New MIT ID Card Design

Why did MIT change the design of the ID cards?

This redesign was necessitated in part, to the high cost of procuring and producing the previous card format. In addition, the older design was visually difficult to quickly determine the card holders affiliation with the Institute.  With this in mind, the decision was made to print the entire card in the Card Office at the time of issuance, requiring a redesign of the card.

Why couldn't the old design be recreated?

The Card Office printers are capable of printing simultaneously the background design onto a white card and the cardholder's data and photo, but it cannot reproduce a solid background like on the current design without the risk of blemishes.

Why do the backgrounds have a variable pattern?

The Card Office asked the Publishing Services Bureau to create several designs that worked with the printers capabilities. It was not possible to use a photograph, such as the Dome, as a background image because the card printer is not able to discern between fine details and small text. The abstract images were introduced to solve this problem. They were chosen because they could not be linked to any specific MIT discipline, and they are not meant to be interpreted literally. The actual printed cards are of a higher quality than their appearance on the web.

Who created the card designs?

The Card Office asked the Publishing Services Bureau to create new designs based on the capabilities of their printers and the needs of the community.

Why use different colors instead of the school colors?

The use of accent colors helps distinguish the set of cards. While the main colors for the MIT logo are red and gray, they can be successfully modified to complement the overall color scheme of a design, as explained on the graphic identity website.

Who was involved in the design process?

The Card Office presented the designs to an advisory committee that is comprised of representatives from the Undergraduate Association and the Graduate Student Council, as well as from Human Resources, Housing, DAPER, Libraries, Alumni Association, Information Services & Technology, Facilities, MIT Police, and the Registrar's Office

What's Next?
The Card Office will collect feedback on the designs and present them to the Card Council sometime during the fall semester for review.  We will forward the comments you sent, but you may also want to contact your representative to the council and share your views.