The California Water Service Group (CWSG) is a public utility that serves about 2 million Americans. CWSG is a holding company with interests across the USA, which oversees the California Water Service, founded in the 1920s. See our previous coverage of CWSG reports here: 2008 annual report , 2022 annual report and here: 2017–2021 annual reports.
As any good designer will attest, it is surprisingly difficult to achieve simplicity in the graphic design of an annual report. This is because of the large volume of information in a report; the fact that it appears on the designer’s desk at the last minute and often, piecemeal; there are frequent corrections; and because there are always too many cooks trying to make this particular soup.
CWSG’s 2023 report is a good example of how simple an annual report can be, and yet be punchy and effective. The 2023 report uses colour, type treatments, and page grids to achieve these ends.
Avoiding the cliche of relying on blue, the report uses a range of vibrant, saturated colours applied as gradients, in large blocks. These same colours are applied to infographics, pull quotes, and headers as well, creating a unified look.
Type treatments revolve around a single, sturdy sans serif in multiple weights. In the solid letterforms of its bold font, the typeface shows off colour beautifully. The use of a single typeface, of course, reflects the idea of simplicity. Text blocks are set ragged-right, conveying a sense of fluidity.
The page grids are minimal, usually an unimposing 2-column grid that doesn’t try to squash too much onto a given page. All told, this report holds the reader’s interest without resorting to gimmicks or unnecessary design flourishes. It is easy to read and direct in its approach.
Back
