Howard University Magazine
Made at idfive
UI+UX Design / Visual Design / Interactions / Prototyping
challenge
Howard University publishes a print version of the Howard Magazine three times a year. Howard needed a companion website to elevate the University’s strategic editorial initiatives and make the publication more accessible. We were tasked with creating a flexible digital magazine experience that not only accommodates future issues and seamlessly captures the spirit of the Howard brand, but one that also allows users to quickly and easily interact with a wide range of content types—from long-form features and video to in memoriams and book recommendations.
solution
I introduced a bold, unique design with micro interactions that help to draw the user’s eye down the page. Large content blocks are balanced by white space to create a clean, uncluttered look and feel. The aesthetic takes the Howard brand into new territory while adhering to its core tenets. Through close collaboration with the Howard team the site design could stand on its own while also supporting other University communication efforts. Pushing photography capabilities and content to create an online magazine that was as bold as the University’s vision.
the result
The Howard Magazine website provides students, faculty, and alumni with an immersive experience that allows them to engage with traditionally printed content in new, more interactive ways. In its first two weeks, the site attracted over 4,125 new users. The design increased engagement across all content forms: the most popular feature at launch notably being “Making Waves,” a long-form piece that highlights Howard’s distinction—and social responsibility—as the only remaining HBCU with a Division I swimming and diving program. It won best B2B website design in the Ozzie Awards in 2022.