Authoritative Publications for Landmark Research and Global Advocacy.

We transform multi-year fieldwork, participatory diaries, and complex policy evaluations into beautifully crafted books and flagship publications that command respect in boardrooms, ministries, and academic institutions worldwide.

When your research represents years of participatory fieldwork, cross-border analysis, and deep community ownership, it deserves more than a standard corporate template. Flagship advocacy books, policy monographs, and lessons-learned photobooks are enduring assets; they must bridge the gap between grassroots reality and high-level decision-making.

At Pic-Tree, we specialise in long-form editorial design that honours the voices and evidence in your work. Whether designing co-authored pastoralist studies for research institutes like the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) or flagship social protection photobooks for multilateral partners like the World Bank and UNOPS, we ensure that every publication balances academic rigour with a compelling visual narrative.

From Community Feedback to Donor Funding

Effective publication design does not merely format text—it directly drives donor uptake, policy engagement, and project sustainability.

When Pictree designed the One Step Forward, Two Steps Back report for the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) examining border conflict and peacebuilding, the visual hierarchy was built to ensure the research was equally accessible to local pastoralists and high-level bilateral donors:

“The One Step Forward, Two Steps Back report is a great example of how to share research with the communities that participated in it. We expect that Lydia from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will be really excited about the report and will want to share it around, including with other donors, as a best practice example of how to do this kind of thing.”

— Charlie de Rivaz, XCEPT Research Fund and Uptake Director

By presenting complex qualitative diaries and local conflict analyses in an authoritative, decision-ready format, the publication proved instrumental in demonstrating impact to institutional stakeholders—directly supporting IDS in securing follow-on funding to continue and expand their cross-border research initiatives.

What We Deliver

• Bespoke Editorial & Typographic Systems: Layout architectures that give equal visual weight to academic analysis, hard metrics, oral testimonies, and documentary photography.
• Custom Cartography & Conflict Mapping: Clear, publication-grade GIS mapping of contested border corridors, transhumance tracks, and resource networks.
• Asset-Based Visual Framing: Curating authentic field documentation that presents communities as active analysts and leaders rather than passive research subjects.
• Dual-Format Production Excellence: Complete preparation for high-end print runs (hardcover and softcover) alongside lightweight, accessible (WCAG-compliant) digital PDFs optimised for low-bandwidth environments.
• Research Uptake Packages: Translating flagship books into integrated policy briefs, executive summaries, launch decks, and donor briefing materials.

Click on Examples