Client 1 Design Brief

For the CAS International Working Group, we want to create a website that is clean, compelling, and has smooth functionality.  Our goal is to construct a simple, yet innovative website to not only support the various content while also being aesthetically pleasing.  Our target audience is the campus community, but focuses specifically on those involved in international or multicultural subjects.  Being that there is an overwhelming amount of university related websites, we strive to create a striking, yet distinctive resource.

            Visually, we want to exude a welcoming feeling.  Our color palette will include earth tones paired with warm hues.  The browns and neutral tones will appeal to the wide audience as well as convey the idea of “multiculturalism”.  By not choosing a distinct color (red, green, etc.), we will avoid targeting a specific culture.  Although we want the website to be individualized, we also want it to incorporate the university colors in a subtle manner.  This will add contrast to the website, while falling under the university umbrella.  Therefore, we want the visual message to convey that the university cherishes multiculturalism, while also being distinct from other university websites.  For typography, our objective is a classic and intelligent feel.  When viewing a serif typeface, one is drawn to the timeless structure of the letters.  Since the university uses a serif typeface, that will create another parallel between the websites.  The elegant, yet vintage typeface paired with the traditional, neutral tones is our paradigm of multiculturalism.

             As stated before, students and faculty are exposed to an overwhelming amount of university websites.  Our aim is to create simple navigation, made up of approximately seven tabs.  These tabs will include the main information of the website, including “About Us”, “Events”, etc.  Because there is so much information given, we can deliver the content through “parent-child” pages.  While the main tabs will be located at the top of the page, there will also be compelling images to represent the additional topics, such as Student Blogs and Games for Change.  Not only will these images be an aid in the navigation process, it will also contribute to the visual pull and add contrast.