Challenge
Solutionset produced the U-Guide monthly content guide for AT&T's U-Verse service, showcasing upcoming content, tidbits of information, tips and tricks, etc. The company was starting to produce more and more flip-book style digital versions of print catalogs, but it seemed like an outplayed metaphor to me. Skeuomorphism was popular at the time -— but it's not a paper magazine, why make it look and act like one?
Solution
In mid-2009 the director of my work group and I pitched a new digital publishing model for the magazine. My concept was based around the idea that the pages could use jQuery to slide pages instead of flipping them, and we could embed things like movie trailers and exclusive content to further engage the readers. The goal was to create an experience that's more germane to the user's viewing environment.
The original idea was then used to leverage another team from a recently acquired digital services agency and was developed into a full-fledged experience.
My Role
I went on to design and produce many of the new digital pages.
Visual Design
The original pitch image, based on the print magazine layout
The final digital layout comp
Animated cover test
Produced using InDesign's new interactive features.
Result
The results showed a lift of over 400% in page-views and click-thrus.
