NAIT Digital Viewbook
The viewbook is a key recruitment tool, used for domestic outreach and recruitment activities. Typically, NAIT’s viewbooks have been printed and handed out at various recruitment events. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that NAIT needed a virtual solution.
As a senior graphic designer, I led the design and development of NAIT’s first-ever digital viewbook. Utilizing features such as free positioning, on-scroll animation and immersive video, I was able to create a responsive and engaging online experience. To connect with high school students, I developed a youthful design aesthetic for recruitment that mixes hands-on photography and bright colours with bold, trendy typography. Based on marketing research that highlighted the importance of career-based outcomes for students, I also developed the tagline Be Future-Ready with NAIT, which has since been further leveraged in student recruitment campaigns. Please note that the video, photography and web copy was developed by additional NAIT staff.
The 2021-2022 digital viewbook was the recipient of the CASE VIII Awards Grand Gold, competing against post-secondary institutions from across the Pacific Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington) and Western Canada.
From the judges:
The staff made quick and smart decisions in selecting a digital platform that meets their needs, and they did a wonderful job crafting the digital content, which is especially impressive given the small number of people working on the project. The site is well-designed and nicely organized. With 15 sections, the digital viewbook covers a lot of ground, but it is pretty easy for the user to navigate. The platform feels contemporary and appeals to a young audience with its use of subtle fly-in headlines and animation. We found that the site works well on mobile devices as well as desktop browsers. We would expect that this remarkable shift to a digital strategy will impact NAIT’s approach to student recruiting far into the future, and may serve as a model for other institutions.