South Devon College Course Guide
The Challenge
For a further education institution like South Devon College (SDC), communicating information effectively is crucial. And one of SDC’s most important vehicles for doing this is its annual course guide.
This substantial publication is the college’s main instrument for publishing details of its many courses available to students. But as well as serving this informative role, a course guide is also a fantastic opportunity to get prospective students and parents excited and inspired about the college.
So when SDC approached us to design its 2017/18 guide, we wanted to make it more than a prospectus. We set out to reflect the college’s dynamic spirit and clear passion for learning.
The Project
We made sure the course guide we designed for South Devon College was an object that would engage its audience even before it was opened. Presented in a stylish square format, the guide is an instant smile-raiser thanks to a dramatic full-page photo of the beautiful South Devon coast.
On the cover, and throughout the guide, we employed some clever design features to create impact. For instance, we chose an unusual display font for headings – quirky enough to provide a youthful edge but robust enough to not appear childish.
Then, we created a theme through a playful series of geometric line graphics. These subtle bespoke images provide a common thread and also introduce some welcome variation in a 200-page document.
We added interest to the guide’s pages with a thoughtful handling of scale and imagery. For a visual break in long bodies of text, we employed large heading sizes, and elevated quotations and other text in feature boxes. Added to this, we used large images to make a statement – with subtle colour tints to carry through a consistent theme.
SDC called on our proofreading service to run final checks on its page contents. This in-house service made the application of changes as simple as could be, resulting in a streamlined pre-print process.
The Result
Our design of SDC’s course guide took an important document and enhanced it in a way that only good design can. With attention to detail and creative cunning, it became not only an essential resource – but a thing of beauty too.
