The Client
RIT Cary Graphic Arts Collection
The collection is one of the world’s leading libraries dedicated to the history and practices of graphic communication. We were tasked with creating a digital experience that reimagines a specific aspect of the Cary Collection.
ROLE
Visual Design
TIMELINE
4 Weeks
CLEINT
Cary Collection
TOOLS
Figma, Figjam
Bringing the Center Online
Our challenge was to reimagine how this legacy could live and evolve online as a way of preserving the designers' legacy and expanding the center's mission to a larger audience.
The Problem
Despite its incredible resources, the Cary Collection often goes unnoticed by the students it’s meant to serve. How might we encourage them to explore the archives in an engaging, and innovative format?
Quick Analysis of the Current Situation:
We surveryed 15 students from the various RIT colleges to understand their knowledge and sentiment towards the collection, these were our key takeaways:
67%
have never heard of the Cary Graphic Arts Collection
93%
are not familiar with the what types of resources available
93%
have never visited the collection in-person or digitally
Our Goals
Build Brand Awareness
Increasing student recognition and familiarity with the Cary Collection.
Visitor Conversions
Drive traffic to the Cary Collection, encouraging students to incorporate the resources into their academic work.
Community Building
Make the collection feel approachable and relevant to students from all disciplines.
The Solution
An interactive, digital "printing press" experience outside the Cary Collection where users can piece together imagery, typography, and colors from existing pieces and share them to a public gallery.
Key Features
Edit
Users can edit a piece
from the collection. Creating an emotional connection.
Educate
Information provided about each poster allows the user to learn more about pieces in the collection.
Engage
Once done editing a poster, the user can explore other posters in the public gallery.
Developing the Experience
Our team of designers developed high fidelity designs and prototype for our developers. For visual design, I collaborated on the branding, home screen, and information screen.
Style Guide
Design Iterations
Initial Exploration
Landing Page
Exploration of spacing, typography, and naming. We were exploring experience names while finalizing design elements due to the short timeline.
Initial Explorations
Information Page
Exploration of necessary content, modes of information, buttons, imagery.
Final Prototype
Project Growth
Currently, the experience features only four posters, but we envision it evolving into something larger. By incorporating a variety of collections and rotating themes over time, the exhibit can foster ongoing engagement and sustain student interest with each new iteration.
KPIs
Tracking the exhibit's impact on the Cary Collection is essential. We plan to measure engagement through poster publications, monitor site visits and in-person reservations, and conduct periodic student sentiment surveys to assess changes in familiarity with the collection.