Handbook design for dummies, v2003
University of Kent at Canterbury
Prospectus design
Back in 2003, a time when Lonely Planet and For Dummies handbooks were still a thing, there existed a certain finesse in navigating the world of information by the flipping of real pages. This once-vital skill has since become a relic of the past, eclipsed by the convenience of apps and websites.
When my boss in London assigned me this job, I don’t think he was aware that I’d never applied for university courses, or even stepped foot on a campus before.
This turned out to be an advantage, because I had so many questions. What did all the jargon mean? How would one compare courses? How do you even go about applying?
I decided to make myself the benchmark. I was determined to design a prospectus so user-friendly that EVEN clueless me could breeze through it and find all the information needed. And it also had to make university life so enticing that I'd be itching to pack my bags in a heartbeat.
Getting to spend a couple of weeks on campus to art direct the photography was hands down the highlight of this gig. I got a taste of campus life, without the worry of term papers and exams!
In a 240 page book, ease of navigation requires clear colour coding, lots of useful cross references, and a strong sense of visual hierarchy. The journey of a student to find the right uni and course is daunting. The more reassuring we can sound, the more likely we will gain the reader’s trust. It was UI/UX, but in paper form.
I had so many questions. What would 18 year old me want to know if I was searching for a uni? I wrote them all down and used it as my checklist, working closely with the Communications team at UKC who did all the writing.
From Criminology to European Culture, the options offered were truly comprehensive. It was important to present the information for each course in this order: At-a-glance facts; followed by detailed information; followed by the alternatives – links to other related courses; and finally, a call-to-action.
Fast forward a year, and imagine my surprise when we snagged the award for best prospectus of the year! For a Malaysian who never had the chance to go to university, it was a sweet moment indeed.
KEY COLLABORATORS
Client
University of Kent at Canterbury, UK
Designer
Allie Hill & Rachel Jarvis
for The Crocodile Design & Marketing
Photographer
Martin Levenson
