The 2015 ITS Annual Report is an interactive, multimedia-rich publication designed for digital consumption. The report is the result of a collaboration between ITS and UNC Creative and utilizes the latest Adobe Digital Publishing Solutions. Known more commonly as DPS, this technology allows rich, interactive content to be published and distributed for viewing on mobile devices.
This is ITS’ second year producing an annual report in DPS, but the first time ITS and UNC Creative have teamed up on such an endeavor. We asked Jarod Sutphin, the UNC Creative Design Director who worked on the annual report, to talk about the project with ITS.
What was your role on the project?
I was the sole designer on the ITS app project. I worked with stakeholders in ITS to help define the project scope, design all facets of the app, and develop it into a working app using the Adobe Digital Publishing Solutions platform.
ITS and UNC Creative worked well together on the annual report. Why do you think the collaboration was so successful?
The key to creating a successful app for ITS (and this goes for all of the projects UNC Creative works on) was having someone from the client side who was a champion for the project. Kate Hash and ITS did an excellent job staying involved and collaborating with us throughout the entire process. Their full commitment to the project itself meant that tasks and expectations were clearly defined, and communication between us remained consistently streamlined.
Was the ITS annual report one of your first DPS projects at Carolina?
It was. UNC Creative had started a couple of app projects for other clients on campus, but they never came to fruition.
To what extent are campus departments and units requesting UNC Creative use DPS for their projects?
We are seeing more and more people showing interest, and we only expect that to increase once the ITS Annual Report app is released. Communicators around campus are beginning to become educated on the benefits of having a DPS app.
What types of projects and content lend themselves to DPS?
DPS really shines when you have content that is produced on a cycle, such as a magazine or annual report. DPS is also extremely appropriate when University representatives and ambassadors who operate “in the field” need materials for presenting content to potential donors and supporters.
The primary benefit and selling point for DPS is that you can load rich content, like an app that contains videos and information graphics, onto a device and then take that anywhere to anyone. The impact of this rich content alone gives DPS apps a clear advantage over traditional print materials.
Ultimately a DPS app is another storytelling device, and content producers and communicators on campus should always be evaluating how best to tell their stories. In some cases, a print piece or website may be the best avenue for some stories. But in cases where their stories can be told using a variety of media such as video, animation and interactive media, DPS is a great solution.
Download the Annual Report:
iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/unc-chapel-hill-its-annual/id1040599103?ls=1&mt=8
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=edu.unc.itsannualreport2015