Third-year Conestoga Graphic Design student Aleah Zeineddine has been honoured with a student award from the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD). Zeineddine’s work was among the more than 950 submissions from design students across Canada.
Step-By-Step is an accessible cooking resource for people living with dementia and other neurological conditions.
Zeineddine received the Award for Accessible Design for Step-By-Step, an accessible cooking resource for people living with dementia and other neurological conditions. Developed as part of a course assignment, the book is designed to reduce cognitive strain while promoting confidence, familiarity and independence in everyday tasks. Recipes follow a consistent, repetitive sequence of steps, enabling users to build recognition and comfort through structure, even as the recipes vary.
“For the cookbook to be a usable tool, I needed to fully grasp the challenges people with neurological conditions battle,” Zeineddine said. “For all my work, I utilize research to help me better understand competitors, the market, possible challenges, and things I need to be aware of before beginning. This assignment was no different.”
To support the resource, Zeineddine connected with researchers and charities to better understand the challenges experienced by people with dementia and other neurological conditions, and how design can help address them, learning that organization and sequencing are especially important.
“The design of this cookbook is very strategic. I utilized colour, type, imagery and layout to make sure the cookbook would target dementia and neurological conditions,” said Zeineddine. “The layout is simple, organized and overall clean. I arranged the pages knowing that maintaining focus is a challenge for people with neurological conditions.”
The book uses images to identify ingredients and provide step-by-step instructions that are simple, concise and easy to spot. The goal is to help users feel less overwhelmed while preparing recipes and build confidence in the kitchen. It also allows caregivers to quickly assess whether the recipe aligns with an individual’s skill level, helping create opportunities for more independent participation. Zeineddine plans to develop Step-By-Step into an accessible website, building on the project and exploring new ways to make cooking more manageable, enjoyable and independent for a wider range of users.
“This award meant a lot to me. I’ve always been a passionate person who wants to make a positive difference in the world, and this project gave me the opportunity to combine that passion with my love for graphic design,” Zeineddine said. “Opportunities like these allow us to share our projects with a wider audience, gain recognition for our work, and see how our skills translate beyond the classroom.”
In addition to a $1,000 cash prize and an Adobe Creative Cloud membership, Zeineddine’s winning work will be profiled across RGD communication channels.
Submissions were reviewed and scored by a panel of industry experts. Judges also awarded honourable mentions to Conestoga Bachelor of Design student Scott Clemmer in the Motion Design category, Bachelor of Design student Belqis Mazhari in the Social Good category, and Graphic Design student Jessica Baker in the Brand Design category.
A full list of winners and honourable mentions is available through RGD.
RGD sets professional standards for more than 4,500 registered Canadian design practitioners, including firm owners, freelancers, managers, educators and students. Individuals awarded the RGD designation have met the association’s professional standards through a combination of education, experience and certification requirements.
To learn more about Conestoga’s Bachelor of Design (Honours) program and Graphic Design advanced diploma program, visit the School of Creative Industries.