Digital Designs for University Recruitment
Responsive Web Design | UX/UI Design | Digital Branding | Graphic Design | UX Strategy
Overview
In this client project, I used my skills in UX strategy to use digital design as a means to strengthen the AMSC academic program's branding and to increase the number of prospective students. My role included improving the AMSC Program's digital branding, redesigning recruitment materials, and redesigning the website. My design strategy was to transform their aged designs to be more modern, readable, and recognizable in order to draw in new prospective students.
This resulted in a 60% increase in applications from the prior year, as well as increased engagement with current students in program events.
Role
Graphic Designer & UX Strategist
Client
AMSC Program Graduate Coordinator
Department of Mathematics, University of Maryland
Duration
August 2022 - May 2024
Current Design Audit
Missing UMD Standard Branding
UMD's colors are red, yellow, black, and white, but there is a mish-mash of colors and photo treatments that do not create a direct link to UMD's branding. As a respected university, this link is vital for recruitment purposes.
Intuitive Scanning
Information that prospective students are looking for is not easily scannable across the different materials, and it was inconsistent as well. Statistics and other numbers are easily overlooked since there are not accompanying visuals such as icons or other graphics.
Inconsistent Program Image
Another consistency issue is the different feeling that each item gives the student. Part of deciding where to apply is how the student feels about the program and the program's image, and an inconsistent image is detrimental to recruiting efforts.
Incompatible Digital View
The brochure is not easily readable in digital format, which is a big issue since most students rely on info from program websites rather than in-person events. They needed to update their materials to be usable in both digital and print format.
How did I define a design strategy & set deliverables?
My goal was to use design to create a cohesive image of the AMSC Program as engaging, bold, and clear.
My target audience is a mix of prospective students who are considering applying to the AMSC program and admitted students who are deciding whether or not to accept their admission decision. These students are deciding to be with us for 5-8 years, so our materials have to be very convincing.
To do this I focused on three main strategies:
01.
Use engaging visuals to balance out text-heavy, important information
02.
Use consistent design systems throughout digital and print designs
03.
Prioritize user experience needs of prospective and admitted students
Balanced Visuals & Text with Consistent Design Systems
I created balance with gridded layouts sectioned by color, white space, and clear visual hierarchy in typography and color. I used icons and charts instead of text where possible, and ensured all client's preferences for full lists and logos were met.
Improved User Experience with Intuitive Layouts
I redesigned the website to appeal to prospective and admitted students with stronger, more meaningful images and clear actions. Each item has a purpose, and the pages now followed the same design system as the print design. However, there were limitations to my design implementation when working in Joomla, so the updated design is a happy middle between my original design and Joomla's capabilities.
The supporting pages also followed the same standards of consistency and visual hierarchy, creating a more readable site for information-seeking and an intuitive experience for all students.
Updated Designs
I wanted to keep a bold and bright palette without being too playful, so I combined UMD's iconic red and yellow colors with a vibrant orange to represent the 3 academic concentrations within the AMSC program.
These colors were mostly used in solid blocks of color with varying geometric layouts, mimicking the sharp angles of the students' math equations. A few designs incorporated a red-yellow-orange gradient when large amounts of text needed to be balanced.
The chosen font also provided a bold statement, with the display font leaning towards the right as if moving forward, echoing the innovative nature of the program.
