to support emotionally sensitive training content while remaining clear and usable in practice. The material covers real, often difficult experiences, so the document had to feel supportive without losing structure or professionalism.
The challenge was to create a workbook that could communicate complex, human-centred topics without becoming heavy or overwhelming, while also supporting a clearly structured, multi-session programme. It needed to balance credibility with warmth, presenting a mix of guidance, exercises and real-world scenarios in a way that felt easy to follow during live delivery.
Ultimately, the workbook had to do more than present information. It needed to actively support understanding, reflection and meaningful conversation.
Our Approach
We developed a calm, structured editorial system that prioritises clarity and ease of use. The design focuses on strong hierarchy, consistent layouts and a sense of space, allowing the content to breathe and reducing any feeling of density across the pages.
Colour is used with intention to guide the reader through different sections, while typography and layout create a clear rhythm across the document. This ensures that session content, exercises and supporting materials all feel connected, without competing for attention.
The overall direction avoids unnecessary complexity. Instead, it focuses on helping users move through the material confidently, whether they are facilitating the session or engaging with it as a participant.
The Results
The final workbook is clear, structured and easy to use across the full training programme. The design supports the content rather than competing with it, allowing sensitive topics to be approached in a calm and considered way.
The document now provides a consistent visual system, improved readability and a clear framework for navigating sessions, exercises and prompts. It works equally well as a guided training tool and as a reference point beyond the sessions themselves.
The Outcome
AQR Consulting now has a workbook that supports both delivery and experience. It feels calm, clear and professional, while still being approachable and grounded in real-world use.
This project is a strong example of how thoughtful editorial design can turn complex, emotionally driven content into something structured, accessible and genuinely useful in practice.
